Italian Language Lessons
Grammar, spelling, and usage
Italian Reflexive Verbs
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What is an Italian reflexive verb (verbo riflessivo)? An Italian verb is reflexive when the action carried out by the subject is performed on the same subject. Not all verbs are reflexive. In order to make an Italian verb reflexive, drop the -e of its infinitive ending and add the pronoun si. For example, pettinare (to comb) becomes pettinarsi (to comb oneself) in the reflexive. Si is an additional pronoun, known as the reflexive pronoun, which is needed when conjugating reflexive verbs.
For a list of common reflexive verbs in Italian, see the following table.
Note that some reflexive verbs can be used nonreflexively—without the reflexive pronouns. In this case, their meaning changes:
Tu ti alzi. (You get up.)
Tu alzi la sedia. (You lift the chair.)
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