Italian impersonal si exercises
A free B1 (intermediate) Italian exercise on Il si impersonale (impersonal si): 60 multiple choice questions in 4 sets, from core practice to a mixed review, each with the answer and a short explanation. Or take a random round of 10. No account needed.
The rule in brief
Italian uses si to talk about people in general, like English one, you or people: in questa città si vive bene. With no object, the verb is always third person singular.
When the verb has a direct object, si works like a passive and the verb agrees with that object: si vende la casa, but si vendono le case. The same applies to modal verbs: si possono vedere le montagne.
With a reflexive verb you cannot say si si. The impersonal si becomes ci si: ci si alza presto, ci si diverte.
Essere is singular after impersonal si, but an adjective that follows it is masculine plural, because it refers to people in general: quando si è stanchi, si lavora male; si è contenti.
| Pattern | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| si + verb (no object) | Si vive bene. | Life is good. |
| si + singular verb + singular noun | Si vende la casa. | The house is for sale. |
| si + plural verb + plural noun | Si vendono le case. | Houses are for sale. |
| ci si + reflexive verb | Ci si alza presto. | People get up early. |
| si è + plural adjective | Si è contenti. | People are happy. |
- In Italia si cena tardi. · In Italy people have dinner late.
- Qui si parlano tre lingue. · Three languages are spoken here.
Exercises · 60 questions in 4 sets
Choose the correct form with si for each sentence.
Set 1 · Core practice
- 1
In questo quartiere bene: è tranquillo e pieno di verde.
Life is good in this neighbourhood: it’s quiet and full of green spaces.
Show answer
si vive · There is no object, so impersonal si takes the third person singular.
- 2
In quel negozio libri usati a metà prezzo.
That shop sells second-hand books at half price.
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si vendono · Libri usati is a plural object, so the verb agrees with it: si vendono.
- 3
Da questa finestra il mare.
You can see the sea from this window.
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si vede · Il mare is singular, so the verb with si is singular too.
- 4
Quando si lavora in fabbrica, molto presto la mattina.
When you work in a factory, you get up very early in the morning.
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ci si alza · Alzarsi is reflexive; to avoid si si, the impersonal form becomes ci si.
- 5
Dopo una bella vacanza si è sempre più .
After a good holiday you’re always more relaxed.
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rilassati · An adjective after impersonal si è is masculine plural, because it refers to people in general.
- 6
Al bar, di solito, il caffè in piedi, al banco.
At the bar, people usually drink their coffee standing at the counter.
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si beve · Il caffè is a singular object, so the verb is singular: si beve.
- 7
Nel nostro palazzo un appartamento al secondo piano.
There’s a flat for rent on the second floor of our building.
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si affitta · Un appartamento is singular, so the passive si takes a singular verb.
- 8
Il sabato sera, in una città universitaria, fino a tardi.
On Saturday nights, in a university town, people go out until late.
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si esce · Uscire has no object here, so the impersonal verb stays singular.
- 9
Quando si vive da soli, a tutto.
When you live alone, you get used to everything.
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ci si abitua · Abituarsi is reflexive, so impersonal si becomes ci si, always in that order.
- 10
Quando giovani, si ha voglia di viaggiare e conoscere il mondo.
When you’re young, you want to travel and see the world.
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si è · Essere stays singular after impersonal si, even though the adjective giovani is plural.
- 11
Dalla terrazza dell’albergo vedere le Alpi.
You can see the Alps from the hotel terrace.
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si possono · The modal agrees with the plural object of the infinitive, le Alpi: si possono vedere.
- 12
In biblioteca non parlare al telefono.
You mustn’t talk on the phone in the library.
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si deve · There is no direct object, so the modal with si stays singular.
- 13
Ormai sempre meno lettere a mano.
Nowadays fewer and fewer letters are written by hand.
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si scrivono · Lettere is a plural object, so the passive si needs a plural verb.
- 14
In molte famiglie italiane la pasta quasi ogni giorno.
In many Italian families pasta is eaten almost every day.
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si mangia · La pasta is singular, so the verb is singular: si mangia.
- 15
Quando in buona compagnia, il tempo passa in fretta.
When you’re in good company, time flies.
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si sta · Stare has no object here, so impersonal si takes the singular.
15 questions.
Set 2 · More practice
- 16
In questa scuola tre lingue straniere.
Three foreign languages are taught at this school.
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si studiano · Tre lingue straniere is a plural object, so the verb with si is plural.
- 17
In montagna meglio che in città: l’aria è più fresca.
You sleep better in the mountains than in the city: the air is cooler.
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si dorme · Dormire has no object, so impersonal si takes the third person singular.
- 18
In questo ristorante solo pesce fresco, mai surgelato.
Only fresh fish is served in this restaurant, never frozen.
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si serve · Pesce fresco is a singular object, so the verb is singular: si serve.
- 19
A Natale, nella mia famiglia, i biscotti tutti insieme.
At Christmas, in my family, we all make the biscuits together.
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si fanno · I biscotti is a plural object, so the verb agrees with it: si fanno.
- 20
Con questo biglietto viaggiare su tutti i mezzi pubblici.
With this ticket you can travel on all public transport.
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si può · Viaggiare has no direct object (su tutti i mezzi is a phrase with a preposition), so the modal stays singular.
- 21
Quando si è , è meglio non mettersi al volante.
When you’re tired, it’s better not to get behind the wheel.
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stanchi · After si è the adjective is masculine plural, because it refers to people in general.
- 22
In questo ufficio alle nove e si finisce alle sei.
In this office work starts at nine and finishes at six.
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si comincia · There is no object, so the verb is singular, just like si finisce.
- 23
Al mercato del sabato ottime verdure a buon prezzo.
At the Saturday market you can find excellent vegetables at a good price.
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si trovano · Ottime verdure is a plural object, so the passive si takes a plural verb.
- 24
D’estate al mare quasi tutti i fine settimana.
In summer people go to the seaside almost every weekend.
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si va · Andare has no object, so the impersonal verb is always singular.
- 25
Ai matrimoni italiani si balla fino a tardi e moltissimo.
At Italian weddings people dance until late and have a great time.
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ci si diverte · Divertirsi is reflexive, so impersonal si becomes ci si; si diverte alone would mean he or she has fun.
- 26
In questa azienda le decisioni importanti in gruppo.
In this company important decisions are made as a group.
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si prendono · Le decisioni is plural, so the verb agrees with it even when it comes first in the sentence.
- 27
Non niente: c’è troppo rumore in questa sala.
You can’t hear a thing: there’s too much noise in this room.
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si sente · Niente is singular, so the verb with si is singular.
- 28
In questo negozio anche con la carta di credito.
In this shop you can pay by credit card too.
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si paga · Pagare has no direct object here (con la carta is a phrase with a preposition), so the verb is singular.
- 29
Nelle grandi città molto tempo nel traffico.
In big cities a lot of time is wasted in traffic.
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si perde · Molto tempo is a singular object, so the verb is singular.
- 30
In questo bar i cornetti più buoni della città.
You can eat the best croissants in town at this café.
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si mangiano · I cornetti is a plural object, so the verb agrees: si mangiano.
15 questions.
Set 3 · Trickier cases
- 31
Quando si finisce un progetto difficile, ci si sente .
When you finish a difficult project, you feel satisfied.
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soddisfatti · With ci si sente, as with si è, the adjective is masculine plural because it refers to people in general.
- 32
Alla festa di ieri sera fino alle tre.
At last night’s party people danced until three.
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si è ballato · Compound tenses with impersonal si always use essere; with a verb that normally takes avere, like ballare, the participle ends in -o.
- 33
In questa palestra allenare anche la domenica.
You can train at this gym on Sundays too.
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ci si può · Allenarsi is reflexive, so with a modal the impersonal form is ci si può allenare; si può allenare would mean one can train someone.
- 34
Prima di uscire dall’ufficio spegnere tutte le luci.
Before leaving the office, all the lights must be switched off.
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si devono · Tutte le luci is the plural object of spegnere, so the modal agrees with it: si devono.
- 35
Di questi problemi non parla abbastanza.
People don’t talk enough about these problems.
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se ne · Before ne, impersonal si becomes se and comes first: se ne parla.
- 36
Con l’età più pazienti.
You become more patient with age.
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si diventa · Diventare is not reflexive, so there is no ci; the verb stays singular while the adjective is plural.
- 37
Oggi in Italia sempre più tardi, spesso dopo i trent’anni.
Nowadays in Italy people get married later and later, often after thirty.
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ci si sposa · Sposarsi is reflexive, so impersonal si becomes ci si; si sposa alone would mean he or she gets married.
- 38
Prima di sedersi a tavola le mani.
You wash your hands before sitting down to eat.
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ci si lava · With ci si the verb stays singular, even when a plural object like le mani follows.
- 39
Quando si è appena in una città nuova, tutto sembra complicato.
When you’ve just arrived in a new city, everything seems complicated.
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arrivati · Arrivare takes essere, and after impersonal si è its participle is masculine plural, like an adjective.
- 40
Le tasse, in Italia, entro la fine di giugno.
In Italy, taxes are paid by the end of June.
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si pagano · Le tasse is plural, so the verb agrees with it even though it comes before si.
- 41
Nel nostro gruppo di lavoro sempre d’accordo prima di decidere.
In our work group we always reach an agreement before deciding.
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ci si mette · Mettersi d’accordo is reflexive, so the impersonal form is ci si mette, always singular.
- 42
Di libri, oggi, pochi.
Not many books are read nowadays.
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se ne leggono · Ne stands for the plural libri, so the verb is plural; si becomes se before ne.
- 43
che il nuovo sindaco voglia chiudere il centro storico alle auto.
People say that the new mayor wants to close the historic centre to cars.
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Si dice · The object of dire is a whole clause (che …), which counts as singular, so the verb is singular.
- 44
Lavorando da casa meno soldi per i trasporti.
Working from home, you spend less money on transport.
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si spendono · Meno soldi is a plural object, so the passive si takes a plural verb.
- 45
Con questo caldo subito, anche solo camminando.
In this heat you get tired immediately, even just walking.
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ci si stanca · Stancarsi is reflexive, so impersonal si becomes ci si; si stanca alone would mean he or she gets tired.
15 questions.
Set 4 · Mixed review
- 46
Oggi più ore davanti a uno schermo che all’aria aperta.
These days people spend more hours in front of a screen than outdoors.
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si passano · Più ore is a plural object, so the verb with si is plural.
- 47
Quando in difficoltà, è importante chiedere aiuto.
When you’re in trouble, it’s important to ask for help.
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si è · Essere is not reflexive, so it is si è, always singular after impersonal si.
- 48
Una volta più spesso a teatro, ma oggi i biglietti costano troppo.
People used to go to the theatre more often, but nowadays tickets cost too much.
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si andava · In the imperfect too, a verb without an object stays singular after si.
- 49
Da bambini, d’estate, in cortile fino all’ora di cena.
As children, in summer, we played in the courtyard until dinnertime.
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si giocava · Giocare has no object here, so the impersonal imperfect is singular: si giocava.
- 50
In molti uffici ormai in modo informale, anche in jeans.
In many offices people now dress informally, even in jeans.
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ci si veste · Vestirsi is reflexive, so the impersonal form is ci si veste.
- 51
Se di più i mezzi pubblici, si inquina meno.
If people use public transport more, there’s less pollution.
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si usano · I mezzi pubblici is a plural object, so the verb agrees: si usano; si inquina has no object and stays singular.
- 52
Quando si è di qualcuno, tutto sembra più bello.
When you’re in love with someone, everything seems more beautiful.
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innamorati · Innamorato works as an adjective after si è, so it takes the masculine plural.
- 53
A una cena di lavoro non parlare di politica.
You shouldn’t talk about politics at a work dinner.
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si dovrebbe · Parlare di politica has no direct object, so the conditional modal stays singular.
- 54
In questa regione ottimi vini, che poi si esportano in tutto il mondo.
Excellent wines are produced in this region and then exported all over the world.
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si producono · Ottimi vini is plural, so the verb agrees with it, like si esportano later in the sentence.
- 55
Quando da tanti anni, ci si capisce al volo.
When you’ve known each other for years, you understand each other straight away.
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ci si conosce · Conoscersi (to know each other) is reflexive, so the impersonal form is ci si conosce, like ci si capisce.
- 56
Nella vita sempre qualcosa di nuovo, a qualsiasi età.
In life you always learn something new, at any age.
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si impara · Qualcosa di nuovo is singular, so the verb with si is singular.
- 57
Su questa spiaggia non portare cani, nemmeno al guinzaglio.
Dogs aren’t allowed on this beach, not even on a lead.
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si possono · Cani is the plural object of portare, so the modal agrees with it: si possono.
- 58
Dopo una giornata di trekking in montagna, si torna a casa ma felici.
After a day’s trekking in the mountains, you get home exhausted but happy.
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esausti · An adjective referring to people in general after impersonal si is masculine plural, like felici.
- 59
In questo ufficio i documenti solo in formato digitale.
In this office documents are only accepted in digital format.
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si accettano · I documenti is a plural object, so the verb with si is plural.
- 60
Quando ci si trasferisce in un altro paese, abituare a molte cose nuove.
When you move to another country, you have to get used to lots of new things.
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ci si deve · Abituarsi is reflexive, so the modal needs ci si; it stays singular because a molte cose is not a direct object.
15 questions.
Random 10
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