What are the rules for reflexive verbs in Italian?
Italian reflexive verbs are those in which the subject and the object are the same person, animal or thing.
What are the six reflexive pronouns in Italian?
| Person | Singular | Plural |
| 1st person 2nd person 3thir person | Mi (Myself) Ti (Yourself) Si (Him/Herself) | Ci (Ourselves) Vi (Yourself) Si (Themselves) |
Italian reflexive verbs list:
| Accorgersi (to notice) (to realize) | Pentirsi (to repent) (to regret) |
| Addormentarsi (to fall asleep) | Preoccuparsi (to worry about) |
| Allontanarsi [to go away (from)] | Ricordarsi (to remember) |
| Alzarsi (to get up) | Riposarsi (to rest) |
| Ammalarsi (to become ill) | Rivolgersi (to address) (to go and speak) |
| Annoiarsi (to get bored) | Rompersi (to break) |
| Arrabbiarsi (to get angry) | Sbagliarsi (to make a mistake) |
| Dimenticarsi to forget) | Scusarsi (to apologize) |
| Divertirsi (to enjoy) | Sedersi (to sit) |
| Fermarsi (to stop) | Sentirsi (to feel) |
| Innamorarsi (to fall in love) | Spaventarsi (to be scared) |
| Lamentarsi (to complain about) | Sposarsi (to get married) |
| Lavarsi (to wash) | Stupirsi (to be amazed at) (to be stunned by) |
| Meravigliarsi (to be amazed at) | Svegliarsi (to wake up) |
| Offendersi (to insult) | Vestirsi (to get dressed) |
Reflexive verbs Italian conjugation in the present tense
| Subject pronoun | Lavarsi | Sedersi | Vestirsi |
| io | mi lavo | mi siedo | mi vesto |
| tu | ti lavi | ti siedi | ti vesti |
| lui/lei | si lava | si siede | si veste |
| noi | ci laviamo | ci sediamo | ci vestiamo |
| voi | vi lavate | vi sedete | vi vestite |
| loro | si lavano | si siedono | si vestono |
- Perchè ti guardi sempre allo specchio?
- Why do you always look in the mirror?
- Piero e Luca si scusano perchè non possono venire.
- Piero and Luca apologize for not being able to come.
- Mentre tu ti lavi, io preparo la colazione.
- While you wash , I’ll make breakfast.
The negative form is done by putting [Non (not)] in front of the pronoun.
- Non mi guardo mai allo specchio
- I never look in the mirror.
- Non vi annoiate?
- Aren’t you bored?
For the courtesy form in the singular, we use the pronoun (si), for the plural we normally use the pronoun (vi) but we can also use (si)
- Si sente bene, professore?
- Are you feeling well, Professor?
- Si ricorda di me, signora?
- Do you remember me, Madam?
- Signori, Vi divertite?
- Gentlemen, are you enjoying yourself?
- Signori, si divertono?
- Gentlemen, are they having fun?
The plural forms of reflexive pronouns (ci,vi, and si) are also used to express reciprocal relations:
- Franca e carla si vedono spesso. [Franca vede Carla e Carla vede Franca]
- Franca and Carla see each other often. [Franca sees Carla and Carla sees Franca]
- Perchè vi guardate in quel modo?
- Why do you look at yourselves that way?
- Silvio e io non ci sopportiamo.
- Silvio and I can’t stand each other.
Reflexive pronouns are also often used to emphasize that the action expressed by the verb goes in favor of the subject:
- Ho fame e mi mangio un toast.[mangio un toast con piacere]
- I’m hungry and i eat toast. [I eat toast with pleasure]
- Quando abbiamo finito, ci facciamo una passeggiata.
- When we’re done, we take a walk.
- A pasqua mi prendo una settimana di vacanza.
- At Easter I take a week off.
Some verbs used in the reflexive form are also followed by the object:
- Mi lavo i capelli.
- I wash my hair.
- Giulia si mette la giacca.
- Giulia puts on her jacket.
- Perchè non ti togli il berretto?
- Why don’t you take off your cap?
When reflexive pronouns are used in a sentence with an infinitive verb (normally after dovere, potere, volere, and sapere) they can be joined to the infinitive which however loses the final vowel:
- A che ora devi svegliarti? A che ora ti devi svegliare?
- What time do you have to wake up?
- Domani posso alzarmi tardi. Domani mi posso alzare tradi
- I can get up late tomorrow.
- Ha 3 anni, ma sa vestirsi da sola. Ha 3 anni, ma si sa vestire da sola
- She is 3 years old, but she knows how to dress herself / dress alone