Easy Learning Italian Grammar (2011)

VERBS

7. Reflexive verbs

What is a reflexive verb?

Reflexive verbs in English are ones where the subject and object are the same, and which use reflexive pronouns such as myself, yourself and themselves, for example, I’ve hurt myself; Look after yourself!; They’re enjoying themselves.

1 Using reflexive verbs

The basics

There are more reflexive verbs in Italian than in English. The infinitive form of a reflexive verb has –si joined onto it, for example, divertirsi (meaning to enjoy oneself). This is the way reflexive verbs are shown in dictionaries. si is a reflexive pronoun and means himself, herself, itself, themselves and oneself.

Verbs that are reflexive in English, such as to hurt oneself or to enjoy oneself are reflexive in Italian. In addition, many verbs that include get, for example, to get up, to get dressed, to get annoyed, to get bored, to get tanned, are reflexive verbs in Italian. Here are some important Italian reflexive verbs:

Note that in English, you can often add a reflexive pronoun to verbs if you want to, for example, you can say Don’t worry yourself! or He didn’t hurry himself.Whenever you can do this in English, the Italian equivalent is likely to be a reflexive verb.

Some Italian verbs can be used both as reflexive verbs, and as ordinary verbs with no reflexive pronoun. If you are talking about getting yourself ready you use prepararsi; if you are talking about gettting the dinner ready you use preparare.

Note that chiedersi literally means to ask oneself.

Grammar Extra!

Some reflexive verbs in Italian add the pronoun ne after the reflexive pronoun. The most important of these verbs is andarsene (meaning to go away, to leave).

The pronouns mi, ti, si, ci and vi become me, te, se, ce and ve when they are followed by another pronoun, such as ne.

2 How to make the present tense of reflexive verbs

First, decide which reflexive pronoun to use. You can see how the reflexive pronouns correspond to the subject pronouns in the following table:

The present tense forms of a reflexive verb are just the same as those of an ordinary verb, except for the addition of the reflexive pronoun in front of the verb.

For more information on the Present tense, see page 68.

The following table shows the reflexive verb divertirsi in full.

3 Where to put reflexive pronouns

The reflexive pronoun usually goes in front of the verb, but there are some exceptions. The pronoun goes in front if the verb is:

an ordinary tense, such as the present simple

For more information on the Present simple tense, see page 69.

the polite imperative

For more information on the Imperative, see page 82.

an imperative telling someone NOT to do something

The pronoun comes after the verb if it is the tu or voi form of the imperative, used positively:

In the case of the infinitive, used with non to tell someone NOT to do something, the pronoun can either:

go in front of the infinitive
OR

join onto the end of the infinitive

Note that, when telling someone not to do something, you use non with the infinitive for people you call tu.

There are also two options when you use the infinitive of a reflexive verb after a verb such as want, must, should or can’t. The pronoun can either:

go in front of the main verb
OR

join onto the end of the infinitive

In the same way, in continuous tenses, the reflexive pronoun can either:

go in front of the verb stare
OR

join onto the gerund

Note that the pronoun is always joined onto the gerund when it is not used in a continuous tense.

Key points

Reflexive verbs are commoner in Italian than in English.

English verbs that include get are often translated by an Italian reflexive verb.

Reflexive pronouns usually go in front of the verb.

4 Using reflexive verbs with parts of the body and clothes

In Italian you often talk about actions to do with your body or your clothing using a reflexive verb.

Note that you do not use possessive adjectives in this kind of sentence. Instead you use the definite article il, la, i and so on with the noun, and a reflexive verb.

For more information on Articles, see page 10.

5 How to use reflexive verbs in the perfect tense

The English perfect tense, for example, I have burnt myself, and the English simple past, for example I burnt myself yesterday, are both translated by the Italian perfect tense.

For more information about the Perfect tense, see page 108.

The perfect tense of reflexive verbs is always made with the verb essere and the past participle.

The past participle used in the perfect tense of reflexive verbs has to agree with the subject of the sentence. You change the –o ending of the participle to –a if the subject is feminine. The masculine plural ending is –i, and the feminine plural is –e.

Tip

If you are female always use a feminine adjective when you are talking about yourself, and always make the past participle feminine when you are talking about what you have done.

6 Other uses of reflexive pronouns

ci, vi and si are used to mean each other and one another.

Tip

Remember that when you is used to mean people in general, it is often translated by si.

Key points

The perfect tense of reflexive verbs is made with essere, and the past participle agrees with the subject of the verb.

Reflexive verbs are used with the definite article to talk about washing your hair, breaking your leg, putting on your coat, and so on.