Reflexive Form of Pronouns

01

Forms of Reflexive Pronouns

Each subject pronoun has a corresponding reflexive pronoun. Note that the third-person forms (he/she/it/they) use the same pronoun, si.

• io (I) → mi (myself)
• tu (you, informal) → ti (yourself)
• lui/lei/Lei (he/she/you, formal) → si (himself/herself/yourself)
• noi (we) → ci (ourselves)
• voi (you all) → vi (yourselves)
• loro (they) → si (themselves)

02

The Reflexive Meaning: Acting on Oneself

The most common use of reflexive pronouns is with reflexive verbs, where the action reflects back onto the subject. Many verbs related to daily routines and personal care are reflexive. The infinitive form of these verbs ends in -si, such as svegliarsi (to wake oneself up).

Compare a non-reflexive action to a reflexive one:

• Lavo la macchina.

  I wash the car.

• Mi lavo.

  I wash myself.

When conjugating a reflexive verb, the pronoun is placed before the verb.

• Mi sveglio alle sette ogni mattina.

  I wake up at seven every morning.

• Lui si rade prima di uscire.

  He shaves before going out.

• Ci vestiamo per la festa.

  We are getting dressed for the party.

03

The Reciprocal Meaning: "Each Other"

With plural subjects (noi, voi, loro), reflexive pronouns can also express a reciprocal action, meaning "each other" or "one another."

• Ci conosciamo da molti anni.

  We have known each other for many years.

• I due fratelli si aiutano sempre.

  The two brothers always help each other.

• Vi scrivete spesso?

  Do you all write to each other often?

04

Pronominal Verbs (Verbi Pronominali)

Some verbs use reflexive pronouns but do not have a strictly reflexive or reciprocal meaning. In these cases, the pronoun is an integral part of the verb, often indicating a change in emotional or physical state. These are known as pronominal verbs.

• Mi arrabbio quando sono in ritardo.

  I get angry when I'm late.

• Ti sei dimenticato del mio compleanno?

  Did you forget about my birthday?

• Si innamorano al primo sguardo.

  They fall in love at first sight.

05

Pronoun Placement with Different Verb Forms

The position of the reflexive pronoun changes depending on the verb form.

With Conjugated Verbs

The pronoun comes directly before the conjugated verb.

• Ti diverti alla festa?

  Are you having fun at the party?

• Non mi sento bene oggi.

  I don't feel well today.

With Infinitives and Modal Verbs

When a reflexive verb in its infinitive form follows a modal verb (like dovere, potere, volere), you have two options for placement:

1. Attach the pronoun to the end of the infinitive (after dropping the final -e).

• Voglio alzarmi presto domani.

  I want to get up early tomorrow.

• Dobbiamo prepararci per l'esame.

  We have to prepare ourselves for the exam.

2. Place the pronoun before the conjugated modal verb.

• Mi voglio alzare presto domani.

  I want to get up early tomorrow.

• Ci dobbiamo preparare per l'esame.

  We have to prepare ourselves for the exam.

With Commands (Imperativo)

For affirmative (positive) commands, the pronoun is attached to the end of the verb.

• Svegliati! È tardi!

  Wake up! It's late!

• Sedetevi, per favore.

  Sit down, please.

For negative commands, the pronoun is placed before the verb.

• Non ti preoccupare, andrà tutto bene.

  Don't worry, everything will be fine.

• Non vi alzate ancora.

  Don't get up yet.

06

Reflexive Verbs in the Past Tense (Passato Prossimo)

In the passato prossimo, all reflexive verbs are conjugated with the auxiliary verb essere (to be). The reflexive pronoun comes before essere, and the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.

• Stamattina mi sono svegliato tardi.

  This morning I (male) woke up late.

• Maria si è vestita elegantemente.

  Maria dressed elegantly.

• Ci siamo divertiti molto alla festa.

  We (masculine/mixed group) had a lot of fun at the party.

• Le ragazze si sono truccate prima di uscire.

  The girls put on makeup before going out.

07

The Impersonal 'Si'

The pronoun si is also used to make impersonal statements, similar to "one," "you," "they," or "people" in English. The verb is conjugated in the third person.

• In Italia si mangia bene.

  In Italy, one eats well. / People eat well in Italy.

• Si dice che domani pioverà.

  They say it will rain tomorrow.

If the impersonal construction has a direct object, the verb agrees with the object's number (singular or plural).

• In questo ristorante si mangia la pizza.

  In this restaurant, one eats pizza. (pizza is singular)

• In Italia si mangiano gli spaghetti a pranzo.

  In Italy, people eat spaghetti for lunch. (spaghetti is plural)