Basic Italian: A Grammar and Workbook

2 The forms of the reflexive pronouns are as follows:

• Note that the third person singular and plural pronoun si is the same for
  masculine and feminine.

As can be seen from the examples, reflexive pronouns are always placed
before the verb.

3 The negative is formed, as usual, by placing non before the pronoun:

4 For the formal form, the pronoun si (third person singular and plural) is
used. In the plural, however, the pronoun vi is most frequently used:

5 The plural forms of the reflexive pronouns (ci, vi, si) are also used as
reciprocal pronouns, corresponding to the English ‘each other’:

6Reflexive pronouns can also be used, in contemporary spoken Italian, as
indirect objects. One such use is to stress that the action expressed by the verb

mi

ti

si

ci

vi

si

myself

yourself

himself/herself/itself

ourselves

yourselves

themselves

A che ora ti alzi, la mattina?

Paolo si* sveglia sempre tardi.

Maria si* annoia.

I tuoi amici si* sbagliano: il

concerto non è stasera.

Le mie amiche si* divertono.

What time do you get up in the

morning?

Paolo always wakes up late.

Maria is bored.

Your friends are wrong: the concert is

not tonight.

My friends are enjoying themselves.

Lorenzo non si annoia mai.

Non ti diverti?

Lorenzo never gets/is never bored.

Aren’t you enjoying yourself?

Come si sente, Signora?

Vi divertite, Signori Rasi?

(Si divertono, Signori Rasi?)

How are you feeling, Madam?

Are you enjoying yourselves(, Mr and

Mrs Rasi)?

Paolo e io non ci sopportiamo.

Perché vi guardate?

Alfredo e Pia non si parlano più.

Paolo and I can’t stand each other.

Why are you looking at each other?

Alfredo and Pia don’t talk to each

other any more.