Italian Grammar: Pronouns, Piacere, and Reflexive Verbs

Vocabulary and grammar terminology covering direct and indirect object pronouns, verbs used with indirect objects, double pronouns, piacere, and common reflexive verbs.

Direct object

Receives the action of a verb directly and answers to the question what? or whom?.

Indirect object

Identifies to whom or for whom an action is done.

Pronomi diretti (Direct object pronouns)

Pronouns that replace direct object nouns (singular: mi, ti, La, lo, la; plural: ci, vi, li, le).

Pronomi indiretti (Indirect object pronouns)

Pronouns that identify to or for whom an action is done (singular: mi, ti, Le, gli, le; plural: ci, vi, gli).

Piacere

An Italian verb meaning to please or to be pleasing, used with indirect object pronouns to express likes and dislikes.

Verbi riflessivi (Reflexive verbs)

Verbs that reflect the action back to the subject, formed with a reflexive pronoun and ending in -si in the infinitive form.

Pronomi doppi (Double object pronouns)

Combinations placing the indirect object pronoun before the direct object pronoun, where mi, ti, ci, vi change -i to -e and Le/gli combine into glie-.

chiedere

to ask for

consigliare

to recommend

dare

to give

dire

to say / tell

domandare

to ask a question

insegnare

to teach

mandare

to send

mostrare

to show

offrire

to offer

parlare

to talk / speak

portare

to bring

preparare

to prepare

prestare

to lend

regalare

to give as a gift

rispondere

to reply

restituire

to return sth

scrivere

to write

telefonare

to call / phone

addormentarsi

to fall asleep

alzarsi

to get up

annoiarsi

to get bored

arrabbiarsi

to get angry

chiamarsi

to be called

divertirsi

to have fun

farsi male

to hurt oneself

fermarsi

to stop

innamorarsi

to fall in love

lamentarsi di

to complain about

laurearsi

to graduate

mettersi

to put on

pettinarsi

to comb / brush one's hair

preoccuparsi di

to worry about

prepararsi

to get ready

radersi

to shave

rendersi conto di

to realize

rilassarsi

to relax

riposarsi

to rest

sbagliarsi

to make a mistake

sedersi

to sit down

sentirsi

to feel

spogliarsi

to undress

sposarsi

to get married

svegliarsi

to wake up

truccarsi

to put on makeup

vestirsi

to get dressed

mancare

to miss

bastare

to be enough

restare

to remain

sembrare

to seem

dispiacere

to be sorry