Italian Grammar Bank
THE ITALIAN IMPERSONAL
The impersonal reflexive (il riflessivo impersonale) is a construction in Italian that allows for expressing general actions without specifying a subject.
Instead of using “I,” “you,” or “they,” Italians use “si” to make the sentence impersonal.
BASIC STRUCTURE
This structure is similar to the English use of “one” or passive constructions.
For example: “One eats well in Italy” or “People wake up early here”.
PATTERN
Si + verb (third-person singular or plural)
- If the verb is followed by a singular noun, the verb is singular.
- If the verb is followed by a plural noun, the verb is plural.
WITH SINGULAR VERBS
When the verb is followed by a singular noun or no noun at all, it stays in the third-person singular.
| In Italia si mangia bene. | In Italy, one eats well. |
| Si parla italiano in questa scuola. | Italian is spoken in this school. |
| In ufficio si lavora molto. | In the office, one works a lot. |
| Si guida a destra in Italia. | One drives on the right in Italy. |
| In estate si va al mare. | In summer, one goes to the sea. |
WITH PLURAL VERBS
When the verb is followed by a plural noun, the verb agrees and takes the third-person plural.
| Si vendono libri in questa libreria. | Books are sold in this bookstore. |
| Si comprano le verdure al mercato. | Vegetables are bought at the market. |
| Si organizzano eventi culturali ogni mese. | Cultural events are organized every month. |
| Si trovano molte pizzerie a Napoli. | Many pizzerias are found in Naples. |
| Si fanno molte foto in vacanza. | Many photos are taken on vacation. |
WITH REFLEXIVE VERBS
When a reflexive verb is used in the impersonal reflexive, the first “si” changes to ci.
PATTERN
Ci si + verb (third-person singular)
| Ci si sveglia presto in campagna. | One wakes up early in the countryside. |
| Ci si rilassa in vacanza. | One relaxes on vacation. |
| Ci si veste eleganti per le occasioni speciali. | One dresses elegantly for special occasions. |
| Ci si prepara per l’esame con attenzione. | One prepares for the exam carefully. |
| Ci si addormenta tardi il sabato sera. | One falls asleep late on Saturday night. |
WITH MODAL VERBS
With modal verbs (dovere, potere, volere), the main verb remains in the infinitive.
| Si deve arrivare in orario. | One must arrive on time. |
| Si può entrare senza biglietto? | Can one enter without a ticket? |
| Si vuole sempre vincere, ma non è possibile. | One always wants to win, but it’s not always possible. |
| Si deve studiare per superare l’esame. | One must study to pass the exam. |
| Si può mangiare qui? | Can one eat here? |
IN THE PAST TENSE
To use the impersonal reflexive in the past, the auxiliary verb essere is used, and the past participle agrees with the direct object when present.
| Si è parlato molto della crisi. | Much has been said about the crisis. |
| Si è dormito poco stanotte. | One didn’t sleep much last night. |
| Si sono venduti molti biglietti. | Many tickets were sold. |
| Si sono fatte molte domande. | Many questions were asked. |
| Si è lavorato fino a tardi. | One worked late. |
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FAQs
What is the impersonal reflexive form in Italian?
The impersonal reflexive uses “si” to form general statements where the subject is not specified, similar to English “one,” “you,” or passive voice.
Example: Si mangia bene in Italia (People eat well in Italy).
When to use ci si?
We use “ci si” when the verb is reflexive and we need to keep the impersonal structure.
For example: Ci si sveglia presto (One wakes up early).
The “ci” stands in for the reflexive part, while “si” keeps the impersonal meaning.
Is “si” used in formal writing and speech?
Yes, it’s widely used in both spoken and written Italian, especially in instructions, rules, and general statements.
What verb form follows impersonal “si”?
Usually the third person singular is used with singular or no objects (Si parla italiano), and third person plural is used when the object is plural (Si comprano i biglietti).
Can the impersonal “si” be used with all verbs?
It works best with intransitive verbs or when the verb’s object is not specific.
With transitive verbs, it often takes a passive meaning.
Example: Si vendono case (Houses are sold).
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