Quick answer: Italian reflexive verbs end in -arsi, -ersi or -irsi in the infinitive (lavarsi, mettersi, divertirsi). To conjugate them, drop -si, conjugate the verb normally and put a reflexive pronoun before it: mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si. Mi lavo = I wash (myself). In the past tense they always take essere: mi sono lavato/a.
In my lessons with English-speaking students, reflexive verbs are one of the first “Italian surprises”. In English you just get up, get dressed and have fun. In Italian, you do all of these to yourself: mi alzo, mi vesto, mi diverto.
The good news? Once you see the pattern, reflexive verbs are some of the most regular verbs in Italian. Here’s everything you need, from the present tense to the most common mistakes.
What are reflexive verbs in Italian?
Reflexive verbs (verbi riflessivi) describe an action that the subject does to itself. You recognize them from the infinitive, which ends in -si:
- Divertirsi (to have fun): Ci divertiamo alla festa. (We have fun at the party.)
- Lavarsi (to wash oneself): Mi lavo le mani. (I wash my hands.)
- Svegliarsi (to wake up): Ti svegli presto. (You wake up early.)
That -si is a pronoun. When you conjugate the verb, it changes to match the subject: mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si.
How to conjugate reflexive verbs in Italian
Follow three steps:
- Drop -si and add back the final -e: lavarsi → lavare, mettersi → mettere, divertirsi → divertire.
- Conjugate the verb as you normally would, in any tense.
- Put the reflexive pronoun before the verb: mi lavo, ti lavi, si lava…
Lavarsi (to wash oneself), present tense
| Subject | Pronoun + verb | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | mi lavo | I wash myself |
| tu | ti lavi | you wash yourself |
| lui / lei | si lava | he / she washes himself / herself |
| noi | ci laviamo | we wash ourselves |
| voi | vi lavate | you wash yourselves |
| loro | si lavano | they wash themselves |
Divertirsi (to have fun), present tense
| Subject | Pronoun + verb | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | mi diverto | I have fun |
| tu | ti diverti | you have fun |
| lui / lei | si diverte | he / she has fun |
| noi | ci divertiamo | we have fun |
| voi | vi divertite | you have fun (plural) |
| loro | si divertono | they have fun |
25 common Italian reflexive verbs
Most Italian verbs are not reflexive, but Italian has many more reflexive verbs than English. Many describe your daily routine, so they’re worth learning early.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| svegliarsi | to wake up |
| alzarsi | to get up |
| lavarsi | to wash (oneself) |
| farsi la doccia | to take a shower |
| farsi la barba | to shave |
| pettinarsi | to comb one’s hair |
| truccarsi | to put on make-up |
| vestirsi | to get dressed |
| prepararsi | to get ready |
| sedersi | to sit down |
| sentirsi | to feel |
| chiamarsi | to be called |
| riposarsi | to rest |
| allenarsi | to work out |
| addormentarsi | to fall asleep |
| divertirsi | to have fun |
| annoiarsi | to get bored |
| arrabbiarsi | to get angry |
| innervosirsi | to get nervous |
| stressarsi | to get stressed |
| lamentarsi | to complain |
| preoccuparsi | to worry |
| innamorarsi | to fall in love |
| sposarsi | to get married |
| laurearsi | to graduate (from university) |
My tip: don’t memorize the list. Pick five verbs and describe your morning out loud: Mi sveglio alle sette, mi alzo, mi faccio la doccia… That’s how they stick.
Reflexive verbs are everywhere in my stories. Characters si svegliano late, si perdono in a new city and si innamorano when they least expect it. Read them in context, at your level:
Reflexive verbs in the past tense (passato prossimo)
In compound tenses like the passato prossimo, reflexive verbs always use essere, never avere. The pattern is:
reflexive pronoun + essere + past participle
Because the auxiliary is essere, the past participle agrees with the subject in gender and number: Marco si è svegliato, Anna si è svegliata, le ragazze si sono svegliate.
Lavarsi, passato prossimo
| Subject | Pronoun + essere + participle | English |
|---|---|---|
| io | mi sono lavato/a | I washed myself |
| tu | ti sei lavato/a | you washed yourself |
| lui / lei | si è lavato/a | he / she washed |
| noi | ci siamo lavati/e | we washed ourselves |
| voi | vi siete lavati/e | you washed yourselves |
| loro | si sono lavati/e | they washed themselves |
The same rule works in every compound tense: mi ero alzato (I had gotten up), mi sarei divertita (I would have had fun).
Where does the reflexive pronoun go?
This is where most learners hesitate. Here are the four cases you’ll meet:
| Case | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Conjugated verb | Before the verb | Mi alzo alle sette. |
| Infinitive | Attached to the end (drop the final -e) | Ho bisogno di riposarmi. |
| With dovere, potere, volere | Before the modal or attached to the infinitive | Mi devo alzare = Devo alzarmi |
| Gerund and informal imperative | Attached to the end | Alzati! Alziamoci! Vestendomi, ho visto l’ora. |
With the formal Lei, the pronoun goes before the verb: Si accomodi! (Please, take a seat.)
Reflexive verbs in negative sentences
Non always goes before the reflexive pronoun:
- Non mi diverto. (I’m not having fun.)
- Non mi sono arrabbiata. (I didn’t get angry.)
With a negative informal command you can say either Non ti preoccupare! or Non preoccuparti! (Don’t worry!). Both are correct and you’ll hear both every day in Italy.
Reflexive verbs and parts of the body
With reflexive verbs, Italian uses the article, not the possessive, for parts of the body and clothes. The reflexive pronoun already tells us whose hands or hair we’re talking about.
| Wrong | Correct | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mi lavo la mia faccia. | Mi lavo la faccia. | I wash my face. |
| Mi lavo i miei capelli. | Mi lavo i capelli. | I wash my hair. |
| Mi metto il mio cappotto. | Mi metto il cappotto. | I put on my coat. |
Reciprocal verbs: “each other”
In the plural, the same pronouns (ci, vi, si) can mean “each other”:
- Ci vediamo domani! (See you tomorrow! Literally: we’ll see each other.)
- Si sono conosciuti a Roma. (They met in Rome.)
- Vi scrivete spesso? (Do you write to each other often?)
Ci vediamo is probably the first reciprocal verb you’ll ever use in Italy.
Does English have reflexive verbs?
Yes, a few: to enjoy oneself, to hurt oneself. They’re usually reflexive in Italian too: divertirsi, farsi male.
More often, though, a normal English verb becomes reflexive in Italian. A useful trick: many English verbs with get are reflexive in Italian.
- to get angry → arrabbiarsi
- to get married → sposarsi
- to get sick → ammalarsi
- to get dressed → vestirsi
4 common mistakes with reflexive verbs
- Forgetting the pronoun. Io sveglio alle 7 means “I wake (someone) up at 7”. You need Mi sveglio alle 7.
- Using avere in the past. Ho alzato is wrong for “I got up”. Say Mi sono alzato/a.
- Forgetting the agreement. Anna si è divertita, not si è divertito.
- Using the possessive with the body. Mi lavo i denti, not i miei denti.
Quick practice
Complete with the right form. Answers below.
- Io ___ (svegliarsi) alle sette ogni mattina.
- Ieri sera Marco e Luca ___ (divertirsi) molto.
- Domani dobbiamo ___ (alzarsi) presto.
- Non ___ (preoccuparsi), tu!
- Stamattina Anna ___ (lavarsi) i capelli.
Answers: 1. mi sveglio; 2. si sono divertiti; 3. alzarci (or: ci dobbiamo alzare); 4. ti preoccupare / preoccuparti; 5. si è lavata
See reflexive verbs in real Italian
Grammar tables help, but reflexive verbs really click when you meet them in a story: someone si sveglia late, si arrabbia, si innamora. My graded readers are full of them, in context and with audio.
If you want to keep working on pronouns, read my guide to Italian indirect object pronouns.
Learn reflexive verbs the natural way. My Italian graded readers come with vocabulary support, exercises and audio, from A1 to B2.
FAQ
What are reflexive verbs in Italian?
They are verbs where the subject does the action to itself, like lavarsi (to wash oneself). Their infinitive ends in -si, and they’re conjugated with a reflexive pronoun: mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si.
How do you conjugate reflexive verbs in Italian?
Drop -si from the infinitive, conjugate the verb normally and put the reflexive pronoun before it: alzarsi → mi alzo, ti alzi, si alza, ci alziamo, vi alzate, si alzano.
Do reflexive verbs take essere or avere?
Always essere in compound tenses: mi sono alzato, ci siamo divertiti. The past participle agrees with the subject.
Where does the reflexive pronoun go with an infinitive?
It’s attached to the end of the infinitive, which drops its final -e: alzarmi, vestirti, riposarsi. With dovere, potere and volere it can also go before the modal: mi devo alzare.
What are the most common Italian reflexive verbs?
Daily-routine verbs like svegliarsi, alzarsi, lavarsi, vestirsi, prepararsi, plus chiamarsi, sentirsi, divertirsi, arrabbiarsi and preoccuparsi.
