Reflexive verbsReflexive verbsReflexive verbsReflexive verbs

Reflexive verbs are used to tell that a person does something to or for him- or herself.

Let’s start out by thinking of the English verb wash. List several things that you can wash.

Some examplesSome examplesSome examplesSome examples

I wash my clothes, I wash the dishes, I wash the car, I wash the windows.

I wash my hands, I wash my hair, I wash my face.

What’s the difference?What’s the difference?What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

I can wash things that are not part of me, that is, not attached to my body.

In Italian, we say, “Lavo la bancheria, lavo i piatti, lavo la macchina, lavo la finestra.”

… and…… and…

I also wash things that are attached to my body – hands, face, hair (unless you wear a toupee!).

In Italian, we say, “Mi lavo le mani, mi lavo i capelli, mi lavo la faccia.”

And your point is…?And your point is…?And your point is…?And your point is…?

Lavo la bancheria, lavo i piatti, lavo la macchina, lavo la finestra.

Mi lavo le mani, mi lavo i capelli, mi lavo la faccia.

If you are washing something that is attached, you need to add the word “mi.”

Huh?Huh?Huh?Huh?

There are two ways to talk about washing in Italian:

Lavare: to wash something else

Lavarsi: to wash part of one’s body.

Placement of Indirect Object Pronouns

Placement of Indirect Object Pronouns

Indirect Object Pronouns, mi, ti, si, ci, vi, and si are placed before a conjugated verb or in some cases they are attached to the end of an infinitive.

Reflexive VerbsReflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs have two parts: 1. a reflexive pronoun (mi, ti, si,

ci, vi, si) 2. a verb form

Reflexive PronounsReflexive Pronouns

mi (to or for myself)ti (to or for yourself)si (to or for himself,

herself, it)

ci (to or for ourselves)vi (to or for you all)si (to or for themselves,

you all, or each other)

LavarsiLavarsiLavarsiLavarsiHere are the forms:

mi lavoti lavisi lavaci laviamovi lavatesi lavano

The “mi, ti, si, ci, vi” forms are called reflexive pronouns.

How do you get those forms?

How do you get those forms?

The infinitive has a –si attached to it to show that the subject is doing something to him/herself.

Drop the –si.Change the verb as usual.Put the appropriate reflexive

pronoun in front of the verb.

Let’s try one.Let’s try one.Let’s try one.Let’s try one.

chiamarsi: to call oneselfio______tu______Lui/ lei ______noi ______voiloro ______

ChiamarsiChiamarsiChiamarsiChiamarsi

ChiamarsiChiamar -si

Io mi chiamoTu ti chiamiLui /lei si chiamaNoi ci chiamiamoVoi vi chiamateLoro si chiamano

Does this look familiar?

What’s going on here?What’s going on here?What’s going on here?What’s going on here?

Io mi chiamoTu ti chiamiLui /lei si chiamaNoi ci chiamiamoVoi vi chiamateLoro si chiamano

The verb endings are the usual ones.

Brillante!Brillante!Brillante!Brillante!

Io mi chiamoTu ti chiamiLui /lei si chiamaNoi ci chiamiamoVoi vi chiamateLoro si chiamanoThe only difference is that

we have to add the reflexive pronoun (before the verb).

Okay, how about some more Okay, how about some more reflexive verbs?reflexive verbs?

Okay, how about some more Okay, how about some more reflexive verbs?reflexive verbs?

alzarsi: to rise/get upSedersi: to sit downaddormentarsi: to fall asleepvestirsi: to dress onself

alzarsialzarsialzarsialzarsi

Io mi alzoTu ti alziLui/ lei si alzaNoi ci alziamoVoi vi alzateLoro si alzano

This verb has regular endings.

Sentirsi (to feel)Sentirsi (to feel)Sentirsi (to feel)Sentirsi (to feel)

Io mi sentoTu ti sentiLui/ lei si senteNoi ci sentiamoVoi vi sentiteLoro si sentono

addormentarsiaddormentarsiaddormentarsiaddormentarsi

Io mi addormentoTu ti addormentiLui/ lei si addormentaNoi ci addormentiamoVoi vi addormentateLoro si addormentano

VestirsiVestirsiVestirsiVestirsi

Io mi vestoTu ti vestiLui/ lei si vesteNoi ci vestiamoVoi vi vestiteLoro si vestono

Altri verbi riflessiviAltri verbi riflessivi

radersi

truccarsi

Lavarsi i denti

Spazzolarsi capelli

More reflexives…More reflexives…

ammalarsi- to fall ill riposarsi- to restcoricarsi- to lay down scusarsi- to apologizedimenticarsi- to forget sentirsi- to feelincontrarsi- to meet svegliarsi- to awakelamentarsi- to complain vestirsi- to dress onselflavarsi- to wash oneselfricordarsi- to remember

COMMON ITALIAN REFLEXIVE VERBSCOMMON ITALIAN REFLEXIVE VERBS

accorgersi (di)to notice Addormentarsii to fall asleepAlzarsi to get up arrabbiarsi to get angryChiamarsi to be namedCoprirsi to cover oneselfDivertirsi to have fun, to enjoy oneselfFarsi il bagno to bathe oneselfFarsi la doccia to take a showerFarsi maleto get hurt, hurt oneselfInnamorarsi (di)to fall in love withLavarsi to wash oneself

COMMON ITALIAN REFLEXIVE VERBSCOMMON ITALIAN REFLEXIVE VERBS

Laurearsi to graduateMettersi to put (clothing) onPettinarsi to comb one's hairRadersi to shaveSedersi to sit downSentirsi to feelSpogliarsi to undressSposarsi (con)to get marriedSvegliarsi to wake upVestirsi to get dressed

A morning routineA morning routineA morning routineA morning routine

Tutti i giorni, io ______ (alzarsi) a le 7:00. e vado al bagno, _______ (lavarsi) la faccia, e _______ (radersi). Poi ______ (vestirsi) e ______ (mangiare) un po di colazione. Per finire, _______ (lavarsi) i denti.

Hint: not all the verbs in this paragraph are reflexive!

A morning routineA morning routineA morning routineA morning routine

Tutti i giorni, io mi alzo a le 7:00. e vado al bagno, mi lavo la faccia, e mi rado. Poi mi vesto e mangio un po di colazione. Per finire, mi lavo i denti.

What about gerunds?What about gerunds?What about gerunds?What about gerunds?

Remember that progressives are also two-part verb combinations:

Sto mangiandoStiamo scrivendo

Refelxive pronouns go before the verb:Sto lavandomi la peleCi stiamo lavando la pele

What about past tense?What about past tense?In past tense we use essere with ALL reflexive verbs. Don’t forget we need a helping verb (essere), a past

participle, and agreement!

Esempio: Mi sono lavato/a ci siamo lavati/eTi sei lavato/a vi siete lavati/eSi è lavato/a si sono lavati/e

Whew! That’s a lot to Whew! That’s a lot to remember!remember!

Whew! That’s a lot to Whew! That’s a lot to remember!remember!

True! But keep in mind that the verb changes as it always does. You just have to remember to use the reflexive pronoun if you see an infinitive that ends in –si.