Learn Italian: Noi abbiamo paura.

Noi abbiamo paura.

We are afraid.

Breakdown of Noi abbiamo paura.

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Questions & Answers about Noi abbiamo paura.

Why does the Italian sentence use 'abbiamo' (we have) if the English translation says 'we are'?

In Italian, you don't 'be afraid' — you 'have fear'. The word paura is a noun meaning 'fear'. Italian uses the verb avere (to have) for several physical and emotional states where English uses 'to be', such as being hungry, thirsty, cold, or afraid.

How does the verb change if I want to say 'I am afraid' instead of 'we are afraid'?

You change the verb to match the person. Since 'I have' is ho, 'I am afraid' becomes ho paura. The verb avere is highly irregular, so its different forms (like ho, hai, ha, and abbiamo) just have to be memorized!

Is it necessary to include the word Noi (we) at the beginning of the sentence?

No, you can simply say Abbiamo paura. In Italian, the verb ending already tells us the subject is 'we'. You usually only include subject pronouns like noi if you want to add emphasis, such as pointing out that we are afraid, even if someone else isn't.

I noticed abbiamo has a double 'b'. Does that affect the pronunciation?

Yes, double consonants in Italian are pronounced differently than single ones. When speaking, you should slightly pause and hold that 'b' sound for an extra fraction of a second.