Italian reflexive verbs are among the first grammar topics you’ll see when you start learning the language, often without even realizing it. They show up in many of the first Italian expressions you learn, such as introducing yourself or describing your daily routine.
These verbs don’t always work the same way in Italian as they do in English, but with a little context, you’ll easily learn how to recognize, conjugate, and use reflexive verbs in Italian to talk about personal care, emotions, relationships, and daily life.
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What are verbi riflessivi (reflexive verbs in Italian)?
A verbo riflessivo (reflexive verb in Italian) is a verb where the subject performs an action on itself. In other words, the subject and the object are the same person or thing.
Italian reflexive verbs often correspond to English expressions that use:
- pronouns like “myself,” “yourself,” “himself/herself,” etc.
- “get” + verb, like “get dressed,” “get stressed,” and so on.
However, reflexive verbs are far more frequent in Italian than in English and can cover several situations, including:
- physical (Mi lavo. = I wash myself)
- emotional (Mi diverto. = I’m having fun)
- reciprocal actions (Ci abbracciamo. = We hug each other).
How to recognize reflexive verbs in Italian
There are only a handful of purely reflexive verbs in Italian. In most cases, an Italian verb can be either active or reflexive, depending on whether the action lands on someone else or loops back onto the subject itself.
What makes the difference are small words called pronomi riflessivi (Italian reflexive pronouns), which always precede or merge with reflexive verbs in Italian.
Recognize a reflexive verb in a sentence by spotting the reflexive pronoun
In most of the verb tenses you use in everyday conversations (simple present, past, future, etc.), you can recognize a reflexive verb because it is immediately preceded by a reflexive pronoun.
Imagine your Italian friend or colleague tells you:
- Mi cambio velocemente e arrivo. = I’ll get changed quickly and be right there.
The word mi is the reflexive pronoun directly before the verb that shows the speaker is referring back to themself rather than someone else.
If you skip reflexive pronouns with reflexive verbs, the sentence makes no sense or becomes ambiguous.
- Cambio velocemente e arrivo. → Change what? It’s unclear whether you’re getting ready or need to change something before you go.
Recognize a reflexive verb by the infinitive in a dictionary or verb list
Italian verbs are categorized by their present infinitive tense—the base form of the verb, like the “to” + verb in English (to go), you find in Italian dictionaries. The infinitive can end in only three ways: -are, -ere, or -ire. But when a verb is used in a reflexive form, the final vowel is replaced with -si.
- lavare (to wash something or someone) → lavarsi (to wash oneself)
- perdere (to lose) → perdersi (to get lost)
- vestire (to dress someone or a doll) → vestirsi (to get dressed)
Knowing this difference makes it very easy to spot a reflexive verb in the infinitive, which is helpful when looking it up in the dictionary or reading through a list of verbs. You can sometimes find the infinitive in general statements, but they aren’t very common in everyday conversations.
- Allenarsi regolarmente fa bene alla salute. = Working out regularly is good for your health.
- Che bello è innamorarsi! = Falling in love is wonderful!
Start by learning Italian reflexive pronouns to use with reflexive verbs
Mi is just the first-person reflexive pronoun. There are six reflexive pronouns in Italian grammar, one for each subject. Since Italian reflexive verbs always require a reflexive pronoun, it’s worth memorizing them all.
| Subject | Italian Reflexive Pronoun | English |
| io I | mi | myself |
| tu you | ti | yourself |
| lui/lei he/she | si | himself/herself |
| noi we | ci | ourselves |
| voi you | vi | yourselves |
| loro they | si | themselves |
These examples show reflexive pronouns paired with reflexive verbs in Italian sentences:
- Mi preparo per il viaggio. = I get (myself) ready for the trip.
- Tu ti arrabbi spesso. = You get angry a lot.
- Lei si guarda allo specchio. = She looks at herself in the mirror.
For most tenses, the reflexive pronoun goes right before the reflexive verb
While in English the pronoun placement is mostly fixed after the verb, the placement of Italian reflexive pronouns can change depending on the reflexive verb’s tense and the mood. You can add the reflexive pronoun just before the conjugated reflexive verb in most verb tenses in Italian, whether simple or compound.
- Mi sveglio presto. = I wake up early.
- Mi svegliavo sempre presto da bambino. = I always woke up early as a kid.
- Mi sveglierò presto domani. = I’ll wake up early tomorrow.
With tempi composti (compound tenses, those that pair with an auxiliary verb), the reflexive pronoun goes before the auxiliary.
- Mi sono svegliato presto. = I woke up early.
In negative sentences (the ones starting with non), pronouns also precede reflexive verbs:
- Non mi sveglio presto la mattina. = I don’t wake up early in the morning.
- Non mi sono svegliato presto stamattina. = I didn’t wake up early this morning.
For the infinitive, gerund, and imperative, the reflexive pronoun attaches to the reflexive verb
Three Italian verb forms require the reflexive pronoun to attach to the end of the verb instead of preceding it:
- modo infinito (infinitive)
- Svegliarsi presto è difficile. = Waking up early is hard.
- modo gerundio (gerund)
- Svegliandomi presto, ho più tempo per fare colazione. = Waking up early, I have more time for breakfast.
- modo imperativo (imperative)
- Svegliati! = Wake up!
For modal verbs, reflexive pronouns can go before or after the verb
Modal verbs like dovere (to have to), volere (to want), and potere (to be able to) are an exception because the reflexive pronoun can either attach to the verb or move before the conjugated modal verb. Both options are equally correct.
- Devo svegliarmi presto./Mi devo svegliare presto. = I have to wake up early.
- Posso sdraiarmi un po’ sul divano?/Mi posso sdraiare un po’ sul divano? = Can I lie down on the couch for a bit?
Next, learn the 3 types of reflexive verbs in Italian
Italian has three main types of verbs considered reflexive, depending on how the action relates to the subject—a classification you’ll also find in Treccani, Italy’s national encyclopedia. Reflexive verbs split into diretti (direct) and indiretti (indirect). Plus, there is an additional type of reflexive verb called verbi reciproci (reciprocal verbs).
Riflessivi diretti (direct reflexive verbs)
Direct reflexive verbs are the most straightforward type of reflexive verb because the action falls on the whole subject (the subject does something to itself).
They are easy to recognize because you can replace the pronoun (mi, ti, si, etc.) with the expression me stesso (myself), te stesso (yourself), se stesso (himself), and so on. If the sentence still works, the reflexive verb is direct.
- Oggi mi sono abbuffato. = Today I’ve stuffed myself.
- Tu ti rilassi sulla veranda. = You (yourself) relax on the porch.
- Il gatto si lecca. = The cat licks itself.
Riflessivi indiretti (indirect reflexive verbs)
Reflexive verbs are considered indirect in Italian grammar when the subject benefits from the action but isn’t the full target of the action. This pattern is very common and often appears when the action involves a body part or a personal belonging.
- Mi sono tinta i capelli di rosso. = I dyed my hair red.
- Lui si fa una doccia. = He takes a shower.
- Lei si lava le mani. = She washes her hands.
Riflessivi reciproci (reciprocal verbs)
As the word itself suggests, reciprocal verbs are reflexive verbs used with multiple subjects who perform the action on each other (reciprocally).
- Paola e Francesco si sposano a giugno. = Paola and Francesco are getting married (to each other) in June.
- Gli italiani si salutano con due baci. = Italians greet each other with two kisses.
English sometimes adds expressions like “each other” in these types of sentences. Italian does it too, using l’un, l’altro, or a vicenda (meaning “each other” or “one another”) to make the reciprocal meaning unmistakable.
- I colleghi si sono complimentati l’un l’altro/a vicenda. = The colleagues complimented each other.
| Common Italian Reciprocal Verb | English |
| abbracciarsi | to hug each other |
| amarsi | to love each other |
| baciarsi | to kiss each other |
| conoscersi | to know each other |
| fidanzarsi | to get engaged |
| incontrarsi | to meet up |
| lasciarsi | to split up |
| odiarsi | to hate each other |
| salutarsi | to greet each other |
| sposarsi | to get married |
| vedersi | to see each other |
Finally, learn how to conjugate reflexive verbs in Italian
Now that you can recognize the different types of Italian reflexive verbs and know how to pair them with Italian pronouns, the next step is to conjugate them correctly.
As a general rule, Italian verbs follow three conjugation patterns depending on their ending in the infinitive:
- -ARE verbs, like lavare (to wash)
- -ERE verbs, like mettere (to put)
- -IRE verbs, like vestire (to dress)
Each conjugation has a set of endings for regular verbs to add to the verb stem that are different for each subject and verb tense. Reflexive verbs follow the same conjugation pattern as all verbs. Just identify whether the verb ends in -are, -ere, or -ire, apply the endings, and add the appropriate reflexive pronoun.
Compare the active and reflexive form of the verb lavare (to wash) conjugated in the simple present as an example.
lavare (to wash)
| -ARE Verb(lavare) | English | Reflexive Form(lavarsi) | English |
| Io lavo. | I wash. (something) | Mi lavo. | I wash myself. |
| Tu lavi. | You wash. (something) | Ti lavi. | You wash yourself. |
| Lui/lei lava. | He/she washes. (something) | Si lava. | He/she washes himself/herself/itself. |
| Noi laviamo. | We wash. (something) | Ci laviamo. | We wash ourselves. |
| Voi lavate. | You wash. (something) | Vi lavate. | You wash yourselves. |
| Loro lavano. | They wash. (something) | Si lavano. | They wash themselves. |
Reflexive verbs in compound tenses: The essere rule
The most important rule to remember for compound tenses is that reflexive verbs always use essere (“to be” in Italian) as their auxiliary, even if the active form uses avere (to have).
- Ho asciugato i piatti. = I’ve dried the dishes. (active, uses avere)
- Mi sono asciugato. = I’ve dried myself. (direct reflexive verb, uses essere)
- Mi sono asciugato i capelli. = I’ve dried my hair. (indirect reflexive verb, uses essere)
Practice using reflexive verbs in everyday conversations
Reflexive verbs come up constantly in ordinary exchanges, so much that you’ll use them before you even think of them as a separate grammar topic.
Introducing yourself:
- Come ti chiami? = What is your name?
- Mi chiamo Susanna. = My name is Susanna.
- Questo è il mio amico Luigi. Vi conoscete? = This is my friend, Luigi. Do you know each other?
- No, non ci conosciamo. = No, we do not know each other.
Talking about your day:
- A che ora ti addormenti di solito? = What time do you usually fall asleep?
- Mi addormento sempre verso le 22:00. = I always fall asleep around 10 p.m.
- Come ti senti? = How do you feel?
- Sto meglio. Non ti preoccupare. = I feel better. Don’t worry.
Making plans:
- Ci vediamo stasera? = Shall we see each other tonight?
- Sì, ci troviamo alle 8:00 davanti al bar. = Yes, let’s meet at 8 p.m. in front of the bar.
- Sentiamoci più tardi. = Let’s talk later.
- Okay, ti chiamo mentre mi preparo la cena. = Okay, I’ll call you while I make (myself) dinner.
Lists of common reflexive verbs in Italian to know
Italian reflexive verbs are used in common expressions like basic everyday activities, self-care, and social life. Most of these verbs exist in both active and reflexive forms, while some have only the reflexive form, such as pentirsi (to regret) or accorgersi (to notice).
Italian reflexive verbs for daily routines and self-care
Many of the verbs you use in your daily conversation as a beginner language learner describe daily routines or personal care. In Italian, these actions are often expressed using reflexive verbs.
| Italian Reflexive Verb | English |
| addormentarsi | to fall asleep |
| alzarsi | to wake up |
| asciugarsi | to dry oneself or a part of the body |
| bagnarsi | to get wet |
| fermarsi | to stop |
| lavarsi | to wash oneself |
| mettersi | to put on |
| pettinarsi | to comb one’s hair |
| prepararsi | to get ready |
| radersi | to shave oneself |
| riposarsi | to rest |
| sbrigarsi | to hurry up |
| sdraiarsi | to lie down |
| sedersi | to sit |
| spazzolarsi | to brush one’s hair |
| spogliarsi | to get undressed |
| svegliarsi | to wake up |
| truccarsi | to put on makeup |
| vestirsi | to get dressed |
In spoken Italian, you’ll often hear the verb fare (to do/to make) used in its reflexive form in common expressions like:
- farsi la doccia/il bagno = to take a shower/a bath
- farsi le unghie = to do one’s nails
- farsi la barba = to shave
- farsi un caffè = to make a coffee
- farsi un regalo = to treat yourself to a gift
Italian reflexive verbs for emotions and moods
Talking about emotions in Italian requires a bit of a mental shift for English speakers. In English, many feelings, like being bored, having fun, or worrying, don’t require reflexive verbs. In Italian, however, these experiences are often expressed with reflexive verbs because they’re understood as something happening to the subject.
| Italian Reflexive Verb | English |
| abituarsi (a) | to get used to |
| annoiarsi | to get bored |
| arrabbiarsi | to get angry |
| divertirsi | to have fun |
| innamorarsi (di) | to fall in love (with) |
| lamentarsi | to complain |
| preoccuparsi | to worry |
| rilassarsi | to relax |
| sentirsi* | to feel (a certain way) |
| stancarsi | to get tired |
| stressarsi (informal) | to get stressed |
| vergognarsi | to be embarrassed |
*Sentirsi can also be a reciprocal verb meaning “to speak” or “to get in touch.”
- Quando possiamo sentirci? = When can we talk?
- Ci sentiamo domani. = Let’s talk tomorrow.
Ci sentiamo is also one of the most common ways to sign off a call or a text, much like saying “Talk soon.”
Common mistakes with reflexive verbs for Italian learners
Besides misplacing the pronoun or using the auxiliary avere (to have) instead of essere, which are both common mistakes, there are two other recurring pitfalls that tend to trip up learners.
- Avoid using a possessive instead of the indirect reflexive construction.
- Mi lavo le mani. = I wash my hands.
- Lavo le
miemani./Mi lavo lemiemani.
- Don’t assume every English “-self” phrase has a reflexive equivalent in Italian, and vice versa. Some ideas are phrased differently in the two languages.
- I taught myself Italian. (reflexive) → Ho imparato l’italiano da solo. (not reflexive)
- Mi ricordo di te. (reflexive) → I remember you. (not reflexive)
Key takeaways about reflexive verbs in Italian
Reflexive verbs are one of those grammar patterns that click faster with real use than with memorization, which is exactly the idea behind Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method: learning Italian the way you’d naturally pick up patterns in context, not just from a rulebook.
- Reflexive verbs pair with reflexive pronouns (mi, ti, si, ci, vi, and si), just like English does with “myself,” “yourself,” “himself/herself,” and so on.
- The pronoun placement in a sentence varies depending on the verb tense and mood.
- Italian reflexive verb conjugations follow the same rules as non-reflexive verbs ending in -are, -ere, or -ire.
- Always use the auxiliary essere with reflexive verbs in compound tenses.
- Reflexive verbs offer a great opportunity to practice two Italian parts of speech at once: verbs and pronouns.
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