Ciao!! 👋
I realized that it has been too long since I last published an article, and today I decided to bring up this topic that seems very interesting to me and that could help you (as it helped me) understand why in Italian we use ‘avere‘ to express needs while in English we use ‘to be’.
I think this is a topic that may interest us language enthusiasts: we really enjoy expressing ourselves differently and seeing the world with new eyes. This short article will help you do just that.
- ‘Avere’ in Italian vs. ‘To be’ in English
- Historical origins and differences
- Cultural and Conceptual Differences
‘Avere’ in Italian vs. ‘To be’ in English
In Italian, to express physical states and needs such as hunger, thirst, cold, heat, sleep, or fear, we use the verb “avere”, which corresponds to “to have” in English.
As a result, it is said that one “has” hunger, thirst, sleep, etc.
Here some examples:
• Ho fame. (I am hungry.)
• Hai sete. (You are thirsty.)
• Ha freddo. (He/She is cold.)
• Abbiamo sonno. (We are sleepy.)
• Avete paura. (You all are scared.)
• Hanno caldo. (They are hot.)
It seems that in Italian one ‘owns’ a need, as if it were a possessed object. This reflects a more “concrete” approach compared to the English language, where the verb “to be” is used.
In English, needs such as hunger and thirst are not “possessed,” but they are “experienced.” In other words, expressions with the verb “to be” are used to describe physical states and needs, such as “I am hungry” or “She is thirsty.”
Historical origins and differences
Italian and its Latin origins
Italian derives from Latin, the language spoken in the Roman Empire, and many of the basic linguistic structures reflect those of classical Latin. In Latin, expressing needs and physical states often occurred through the verb “habere” (meaning “to have”), and this structure has been maintained in Romance languages like Italian.
Latin, like other ancient Indo-European languages, tended to use the verb “habere” to indicate possession not only of material objects, but also of emotions and physical needs. This conceptual approach has therefore transferred into Italian, where one continues to “possess” hunger, thirst, or sleep.
Latin Example:
• Famen habeo = Ho fame (literally: I have hunger)
In this sense, Italian has preserved a “tangible” view of needs, treating them as entities that are temporarily “owned.”
English and the Germanic Evolution
The English language, on the other hand, belongs to the family of Germanic languages, which developed differently from Romance languages. In Germanic languages, such as Proto-Germanic and later Old English, physical states and needs were expressed more existentially, using the verb “to be” to indicate the state of being of the person.
For example, Old English already used phrases similar to “Ic eom hunig” (I am hungry), where the verb “to be” reflected a momentary state of the individual. This “essential” approach remained constant throughout the evolution of English.
Anglo-Saxon Example:
• Ic eom hunig = I am hungry (sono affamato)
In other words, in English, a more subjective and existential view of need (at least in my humble point of view), has taken root, as part of the speaker’s identity in that specific moment.
Cultural and Conceptual Differences
This grammatical distinction may also reflect deeper cultural nuances. Language is not just a means of communication, but also a tool through which the world is interpreted.
Romance languages like Italian tend to treat needs as something “external” to ourselves, an object that can be “had” or not.
On the other hand, in the Germanic languages, including English, there is a tendency to identify the physical or emotional state with the person themselves, as a temporary part of their being. Consequently, “to be” is used to describe these states, as if a person were hungry, thirsty, or tired at that moment.
Conclusion
Every now and then, a question pops into my mind that I can’t resist and I have to do some research. Language lovers will perfectly understand what I’m talking about. It’s so fascinating to understand how speakers of a foreign language see and consequently describe the world. In this way, it’s also easier to learn to speak that language.
Thank you for reading this far; if there is anything you would like to share with me, feel free to write to me. I would be more than happy to continue discussing this topic (or any other).
A presto! 🤗
Dillo in Italiano 