Look at the examples below and identify the difference between the two types of structures.

""-''··· -·----· ·----- --·· ·-- "11

· Marie si lava. """· r>:"'l:lli~llml~'!i!'"l"•~
'lilll.

o What is the infinitive of lava? lavare • What is the infinitive of si lava? lavarsi
a Who is wash ing? Mario. • Who is washing? Mario.
o What is Mario washing? His shirt. • What is Mario washing? Himself!

--+ The shirt is the object of the sentence. --+ This sentence does not have an object.

A reflex ive verb is a verb that expresses an action performed by a person to himself or herself.
You will recognise a reflexive verb by the pronoun -si at the end of the infinitive. Just as with all
other verbs, in order to give the reflexive verb its proper endings, you must fi rstly remove the
infinitive ending. Look at the reflexive verbs below. What has been placed in front of the verb
form? Why do you think it has been used? Can you think of the English equivalent?

i io
I
f
i
j mi ''
.. .. . .. ..
'
l
lav-o l ! io -
!
, mi J l'llett-o
i
i
tu ti I lav-i ! tu ti \ mett-i
r 1 !i ·1
I
I lui/lei/Lei Ii i' lui/lei/Lei
'
si ! lav-a si i mett-e
i
I ""l
ir noi Cl lav-iamo i noi ci ! mett-iamo
I voi i vi
''
I
lav-ate I
I
i
I voi
f
; mett-ete
! i
! loro i
I
L______ ____ i si !l lav-ano
I !,____
loro _

A "~~~-- 1~ ~~1~ ~~·;~~ ;~·;;~~,t·~~.t,~:· ;~;1~~i~~ ,~~~~· ;~~~~,~~~·~~;1~-~ ·;~;1~~;~~·~·r~~~~~~.' . .,. ..... .
W Practise the conjugation of reflexive verbs. Go back to the texts you have read in this unit
and make a list of all the reflexive verbs you have seen, Group them in -are, -ere and -ire .

• [quara~tal iiWfoS La giornata degli italiani ISBN 9780l 7023B?~

REFLEXIVE VERBS (VERBI RIFLESSIVI)
A reflexive verb expresses an action performed and received by the same subject. Not all verbs can become reflexive~
Those that do drop the -e of the infinitive ending and add the pronoun si. For example, the verb lavare (to ~ash)
becomes lavarsi (to wash oneself) in the reflexive infinitive. Since the subject also receives the action, an additional
a
pronoun is needed when conjugating reflexive verb. This is called the reflexive pronoun. There is a different reflex-
ive pronoun for almost every personal form. Study the following forms for the verbs alzarsi (to get oneself up),
m~ttersi (to put [something] on), and coprirsi (to cover oneselj):

Infinitive: alzarsi m~ttersi coprirsi

(io) mi mi alzo mi rnetto mi copro
{tu) ti ti alzi ti metti ti copri
(lui, lei; Lei) si si alza si mette si copre
(noi) ci ci alziiµno ci mettiiµno ci copriiµno
(voi) vi vi alzate vi mettete vi coprite
(loro, Loi:o) si si ~Iiano si m~ttono si c9prono

The following is a list of common Italian reflexive verbs:

acc9rgersi (di) to notice ..

addormentarsi to fall asleep ii'.
alzarsi to get up
arrabbh,irsi to get angry
chiamarsi to be named
coprirsi to cover oneself
coricarsi to lie down, to go to bed
diplomarsi to get a diploma
divertirsi to have jun, to enjoy oneself
farsi ii bagno to bathe oneself
farsi la d9ccia to take a shower ·
farsi male to get hurt, hurt oneself
ferirsi to wound oneself
fidanzarsi (con) to get engaged to
fidarsi (di) to trust
innamorar.si (di) to fall in love with
Iamentarsi (di) ta complain about ·
Iavarsi to wash oneself
Iaure~rsi to graduate
m~ttersi to put on (clothing, etc.)
pentirsi (di) to repent of
pettinarsi to comb one's hair
prepararsi (per) to get ready
pulirsi to clean oneself
r~dersi to shave
ricordarsi (di) to remember
sbarbarsi to shave
sedersi to sit down
sentirsi to feel
spogli~rsi to undress
sposarsi (con) to get married
svegli~rsi · to wake up
vestirsi to get dressed
voltarsi . to turn

21 o. Complete the following with the appropriate present indicative reflexive forms of the indicated verbs:
1. Qu~i ragazzi alle otto. alzarsi
2. D'inverno voi sempre il cappotto. m?ttersi
3. I bambini facilmente. addormentarsi
4. Io Roberto. chiamarsi
5. Noi rapidamente. vestirsi
6. La signorina Martini - - - - - - i n medicina. lauret;zrsi

211. Complete the following with the appropriate reflexive pronouns:

1. Io alzo alle settee mezzo.
2. N oi - - - - - - - addormenti~mo facilmente.
3. Voi pettinate con cura.
4. Luigi veste lentamente.
 Reflexive Verbs

vlitb a re.fleJciv:e verb_, the subject and the object arc fue same. So the person doing
the actinn ~nd the person the action is being done to a-re ·m-e same_

! \:i,<ash mvseJf every morning

I is the s:nbject .and tlfue ob.Jia:f.

You can recognize a reflexive verb by the -si at th.e end of the infiniiNe_ Tnis: tens
you that the action is reflected back on the subje..r:t.

eg. Pettinarsi - to comb one"s hair

mEnglish. we use the pronoun ~sd£'-selves_ In Itruian w;.e h.a,iie these refle:\.ive
pronouns:

Mi-mysdf Ci - ou:rnclves
Ti-yourself Vi - yams.elves
S1.- - 1..: 1 ,... herse
mi:u.s.e.:r, . 1-f:",_,, 1.tse
- 1.- r Si- ilhet~-ceUves

In English we can leave out the selflselves bl,it in ]t.alim:ll we Cl!Dnot

;> . . .

Mi vesro e(poi vado a scnob.

I dress (myself) and then I go to school
V esto mia sorefut
I dress my sister

A few vems in _iualian are only used reflexively:

Accorgers:i di - to notice,. to realise

Pemirsi - to repent
Verrroimi.arsi
0 ~
- to be ashametl

The plural reflexive pronouns are also used in the reciprocal sense:

Non d parliamo pin"

we don'ttalkto eac.h oilier anymore.

Reflexive verbs are c..orJugated by coajirn gating the verb inow...alliy (iffi'.e they end li1
ARE, ERE or IRE) and adding the reflexive pronoun in front fu other words, instead
of removing ARE for example, \":e remove ARSI.

eg. Lavarsi
Remove tb.e arsi and add the appropriate endings for the snhject.
Io mi lavo No.i c.i Iavfamo
Tu ti Javi Voi v:i fawme
LuiJ'l-ei si lava
 Reflexive versus Non-reflexive

Reflexive verbs express an action performed and received by the same

subject.
Esempio - Io mi lavo. (I wash myself)

When many of these verbs are used nonreflexively (that is, without the
refle.xive pronoun), their meaning changes.

Esemp1:
Reflexive Non-reflexive
Roberto si lava Roberto lava la macchina
(Robert washes himself) (Robert washes the car)
Io mi alzo Io alzo ii ricevitore
(I qet up- myself) (I lift the receiver)
Tu ti chiami Maria Tu chiami i bambini
ry our name is Maria- (you call the children)
You call yourself Maria)

Note the difference in meaning between the reflexive and non-reflexive ·

forms of the following verbs. .

Reflexive Non-reflexive
Addormentarsi to fall asleep Addormentare to put to sleep
Aiutarsi to help oneself, each Aiutare to help (someone)
other
Alzarsi to get up (oneself) Alzare to raise, to lift
Chiamarsi to be named (to call Chiamefti to call (someone)
oneself)
Farsi ii bagno to bathe oneself Fare ii bagno to bathe (someone)
(a)
Farsi male to hurt oneself Fare male (a) to hurt (someone)
Lavarsi to wash oneself Lavare to wash (someone or
something)
Mettersi to put on (clothing etc) Mettere to put/ to place (someone
or something)
Pettinarsi to comb oneself Pettinare to comb (someone or
something)
Prepararsi to get ready/prepare Preparare to prepare (someone or
(per) oneself somethinq)
Ricordarsi (di) to remember Ricordare to remember, to remind
(someone or something)
Sentirsi to feel Senti re to feel, to hear (someone
or somethinq)
Svegliarsi to wake (oneself) up Svegliare to wake (someone) up
Vestirsi to dress oneself Vestire to dress (someone) to wear
(something)
Esercizio:

Completate con ii pronome dov'e'necessario.

1. Noi vestiamo i bambini

2~ Carlo sveglia alle otto e mezzo.
3. Teresa e Gino lavano i piatti
4. Voi divertite molto.
5. Io chiamo Marisa.
6. Io chiamo gli amici.
7. Tu chiami Ernesto.
8. Marco aiuta suo padre.
9. Noi laviamo.
10. Petti no ii cane.

Domande: Fate le seguenti domande al tuo compagno.

1. Ti addormenti facilmente?
2. Aiuti tuo padre/tua madre spesso?
3. Come ti chiami?
4. Chiami spesso i tuoi amici?
5. Quando ti diverti?
6. Quando ti fai ii bagno?
7. Lavi sempre i piatti dopa la cena?
· 8. Ti lavi la mattina o la sera?
9. Ti pettini ogni giorno?
10. Metti i libri sul tavolo o sulla sedia?
11. Quando ti metti i jeans?
12. Ti ricordi sempre di completare i compiti?
 -------------~~~~~~--~

['
~.,,, :~r~-::.1
.,.~I

:: :~J
: , ;·· · .
. -'~ - '· - :

1·:l1 1 -
1i'1l!} .: ·
I!.!:!·< @ Riflessivi o no?
~1! tl' -
PfH1. : .. --
a. Completa le frasi con i verbi al presente.

il~!i _ : -·~ ' 1. Daniela _ _ _ _ __ 2. Daniela _ _ _ __

1::1:J (lavare) le finestre . (lavarsi) le mani.
.Wl!r-:/ · .- .·
r/!ii --
11,11, -.

3. Il macellaio _ _ _ _ __ 4. Il macellaio _ _ __
(tagliare) la came (tagliarsi) con il coltello.

o•
~-

aJ
e ~
5. Michela
(pettinare) sua figlia. (pettinarsi).
0
~·
QI
.i
imJ.
f
7. I bambini _ _ _ _ __ 8. I bambini _ _ _ _ __
(sporcarsi)
con il gelato. -~
-~,,

9. Francesco _ _ _ _ __
10. Francesco
(allenare) la sua squadra.

(allenarsi).

b. Ora trasforma le stesse frasi al passato.

' 42
I verbi italiani