This lesson is about reflexive verbs!
A reflexive verb is used when the subject and object of the verb are the same. For example, “kick yourself”.
Reflexive verbs are more common in Italian than in English – verbs which in English are too “obvious” to be used in the reflexive form (wake up, get up, wash, clean your teeth, and so on..) do need the reflexive form in Italian.
So, for example, in Italian you might “suicide yourself”, absurd as it sounds in English!
Many Italian verbs have reflexive forms. You can recognise them because they end in “-si”. For example:
alzarsi (get yourself up)
svegliarsi (wake yourself up)
vestirsi (dress yourself)
lavarsi (wash yourself)
riposarsi (rest yourself)
mettersi (put yourself)
fermarsi (stop yourself)
sedersi (sit yourself)
When you use a reflexive verb you have to put the correct reflexive pronoun before the verbs.
The reflexive pronouns are:
io – mi
tu – ti
lui/lei/Lei – si
noi – ci
voi – vi
loro – si
Here are two examples of the conjugation of reflexive verbs in Italian:
svegliarsi – to wake yourself up
(io) mi sveglio
(tu) ti svegli
(lui/lei/Lei) si sveglia
(noi) ci svegliamo
(voi) vi svegliate
(loro/Loro) si svegliano
alzarsi – to get yourself up
(io) mi alzo
(tu) ti alzi
(lui/lei/Lei) si alza
(noi) ci alziamo
(voi) vi alzate
(loro/Loro) si alzano
Back to Italian lesson on: Reflexive Verbs
