Italian Reflexive Verbs

What is a reflexive verb?

Reflexive verbs are those verbs that include a particular pronoun known as a reflexive pronoun in the conjugation.

Like…

• mi sveglio – I wake up
• mi diverto – I have fun
• mi arrabbio – I get mad 

In Italian, reflexive verbs are more common than in English. Many English verbs have an Italian equivalent of a reflexive verb and thus require a reflexive pronoun. 

For instance,

•  to have fun – divertirsi 

• to get up – alzarsi

• to get married – sposarsi 

Some verbs are reflexive both in Italian and English.

For instance: 

• to wash oneself – lavarsi

Reflexive verbs are conjugated in the same way as other verbs, except that the reflexive pronouns (mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si) must be used in front of the conjugations (mi lavo), unlike in English, where they are placed after (I wash myself). 

How do you conjugate reflexive verbs?

First and foremost, a reflexive verb should just be a “label” that we apply to certain verbs to remind us to conjugate them in a certain way (with the reflexive pronouns in front). This to say that you shouldn’t feel thrown off when you hear the term reflexive verbs!

To conjugate any reflexive verb, you need to:

1. remove the “si” ending
2. add the “e”
3. conjugate it as any other regular verb 
4. put the reflexive pronouns in front 

Let’s use the verb “lavarsi” as an example 

LAVARSI (to wash one’s self) → 

1. remove the “si” ending → LAVAR
2. add the “e” → LAVAR+E = LAVARE
3. conjugate it as any other regular verb 
4. put the reflexive pronouns in front 

io mi lavo – I wash myself 

tu ti lavi – you wash yourself 

lui si lava – he washes himself

lei si lava – she washes herself 

noi ci laviamo – we wash ourselves 

voi vi lavate – you wash yourselves 

loro si lavano – they wash themselves 

Proper and reciprocal reflexive verbs 

There are two types of Italian reflexive verbs:

Proper reflexive verbs

Reflexive verbs where the action is carried out by the same person who receives it. 

• Divertirsi → to have fun
• Svegliarsi → to get up
• Rilassarsi → to relax

Examples:

• io mi diverto → I have fun (myself)
• io mi sveglio → I wake up (myself)
• io mi rilasso → I relax (myself)

Reciprocal reflexive verbs

Reciprocal reflexive verbs use the plural reflexive pronouns ci, vi, si to mean each other. They describe a mutual action.

• Capirsi → to understand each other
• Amarsi → to love each other
• Odiarsi → to hate other

Examples:

• Ci capiamo molto bene → we understand each other very well
• Ci amiamo → we love each other
• Si odiano → they hate each other

Does English have any reflexive verbs?

Yes! Like enjoying oneself or hurting oneself. And it’s worth noting that English reflexive verbs are also reflexive verbs in Italian. 

• Enjoying oneself → divertirsi
• Hurting oneself → farsi male

However, most times, there’s no correspondence, and what is a non-reflexive verb in English is a reflexive one in Italian.

An interesting trend is that many verbs that use “get” in English are translated with a reflexive verb in Italian: For instance,

• To get angry → arrabbiarsi
• To get married → sposarsi
• To get sick → ammalarsi

Common Italian reflexive verbs

Svegliarsi — to wake [oneself] up

Alzarsi – to get up

Lavarsi – to wash oneself

Pettinarsi – to comb one’s hair

Sedersi – to sit down

Sentirsi – to feel

Spogliarsi – to undress

Addormentarsi – to fall asleep

Truccarsi – to put on make-up

Farsi la doccia – to take a shower

Chiamarsi – to be named

Laurearsi – to graduate (from university)

Diplomarsi – to graduate (from school)

Allenarsi – to work out

Impegnarsi – to work hard

Ubriacarsi – to get drunk

Farsi la barba – to shave

Innamorarsi – to fall in love

Lamentarsi  – to complain

Stressarsi – to get stressed

Innervosirsi – to get nervous

Ammalarsi – to get sick

Vestirsi – to get dressed

Annoiarsi – to get bored

How do you conjugate the Italian reflexive verbs?

The rule of thumb is to keep in mind that you are conjugating the infinite reflexive verb deprived of the – si.

For instance, if you conjugate the verb rilassarsi, you need to remove the “si” and add an “e” onto the infinitive. There it is, you have an easily conjugated Italian infinitive verb.

Example: 

RILASSARSI → RILASSARE

SVEGLIARSI → SVEGLIARE

Where to put the reflexive pronoun “si”?

First of all, the si takes on different shapes, which are mi ti si ci vi si (the reflexive pronouns/i pronomi riflessivi)

Generally, the reflexive pronouns go right before the verb:

Present → io mi diverto, tu ti diverti, lui/lei si diverte, noi ci divertiamo, voi vi divertite, loro si divertono

Present Perfect (passato prossimo) → mi sono divertito/a, tu ti sei divertito/a, lui si è divertito/ lei si è divertita, noi ci siamo divertiti/e, voi vi siete divertiti/e, loro si sono divertiti/e

Imperfect → io mi divertivo, tu ti divertivi, lui/lei si divertiva, noi ci divertivamo, voi vi divertivate, loro si divertivano 

Future Simple → io mi divertirò, tu ti divertirai, lui/lei si divertirà, noi ci divertiremo, voi vi divertirete, loro si divertiranno

Present Conditional → io mi divertirei, tu ti divertiresti, lui/lei si divertirebbe, noi ci divertiremmo, voi vi divertireste, loro si divertirebbero 

Present Subjunctive → io mi diverta, tu ti diverta, lui/lei si diverta, noi ci divertiamo, voi vi divertiate, loro si divertano 

Imperative (formal) → si diverta! 

In a few cases, the reflexive pronouns are attached to the end of the verb.

Imperative (informal)→ divertiti!

Gerund → divertendomi, divertendoti, divertendosi, divertendoci, divertendovi, divertendosi   

Infinitive → mi piace divertirmi, ti piace divertiti, gli/le piace divertirsi, ci piace divertirci, vi piace divertirvi, gli piace divertirsi

What happens in negative reflexive sentences?

The “non” always precedes the reflexive pronouns. 

Italian reflexive verbs & the passato prossimo 

This is an advanced topic, so if you are a beginner, you can skip it for now.

Italian grammar is made up of simple tenses and compound tenses.

A simple tense is a simple verb (made of just one verb, e.g., the present simple), while a compound tense is a verb made of a combination of a helping verb (auxiliary verb) and another verb, the past participle (e.g., the past perfect). 

Let’s see how the verb “divertirsi” is conjugated in the past perfect.

Io → subject 

Mi → reflexive pronoun

Sono → helping verb

Divertito → past participle

Io mi sono divertito – I had fun

In a compound tense (past perfect, compound future, past conditional, past subjunctive, etc.), the reflexive verbs always use a helping verb. The helping verb still to be used is essere.

Using essere as a helping verb implies that the past participle has to agree with the gender and number.

Examples:

• Penso che Luisa si sia annoiata alla festa – I think Luisa got bored at the party
• Ieri sera ci siamo divertiti a teatro – Last night we had fun at the theatre 
• Mi sarei svegliata tardi stamattina, ma non ho potuto – I would have awakened later this morning, but I couldn’t

Reflexive verbs and parts of the body

When using reflexive verbs with parts of the body, you usually don’t need to use possessive pronouns, as it would sound redundant.

The typical mistake I hear in my online Italian lessons is:

Mi lavo le mia faccia – I wash my face (WRONG)

Mi lavo la faccia – I wash my face (correct)

Mi lavo i miei capelli  – I wash my hair (WRONG)

Mi lavo i capelli – I wash my hair (CORRECT)

Mi faccia la mia barba – I shave (WRONG)

Mi faccio la barba – I shave (CORRECT)