What are the reflexive pronouns in Italian?

They are mi (myself), ti (yourself), si (himself, herself, yourself formal), ci (ourselves), vi (yourselves), and si (themselves). They match the subject of the verb: io mi lavo, tu ti lavi, lui si lava.

Where do reflexive pronouns go in Italian?

Before the conjugated verb: mi alzo, non mi alzo, mi sono alzato. They attach to the end of infinitives (alzarmi), gerunds (alzandomi), and informal affirmative commands (alzati). With dovere, potere, and volere you can also say mi devo alzare.

Do reflexive verbs take essere or avere?

Always essere. The past participle then agrees with the subject: Marco si è alzato, Giulia si è alzata, i ragazzi si sono alzati, le ragazze si sono alzate.

Why is chiamarsi reflexive in Italian?

Italian says your name the way English might say I call myself. Mi chiamo Luca is literally I call myself Luca, and come ti chiami? is how do you call yourself? Chiamare without the pronoun just means to call.

What is the difference between ci vediamo and vediamo?

Ci vediamo has the reciprocal ci and means we'll see each other, so it works as see you. Vediamo without the pronoun means let's see, as in vediamo cosa succede (let's see what happens).

Italian grammar · Beginner

Italian Reflexive Pronouns

Written by Parrot Italian Team, Italian Curriculum Editors · Reviewed October 2026

Italian reflexive pronouns (mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si) show that the subject does the action to itself: mi lavo, I wash (myself). Many everyday verbs that are not reflexive in English need them in Italian, such as svegliarsi (to wake up), alzarsi (to get up), and chiamarsi (to be called). In the infinitive the pronoun attaches to the end, which is why these verbs end in -arsi, -ersi, or -irsi.

Mi sveglio alle sette e mi alzo subito.

I wake up at seven and get up right away.

What it is

English uses myself and yourself only when it has to (I cut myself). Italian marks every reflexive action, including daily routines that English expresses with a plain verb or a phrasal verb: mi sveglio (I wake up), mi vesto (I get dressed), mi siedo (I sit down). The pronoun matches the subject: io takes mi, tu takes ti, and so on.

Come ti chiami? Mi chiamo Giulia. (What's your name? My name is Giulia. Literally: how do you call yourself? I call myself Giulia.)

How to spot it

Look for mi, ti, si, ci, or vi that refers to the same person as the subject. In the dictionary, the verb ends in -si: lavarsi, divertirsi, sedersi.

Ti svegli presto? (Do you wake up early?)
Ci vediamo domani. (See you tomorrow. (literally: we'll see each other tomorrow))
Si è addormentato sul divano. (He fell asleep on the sofa.)
Vi divertite? (Are you having fun?)

In the plural, ci, vi, and si can also mean each other: ci conosciamo da anni (we've known each other for years). The context tells you whether the action is reflexive or mutual.

Reflexive Pronouns Quick Reference

The reflexive pronouns by person, with alzarsi and vestirsi. In the passato prossimo the participle agrees with the subject.

Person	Pronoun	alzarsi (present)	alzarsi (passato prossimo)	vestirsi (present)
io	mi	mi alzo	mi sono alzato / alzata	mi vesto
tu	ti	ti alzi	ti sei alzato / alzata	ti vesti
lui / lei / Lei	si	si alza	si è alzato / alzata	si veste
noi	ci	ci alziamo	ci siamo alzati / alzate	ci vestiamo
voi	vi	vi alzate	vi siete alzati / alzate	vi vestite
loro	si	si alzano	si sono alzati / alzate	si vestono

Common Reflexive Pronouns Examples in Italian

Reflexive pronouns in everyday sentences:

Daily Routine

La mattina mi faccio la doccia e mi vesto.: In the morning I have a shower and get dressed.
A che ora ti alzi di solito?: What time do you usually get up?
I bambini si lavano i denti dopo cena.: The children brush their teeth after dinner.

With parts of the body, Italian uses the reflexive pronoun and the article, not a possessive: mi lavo le mani.

Feelings and States

Mi annoio quando piove.: I get bored when it rains.
Non ti arrabbiare!: Don't get angry!

English get bored and get angry become reflexive verbs in Italian: annoiarsi, arrabbiarsi.

Each Other

Marco e Laura si sono sposati a giugno.: Marco and Laura got married in June.
Ci sentiamo stasera.: Let's talk tonight. (literally: we'll hear each other tonight)

Plural reflexive pronouns often show a mutual action.

In the Passato Prossimo

Mi sono svegliata tardi.: I woke up late. (a woman speaking)
Vi siete divertiti alla festa?: Did you have fun at the party?

Reflexive verbs always take essere, so the participle agrees with the subject.

How Italian Reflexive Pronouns Work

Reflexive pronouns follow the same placement rules as other unstressed pronouns, plus two rules of their own.

Before the Conjugated Verb

In statements, questions, and negatives, the pronoun goes directly before the conjugated verb. The formal Lei uses si, like lui and lei.

Come si chiama Lei?

What's your name? (formal)

Lei + si + third person verb.

Attached to the Infinitive

The -si of the infinitive changes to match the subject: devo alzarmi, devi alzarti, dobbiamo alzarci. With dovere, potere, and volere, the pronoun can also go before the modal: mi devo alzare.

Domani devo alzarmi alle sei.

Tomorrow I have to get up at six.

alzarsi → alzarmi, alzarti, alzarci, alzarvi.

Attached to Informal Commands

In affirmative tu, noi, and voi commands, the pronoun attaches to the end of the verb. With the formal Lei it goes before the verb.

Siediti, per favore.

Sit down, please.

siediti (tu), si sieda (Lei), sedetevi (voi).

Essere in Compound Tenses

Every reflexive verb takes essere in compound tenses, and the past participle agrees with the subject in gender and number.

Le ragazze si sono vestite in fretta.

The girls got dressed in a hurry.

si sono vestite: feminine plural subject.

Mi, Ti, Si Become Me, Te, Se

Before lo, la, li, le, or ne, the reflexive pronoun changes its i to e: me lo, te ne, se la.

Mi lavo le mani. Me le lavo.

I wash my hands. I wash them.

andarsene: me ne vado (I'm leaving).

Reflexive or Not Changes the Meaning

Many verbs exist in both forms with different meanings: chiamare (to call) and chiamarsi (to be called), sentire (to hear) and sentirsi (to feel), addormentare (to put to sleep) and addormentarsi (to fall asleep).

Non mi sento bene.

I don't feel well.

sento (I hear), mi sento (I feel).

Common Mistakes with Reflexive Pronouns

Incorrect: Alzo alle sette. (I get up at seven.)

Correct: Mi alzo alle sette. (I get up at seven.)

English get up is not reflexive, but alzarsi is. Without mi, alzo means I lift, and it needs an object.

Incorrect: Mi ho svegliato tardi. (I woke up late.)

Correct: Mi sono svegliato tardi. (I woke up late.)

Reflexive verbs always take essere in compound tenses, never avere.

Incorrect: Lavo le mie mani. (I wash my hands.)

Correct: Mi lavo le mani. (I wash my hands.)

With parts of the body, the reflexive pronoun already shows whose hands they are, so Italian uses the article, not a possessive.

Incorrect: Devo alzarsi presto. (I have to get up early.)

Correct: Devo alzarmi presto. (I have to get up early.)

The attached pronoun must match the subject. With io, alzarsi becomes alzarmi.

Quick Check: Reflexive Pronouns

Complete each sentence with the correct reflexive form.

1. Come ___ chiami?

Answer: ti

The subject is tu.

2. Noi ___ (svegliarsi) sempre alle sette.

Answer: ci svegliamo

Noi takes ci.

3. Ieri Anna ___ (addormentarsi) davanti alla TV.

Answer: si è addormentata

Essere, with the participle agreeing with Anna.

4. Domani dovete ___ (alzarsi) presto.

Answer: alzarvi

The attached pronoun matches voi.

5. ___ (sedersi, tu command), per favore!

Answer: Siediti

Affirmative tu commands take the pronoun on the end.

Reflexive Pronouns FAQs

What are the reflexive pronouns in Italian?: They are mi (myself), ti (yourself), si (himself, herself, yourself formal), ci (ourselves), vi (yourselves), and si (themselves). They match the subject of the verb: io mi lavo, tu ti lavi, lui si lava.
Where do reflexive pronouns go in Italian?: Before the conjugated verb: mi alzo, non mi alzo, mi sono alzato. They attach to the end of infinitives (alzarmi), gerunds (alzandomi), and informal affirmative commands (alzati). With dovere, potere, and volere you can also say mi devo alzare.
Do reflexive verbs take essere or avere?: Always essere. The past participle then agrees with the subject: Marco si è alzato, Giulia si è alzata, i ragazzi si sono alzati, le ragazze si sono alzate.
Why is chiamarsi reflexive in Italian?: Italian says your name the way English might say I call myself. Mi chiamo Luca is literally I call myself Luca, and come ti chiami? is how do you call yourself? Chiamare without the pronoun just means to call.
What is the difference between ci vediamo and vediamo?: Ci vediamo has the reciprocal ci and means we'll see each other, so it works as see you. Vediamo without the pronoun means let's see, as in vediamo cosa succede (let's see what happens).