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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn Italian reflexive verbs like svegliarsi (to wake up) and vestirsi (to get dressed), focusing on pronouns mi, ti, si that match the subject and object in the sentence for everyday self-actions.
  1. Reflexive verbs end in -si in the infinitive.
  2. The reflexive pronoun is conjugated and goes before the verb.
Verbo Svegliarsi (Verb To Wake Up)Verbo Vestirsi (Verb To Get Dressed)
Io mi sveglio (I wake up)Io mi vesto (I get dressed)
Tu ti svegli (You wake up)Tu ti vesti (You get dressed)
Lui/lei si sveglia (He/she wakes up)Lui/ lei si veste (He/she gets dressed)
Noi ci svegliamo (We wake up)Noi ci vestiamo (We get dressed)
Voi vi svegliate (You wake up)Voi vi vestite (You (plural) get dressed)
Loro si svegliano (They wake up)Loro si vestono (They dress themselves)

Exceptions!

  1. Some reflexive verbs can have a reciprocal meaning. Example: "Ci vediamo domani!" (See you tomorrow!).

Exercise 1: I verbi riflessivi

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

si alzano, mi vesto, ti alzi, Vi vestite, Ci svegliamo, si veste, mi sveglio, Mi pettino

1.
I bambini ... alle otto durante il weekend.
(The children get up at eight during the weekend.)
2.
Marco ... prima di uscire di casa.
(Marco gets dressed before leaving the house.)
3.
Ogni giorno (io) ... alle sette di mattina.
(Every day I wake up at seven in the morning.)
4.
(Io) ... dopo aver fatto colazione.
(I comb my hair after having breakfast.)
5.
Quando (tu) ..., fai subito colazione?
(When you get up, do you have breakfast straight away?)
6.
Dopo la doccia, (io) ... e preparo la colazione.
(After the shower, I get dressed and prepare breakfast.)
7.
(Noi) ... presto durante la settimana.
(We wake up early during the week.)
8.
(Voi) ... prima o dopo colazione?
(Do you get dressed before or after breakfast?)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Io ___ sempre alle sette del mattino.

(I ___ always at seven in the morning.)

2. Tu ___ prima di uscire di casa.

(You ___ before leaving the house.)

3. Lui ___ le mani dopo aver mangiato.

(He ___ his hands after eating.)

4. Noi ___ sempre al bar alle otto.

(We ___ always at the bar at eight.)

5. Voi ___ dopo il lavoro.

(You ___ after work.)

6. Loro ___ per la riunione della mattina.

(They ___ for the morning meeting.)

Understanding Italian Reflexive Verbs

This lesson focuses on Italian reflexive verbs, essential for expressing actions that the subject performs on themselves. At an A1 beginner level, you'll learn the basics to recognize and conjugate these verbs, crucial for everyday conversations.

What Are Reflexive Verbs?

A reflexive verb is one where the subject and the object of the sentence are the same person or thing. These verbs end with -si in the infinitive form, signaling their reflexive nature.

Key Features

  • Reflexive pronouns: mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si — these accompany and agree with the subject and are placed before the conjugated verb.
  • Examples from this lesson include:
    • Io mi sveglio – I wake myself up
    • Tu ti vesti – You dress yourself
  • Some reflexive verbs can also convey reciprocal actions, such as Ci vediamo domani! meaning "See you tomorrow!" where "ci" implies "each other."

Conjugation Examples

Verb SvegliarsiVerb Vestirsi
Io mi sveglioIo mi vesto
Tu ti svegliTu ti vesti
Lui/lei si svegliaLui/lei si veste
Noi ci svegliamoNoi ci vestiamo
Voi vi svegliateVoi vi vestite
Loro si sveglianoLoro si vestono

Important Notes on Usage

Remember that the reflexive pronoun always appears just before the conjugated verb in simple tenses. Understanding these pronouns is key to mastering any reflexive verb in Italian.

Comparing English and Italian Reflexive Verbs

In English, reflexive verbs use reflexive pronouns like "myself," "yourself," "himself," etc., but many actions that are reflexive in Italian are expressed differently or omitted in English. For example, "Mi sveglio" translates simply as "I wake up," dropping the reflexive pronoun explicitly. Italian requires the reflexive pronoun as part of the verb conjugation.

Useful phrases to remember include:

  • Mi sveglio – I wake up
  • Ti vesti – You get dressed
  • Si lava – He/she washes (oneself)
  • Ci incontriamo – We meet each other
  • Vi riposate – You (plural) rest
  • Si preparano – They prepare themselves

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 21:23