Italian reflexive verbs: mi alzo, ti lavi, si chiama

A reflexive verb describes an action that the subject does to itself. In the infinitive it ends in -si, a small pronoun meaning “oneself”: lavarsi (to wash oneself), alzarsi (to get up, literally to raise oneself), chiamarsi (to be called, literally to call oneself). That is why Italians introduce themselves with «Mi chiamo Luca» “My name is Luca”, literally “I call myself Luca”.

Many verbs are reflexive in Italian but not in English, especially verbs of the daily routine: «Mi sveglio alle sei e mezza, mi alzo, mi faccio la doccia e mi vesto.» “I wake up at half past six, get up, have a shower and get dressed.” The pronoun changes with the person, and it has its own fixed place in the sentence.

The reflexive pronouns: mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si

Each person has its own reflexive pronoun: mi (myself), ti (yourself), si (himself, herself, or yourself when you speak formally), ci (ourselves), vi (yourselves), si (themselves). The verb itself is conjugated in the normal way, following its -are, -ere or -ire pattern: «mi alzo» (alzarsi), «ti metti» (mettersi, to put on), «si veste» (vestirsi, to get dressed).

Si serves several persons: lui, lei and the formal Lei in the singular, and loro in the plural. The verb ending tells you which one you mean: «Si alza» “he/she gets up”, but «Si alzano» “they get up”.

Some verbs change meaning when they become reflexive. «Chiamo Marco» means “I call Marco”, while «Mi chiamo Marco» means “My name is Marco”. «Fermo un taxi» is “I stop a taxi”, but «Mi fermo» is “I stop”. «Lavo la macchina» is “I wash the car”, but «Mi lavo» is “I have a wash”. Leaving out the pronoun changes the sentence, so always keep it.

Where the pronoun goes

With a conjugated verb, the pronoun goes directly before it, and «non» goes before the pronoun: «Mi alzo presto», «Non mi alzo presto».

In the infinitive, the pronoun stays attached to the end of the verb, but -si changes to match the subject: alzarsi becomes alzarmi, alzarti, alzarci, alzarvi. «Domani devo alzarmi alle sei», «Vuoi riposarti un po’?», «Dobbiamo prepararci». With modal verbs such as dovere, potere and volere, you can also put the pronoun before the modal: «Mi devo alzare alle sei». Both orders are correct and very common.

In affirmative commands to tu, noi and voi, the pronoun attaches to the end of the verb: «Alzati!» “Get up!”, «Sbrighiamoci!» “Let’s hurry!”, «Sedetevi» “Sit down”.

Everyday reflexive verbs

The reflexive verbs you need first describe the daily routine: svegliarsi (to wake up), alzarsi (to get up), lavarsi (to wash), farsi la doccia (to have a shower), vestirsi (to get dressed), prepararsi (to get ready), pettinarsi (to comb your hair), riposarsi (to rest), rilassarsi (to relax), addormentarsi (to fall asleep).

Others describe feelings and reactions: divertirsi (to have fun), annoiarsi (to get bored), arrabbiarsi (to get angry), preoccuparsi (to worry) and sentirsi (to feel), as in «Mi sento meglio» “I feel better”. Very common too are sedersi (to sit down), fermarsi (to stop), ricordarsi (to remember) and trovarsi, as in «Mi trovo bene qui» “I like it here”.

When you talk about your own body or clothes, Italian uses the reflexive verb with a definite article, where English uses “my”: «Mi lavo le mani» “I wash my hands”, «Mi metto la giacca» “I put my jacket on”. «Lavo le mie mani» sounds odd to an Italian.

• La mattina mi preparo in un quarto d’ora. · In the morning I get ready in a quarter of an hour.
• I bambini si divertono al parco. · The children have fun at the park.
• Ti ricordi di Marco? · Do you remember Marco?

Each other: the reciprocal meaning

In the plural, ci, vi and si can also mean “each other”. This is called the reciprocal meaning: «Marco e Anna si scrivono ogni giorno» “Marco and Anna write to each other every day”, «Vi conoscete?» “Do you know each other?”

The best-known example is the everyday goodbye «Ci vediamo!» “See you!”, literally “we see each other”. In the same way you hear «Ci sentiamo domani» “Talk to you tomorrow” and «Ci incontriamo davanti al cinema» “We’ll meet outside the cinema”. At this level it is enough to recognise this meaning when you hear it.

Reflexive verbs in the passato prossimo

In the passato prossimo, every reflexive verb takes essere as its auxiliary. The pronoun comes first, then essere, then the past participle: «mi sono alzato», «ti sei divertita», «si è fermato».

Because the auxiliary is essere, the participle agrees with the subject: -o, -a, -i or -e. A woman says «Mi sono svegliata tardi», a man says «Mi sono svegliato tardi». In the plural: «Le ragazze si sono divertite», «Paolo e Giulia si sono sposati a giugno».