What are reflexive verbs?
In a reflexive verb the action turns back onto the subject. A reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself ...) goes with it. You recognise these verbs in the infinitive by the ending -si: alzarsi, lavarsi, vestirsi.
Many verbs are reflexive in Italian that have no "self" in English: mi alzo (I get up), mi sveglio (I wake up), mi chiamo (my name is). The pronoun cannot be left out.
Without and with a reflexive pronoun
Action on someone or something else
Lavo la macchina.
I wash the car.
Sveglio mio figlio.
I wake up my son.
Action on oneself
Mi lavo.
I wash (myself).
Mi sveglio.
I wake up.
The reflexive pronouns
Each person has its own reflexive pronoun, and it stands directly before the conjugated verb. Apart from the third person it is the same word as the unstressed object pronoun. In the third person it is always si, singular and plural.
The reflexive pronouns at a glance
| Person | Pronoun | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| io | mi | myself |
| tu | ti | yourself |
| lui / lei / Lei / loro | si | himself / herself / themselves |
| noi | ci | ourselves |
| voi | vi | yourselves |
Conjugation in the present
You conjugate the verb as usual and put the matching reflexive pronoun in front of it. Reflexive verbs exist with -arsi, -ersi and -irsi: mi lavo, mi metto (I put on), mi vesto.
alzarsi (to get up)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi alzo |
| tu | ti alzi |
| lui / lei | si alza |
| noi | ci alziamo |
| voi | vi alzate |
| loro | si alzano |
Mi alzo alle sette.
I get up at seven.
La domenica ci alziamo tardi.
On Sundays we get up late.
I bambini si vestono da soli.
The children get dressed by themselves.
Reflexive verbs in daily life
Most reflexive verbs describe personal care, daily routine and how you feel.
Mi sveglio alle sette e mi alzo subito.
I wake up at seven and get up right away.
Mi lavo i denti tre volte al giorno.
I brush my teeth three times a day.
Oggi mi sento benissimo.
Today I feel great.
La sera mi addormento subito.
In the evening I fall asleep right away.
In the passato prossimo
Reflexive verbs always form the passato prossimo with essere (to be), never with avere (to have). The reflexive pronoun goes before the auxiliary.
The participle agrees with the subject in gender and number: a man says alzato, a woman alzata, a group alzati (women only: alzate).
Stamattina mi sono svegliato tardi.
This morning I woke up late. (a man speaking)
Maria si è divertita molto alla festa.
Maria had a great time at the party.
Domenica ci siamo alzati tardi.
On Sunday we got up late.
With a modal verb and an infinitive
After a modal verb (dovere, volere, potere) the reflexive pronoun goes before the modal verb or onto the end of the infinitive. The final -e drops and -si becomes the pronoun: alzarsi becomes alzarmi.
Mi devo alzare presto.
I have to get up early.
Devo alzarmi presto.
I have to get up early.
