Oggi facciamo un ripasso di grammatica
su di verbi riflessivi
Today let’s have a grammar review of reflexive verbs.
Diamo un’occhiata ai verbi riflessivi e ai pronomi riflessivi. Per questa lezione di grammatica uso il libro scritto da Edoardo Lebano. Continuo in inglese. Alla fine della spiegazione ci sono alcuni esercizi per controllare la conoscenza della lezione e la tua abilità linguistica.
Let’s take a look at the reflexive verbs and reflexive pronouns. For this grammar lesson, use the book written by Edoardo Lebano. I will continue in English. At the end of the explanation there are several exercises for you to test your understanding of the lesson and your language skills.
Siete pronti! Andiamo!
When the action of a verb falls back on the subject, the verb in question is called reflexive. A reflexive verb is, therefore, a transitive verb whose subject and object are identical.
Although many verbs that are reflexive in English are also reflexive in Italian, not all the same verbs are reflexive in both languages. In Italian dictionaries their infinitives endings are: -arsi, -ersi, and -irsi.
The -si in each ending means oneself.
Many transitive verbs can be used reflexively. When this occurs, the final e of the simple infinitive is dropped before adding – si. The reflexive form of these verbs often acquires a different meaning. Here is a a short list of some common reflexive verbs in Italian with their English translations.
Domandare – to ask
Domandarsi – to wonder
Fermare – to stop someone/something
Fermarsi – to stop onself
Guardare – to look, to watch
Guardarsi – to look at oneself
Svegliare – to awaken
Svegliarsi – to wake yourself up
Mettere – to place something
Mettersi – to put something on
Preparare – to prepare something
Prepararsi – to get yourself ready
Conjugation of Reflexive Verbs/Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive verbs are conjugated like other verbs ending in
-are, -ere, and -ire
In forming the PASSATO PROSSIMO (and other compound tenses) the auxiliary verb ESSERE must be used. The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject
In the conjugation of a reflexive verb, the forms of the verb must be used with the reflexive pronouns listed below:
mi = myself
ti = yourself (familiar)
si = himself, herself, itself, yourself (form sign)
ci = ourselves
vi = yourselves
si = themselves
Alzarsi
Mi alzo
Ti alzi
Si alza
Ci alziamo
Vi alzate
Si alzano
mettersi
Mi metto
Ti metti
Si mette
Ci mettiamo
Vi mettete
Si Mettono
Vestirsi
Mi vesto
Ti Vesti
Si Veste
Ci Vestiamo
Vi vestite
Si vestono
Esercizi / Exercises:
Complete the following:
Give the present, the future, and the passato prossimo of the following reflexive. Verbs, with the subjects indicated in parenthesis.
Alzarsi: tu__________________ , lei__________________ , voi__________________
Pettinarsi: Maria__________________ , noi__________________ , loro__________________
Sentirsi: noi__________________ , voi__________________ , loro__________________
Vestirsi: io__________________ , Massimo__________________ , le ragazze__________________ ,
Accorgersi: noi__________________ , Lei__________________ , voi__________________
Addormentarsi: la bambina__________________ , io__________________ , loro__________________ ,
fill in the blank:
Cinzia adesso (is resting) _________ perché è molto stanca.
Domani (I will wear) ____________ il vestito rosso.
Quando Rita (woke up) _____________, ha telefonato a sua madre.
Se loro potranno, (they will stop) __________ a casa nostra.
D’inverno (I get up) _________________ tardi perché fa freddo.
Se loro non vanno al cinema, a casa (they get bored) ___________.
Tutte le volte che andimao allo stadio, (we have a good time) ______________.
Ieri mia moglie (wore) ____________-un nuovo paio di scarpe.
La signora Betti ha avuto un figlio. Il bambino (is named) ____________ Franco.
Lei è sempre davanti allo specchio; (she combs her hair) ____________ tre volte al giorno.
translate the following:
Translate the following:
Tomorrow morning I want to wake up at six thirty-five.
Mario must get ready to go out.
He is looking at himself in front of the mirror.
I wonder why she is not coming to the movies with us. Yesterday his wife realized that Paolo can never relax.
