- Many Italian verbs may be used reflexively in the plural to express reciprocal action.
Vi amate? –“Do you love each other?”1
Ci vediamo spesso. –“We see each other often.”
Loro si ammirano. –“They admire each other.”
Si parlano? –“Do they speak to each other?”
- The reflexive is often used for the passive (especially when inanimate objects are involved).
Le medicine si vendono all farmacia. –“Medicines are sold at the drugstore.”
Questi libri si pubblicano in Italia. –“These books are published in Italy.”
Come si pronunzia questa parola? –“How is this word pronounced?”
- The reflexive may render the impersonal idea of “one,” “they,” “people,” “we,” “you.”
Come si dice “good morning” in italiano? –“How do you (does one) say good morning in Italian?”
Si dice che è molto ricca. –“They say she is very rich.” (=”It is said….”)
Quando si studia, s’impara. –“When one studies, one learns.”
- The reflexive may mean “oneself” (“myself,” “yourself,” “himself,” etc.).
Mi lavo. –“I wash myself.”
- The reflexive pronoun often need not or cannot be translated.
Si divertono. –“They have a good time (amuse themselves).”
Mi alzo. –“I get up.”
Come si chiama questo signore?—“What is this man’s name?”
As may be seen in the above examples, the reflexive pronoun precedes the verb in most cases. One exception to this has already been mentioned: it is attached to the end of the infinitive. A second exception is the imperative, where the reflexive pronoun is also attached to the end of the verb” Divertitevi! (“Have fun!“or “Have a good time!”), Alziamoci (“Let’s get up”), etc.
1 In present-day Italian, quello che or ciò che would be usual here.
VOCABULARY
*almeno
at least |
dir (=dire)
to say |
fare l’istruito
to play the learned man |
loro (adj.)
their |
malato
ill |
meglio
better |
parere
to seem/appear |
*quando
when |
si tengono
they keep themselves (3d pl. tenere) |
*tale
such |
*vecchio
old |
vogliono
want (3d. pl., volere) |
voluto
demanded, required (pp. volere) |
vuol (=vuole)
wants |
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