what is the 'la' in 'Non me la sento di farlo'?

In the Italian phrase "Non me la sento di farlo," the word "la" is a pronoun that refers to the general idea or task being talked about. In this context, "la" functions as an impersonal object pronoun that doesn't have a specific gender or referent. It's often used in expressions related to feelings, emotions, or attitudes toward something.

Here's a breakdown of the phrase:

• Non = Not
• me = To me (indirect object pronoun)
• la = It (impersonal direct object pronoun)
• sento = I feel (from the verb "sentire")
• di farlo = To do it

So, "Non me la sento di farlo" translates to "I don't feel up to doing it" or "I don't feel like doing it." The "la" is essentially filling in for "it," referring to the action or task that the speaker doesn't feel capable of doing.

so what does the 'lo' on 'farlo' do then?

In the phrase "Non me la sento di farlo," the "lo" at the end of "farlo" is another pronoun that stands for "it." This "lo" specifically refers to the thing that the speaker doesn't feel up to doing.

To clarify:

• farlo = "fare" (to do) + "lo" (it)

So, "farlo" literally means "to do it."

In this phrase, both "la" and "lo" are pronouns referring to the same thing, but they serve different functions:

• "la" in "me la sento" is part of the idiomatic expression, which loosely means "I feel up to it" or "I feel like doing it."
• "lo" in "farlo" specifically refers to the action or task ("it") that the speaker is referring to.

When you combine them, "Non me la sento di farlo" means "I don't feel up to doing it." The phrase could be loosely rephrased as "I don't feel up to it (la), to do it (lo)." The use of both pronouns helps convey the meaning more clearly in Italian, even though it might seem redundant when translated into English.

But why do we need two impersonal pronouns?

The use of two pronouns in the phrase "Non me la sento di farlo" might seem redundant at first, but each pronoun serves a distinct purpose within the structure of the sentence. Let's break it down:

1. "La" in "me la sento":

• Function: The "la" in "me la sento" is part of the idiomatic expression. In Italian, certain expressions require a pronoun to maintain the idiom's structure, even if it doesn’t directly translate to a specific word in English.
• Role: Here, "la" is impersonal and can be seen as standing in for the general situation or task that the speaker is referring to, without specifying what "it" is.
• Purpose: It emphasizes the feeling or attitude of the speaker towards the action or situation ("I don't feel up to it").

1. "Lo" in "farlo":

• Function: The "lo" at the end of "farlo" directly refers to the specific action or thing that the speaker is considering doing.
• Role: This pronoun clarifies what exactly the speaker doesn’t feel up to doing ("it" in "to do it").
• Purpose: It directly links the action of "doing" (fare) to the object ("it") that the speaker is discussing.

Why Two Pronouns?

• Idiom Structure: In "me la sento," the "la" is required by the idiom itself. It's part of a fixed expression where the pronoun is embedded in the phrase's meaning and isn't always directly tied to a specific object.
• Clarity and Precision: The "lo" in "farlo" is necessary to clearly refer to the specific action. Without it, the sentence might lose clarity or leave the listener wondering what "it" refers to.
• Linguistic Economy: While it might seem redundant, in Italian, this combination helps to convey both the emotional state of the speaker and the specific action in a compact way. Italian often uses pronouns like this to maintain the flow and structure of the sentence while ensuring the meaning is clear.

So, even though it might feel like there are two impersonal pronouns doing similar jobs, they are actually working together to fully convey the speaker's sentiment and the action they're referring to, maintaining both the idiomatic expression and the sentence's clarity.

But why is it stato and not stata?

The choice between "stato" and "stata" in the phrase "sarà stato detto" depends on the gender and number of the subject in the sentence, not the indirect object.

Explanation:

• "Sarà stato detto" is a passive construction in the future perfect tense.
• The verb "essere" (to be) is used in the passive voice, and the past participle ("stato" or "stata") agrees in gender and number with the subject of the sentence.

In the phrase "Non le sarà stato detto perché è una sorpresa," the subject of the passive verb is the implicit "it" (referring to whatever was not told).

• "Detto" is the past participle of "dire" (to say/tell).
• The auxiliary verb "essere" (in this case, "sarà stato") is used to form the passive voice.
• Since the implicit subject ("it") is masculine and singular (referring to something unspecified, like "the information" or "the secret"), "stato" is used.

When to use "stato" vs. "stata":

• "Stato": Used when the subject is masculine singular (e.g., il segreto, il messaggio).
• "Stata": Used when the subject is feminine singular (e.g., la notizia, la sorpresa).

Key Point:

The word "le" refers to the indirect object (to her), not the subject. The subject (the thing not told) is implied, and it’s treated as masculine singular, hence "stato."

So, "Non le sarà stato detto perché è una sorpresa" is correct because the past participle "stato" agrees with the implied masculine singular subject.

Auxiliary Verbs

Here's a chart to help you understand how to use auxiliary verbs with different types of Italian verbs. This will cover transitive, intransitive, reflexive, and impersonal verbs, and how they use essere or avere as auxiliary verbs in compound tenses.

Italian Auxiliary Verb Chart

1. Transitive Verbs (Avere)

• Definition: Verbs that take a direct object.
• Auxiliary: Avere.
• Past Participle: No agreement with the subject (e.g., Ho mangiato).
• Example:
  • Ho comprato un libro. ("I bought a book.")
  • Hanno visto il film. ("They watched the movie.")

2. Intransitive Verbs (Essere)

• Definition: Verbs that do not take a direct object.
• Auxiliary: Essere.
• Past Participle: Agrees in gender and number with the subject.
• Example:
  • Sono arrivato tardi. ("I arrived late." - said by a male)
  • Siamo partite ieri. ("We left yesterday." - said by females)

3. Reflexive Verbs (Essere)

• Definition: Verbs where the action reflects back on the subject.
• Auxiliary: Essere.
• Past Participle: Agrees in gender and number with the subject.
• Example:
  • Mi sono lavato. ("I washed myself." - said by a male)
  • Ti sei alzata presto. ("You got up early." - said to a female)

4. Impersonal Verbs

• Definition: Verbs without a specific subject (often weather verbs or impersonal expressions).
• Auxiliary: Essere or Avere, depending on the verb.
• Past Participle: Agreement can vary, but with essere, it typically follows the gender/number rules.
• Example:
  • È nevicato tutta la notte. ("It snowed all night.")
  • Si è detto che... ("It has been said that...")

Special Notes:

• Verbs of Motion/State (Intransitive): These often take essere (e.g., andare, venire, nascere, morire).
• Verbs with Both Avere and Essere: Some verbs can take either auxiliary depending on their meaning. For example, correre (to run):
  • Ho corso la maratona. ("I ran the marathon." - transitive, takes avere)
  • Sono corso a casa. ("I ran home." - intransitive, takes essere)

This chart should help you navigate when to use essere vs. avere with different types of verbs in Italian!

Constructions from Verbs

Here's a comprehensive chart that includes various verb constructions (active, passive, reflexive, etc.) for different types of Italian verbs. Here's a breakdown of how you would construct sentences in different tenses and voices (active, passive, reflexive) for transitive, intransitive, reflexive, and impersonal verbs.

Italian Verb Constructions Chart

Explanation of Each Category:

1. Transitive Verbs:

   • Active Voice: The subject performs the action on a direct object. Uses avere in compound tenses.
   • Passive Voice: The action is performed on the subject. Uses essere and the past participle agrees with the subject.
   • Reflexive Voice: The subject performs the action on itself. Uses essere and the past participle agrees with the subject.
   • Impersonal Construction: Used when the subject is not specific. Often uses si + essere with agreement based on the implied subject.

2. Intransitive Verbs:

   • Active Voice: The subject performs the action without a direct object. Uses essere and the past participle agrees with the subject.
   • Passive Voice: Typically not used for intransitive verbs as they do not have a direct object to make passive.
   • Reflexive Voice: Similar to reflexive transitive verbs but with no direct object.
   • Impersonal Construction: Expresses general actions, often using si.

3. Reflexive Verbs:

   • Active Voice: The subject performs the action on itself. Uses essere and the past participle agrees with the subject.
   • Passive Voice: Not applicable because reflexive verbs inherently involve the subject.
   • Impersonal Construction: Used with ci si to express general reflexive actions.

4. Impersonal Constructions:

   • Active Voice: General actions with no specific subject. Often uses si + essere.
   • Passive Voice: Expresses impersonal passive actions, using si + essere.
   • Reflexive: Similar to impersonal reflexive constructions, typically with ci si.

Key Points:

• Agreement: In passive and reflexive constructions, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.
• Auxiliary Verb: The choice of essere or avere depends on the verb type and construction (e.g., reflexive verbs always use essere).

This chart should provide a comprehensive overview of how to construct various types of Italian verbs across different voices and tenses!

Below is a general outline of how to conjugate regular and some irregular verbs across the major verb groups (-are, -ere, -ire) in the indicative, subjunctive, conditional, and imperative moods. I'll also touch on auxiliary verbs and modal verbs.

1. Regular Verbs

• Regular verbs follow standard conjugation patterns based on their infinitive endings: -are, -ere, and -ire.

-ARE Verbs (e.g., Parlare - to speak)

• Indicative Mood:

  • Present: io parlo, tu parli, lui/lei parla, noi parliamo, voi parlate, loro parlano
  • Imperfect: io parlavo, tu parlavi, lui/lei parlava, noi parlavamo, voi parlavate, loro parlavano
  • Future: io parlerò, tu parlerai, lui/lei parlerà, noi parleremo, voi parlerete, loro parleranno
  • Present Perfect (Passato Prossimo): io ho parlato, tu hai parlato, lui/lei ha parlato, noi abbiamo parlato, voi avete parlato, loro hanno parlato
  • Pluperfect (Trapassato Prossimo): io avevo parlato, tu avevi parlato, lui/lei aveva parlato, noi avevamo parlato, voi avevate parlato, loro avevano parlato
  • Future Perfect: io avrò parlato, tu avrai parlato, lui/lei avrà parlato, noi avremo parlato, voi avrete parlato, loro avranno parlato

• Subjunctive Mood:

  • Present: che io parli, che tu parli, che lui/lei parli, che noi parliamo, che voi parliate, che loro parlino
  • Imperfect: che io parlassi, che tu parlassi, che lui/lei parlasse, che noi parlassimo, che voi parlaste, che loro parlassero
  • Present Perfect: che io abbia parlato, che tu abbia parlato, che lui/lei abbia parlato, che noi abbiamo parlato, che voi abbiate parlato, che loro abbiano parlato
  • Pluperfect: che io avessi parlato, che tu avessi parlato, che lui/lei avesse parlato, che noi avessimo parlato, che voi aveste parlato, che loro avessero parlato

• Conditional Mood:

  • Present: io parlerei, tu parleresti, lui/lei parlerebbe, noi parleremmo, voi parlereste, loro parlerebbero
  • Past: io avrei parlato, tu avresti parlato, lui/lei avrebbe parlato, noi avremmo parlato, voi avreste parlato, loro avrebbero parlato

• Imperative Mood:

  • (tu) parla!, (Lei) parli!, (noi) parliamo!, (voi) parlate!, (Loro) parlino!

-ERE Verbs (e.g., Vendere - to sell)

• Indicative Mood:

  • Present: io vendo, tu vendi, lui/lei vende, noi vendiamo, voi vendete, loro vendono
  • Imperfect: io vendevo, tu vendevi, lui/lei vendeva, noi vendevamo, voi vendevate, loro vendevano
  • Future: io venderò, tu venderai, lui/lei venderà, noi venderemo, voi venderete, loro venderanno
  • Present Perfect: io ho venduto, tu hai venduto, lui/lei ha venduto, noi abbiamo venduto, voi avete venduto, loro hanno venduto
  • Pluperfect: io avevo venduto, tu avevi venduto, lui/lei aveva venduto, noi avevamo venduto, voi avevate venduto, loro avevano venduto
  • Future Perfect: io avrò venduto, tu avrai venduto, lui/lei avrà venduto, noi avremo venduto, voi avrete venduto, loro avranno venduto

• Subjunctive Mood:

  • Present: che io venda, che tu venda, che lui/lei venda, che noi vendiamo, che voi vendiate, che loro vendano
  • Imperfect: che io vendessi, che tu vendessi, che lui/lei vendesse, che noi vendessimo, che voi vendeste, che loro vendessero
  • Present Perfect: che io abbia venduto, che tu abbia venduto, che lui/lei abbia venduto, che noi abbiamo venduto, che voi abbiate venduto, che loro abbiano venduto
  • Pluperfect: che io avessi venduto, che tu avessi venduto, che lui/lei avesse venduto, che noi avessimo venduto, che voi aveste venduto, che loro avessero venduto

• Conditional Mood:

  • Present: io venderei, tu venderesti, lui/lei venderebbe, noi venderemmo, voi vendereste, loro venderebbero
  • Past: io avrei venduto, tu avresti venduto, lui/lei avrebbe venduto, noi avremmo venduto, voi avreste venduto, loro avrebbero venduto

• Imperative Mood:

  • (tu) vendi!, (Lei) venda!, (noi) vendiamo!, (voi) vendete!, (Loro) vendano!

-IRE Verbs (e.g., Dormire - to sleep)

• Indicative Mood:

  • Present: io dormo, tu dormi, lui/lei dorme, noi dormiamo, voi dormite, loro dormono
  • Imperfect: io dormivo, tu dormivi, lui/lei dormiva, noi dormivamo, voi dormivate, loro dormivano
  • Future: io dormirò, tu dormirai, lui/lei dormirà, noi dormiremo, voi dormirete, loro dormiranno
  • Present Perfect: io ho dormito, tu hai dormito, lui/lei ha dormito, noi abbiamo dormito, voi avete dormito, loro hanno dormito
  • Pluperfect: io avevo dormito, tu avevi dormito, lui/lei aveva dormito, noi avevamo dormito, voi avevate dormito, loro avevano dormito
  • Future Perfect: io avrò dormito, tu avrai dormito, lui/lei avrà dormito, noi avremo dormito, voi avrete dormito, loro avranno dormito

• Subjunctive Mood:

  • Present: che io dorma, che tu dorma, che lui/lei dorma, che noi dormiamo, che voi dormiate, che loro dormano
  • Imperfect: che io dormissi, che tu dormissi, che lui/lei dormisse, che noi dormissimo, che voi dormiste, che loro dormissero
  • Present Perfect: che io abbia dormito, che tu abbia dormito, che lui/lei abbia dormito, che noi abbiamo dormito, che voi abbiate dormito, che loro abbiano dormito
  • Pluperfect: che io avessi dormito, che tu avessi dormito, che lui/lei avesse dormito, che noi avessimo dormito, che voi aveste dormito, che loro avessero dormito

• Conditional Mood:

  • Present: io dormirei, tu dormiresti, lui/lei dormirebbe, noi dormiremmo, voi dormireste, loro dormirebbero
  • Past: io avrei dormito, tu avresti dormito, lui/lei avrebbe dormito, noi avremmo dormito, voi avreste dormito, loro avrebbero dormito

• Imperative Mood:

  • (tu) dormi!, (Lei) dorma!, (noi) dormiamo!, (voi) dormite!, (Loro) dormano!

2. Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow standard conjugation patterns and often have unique forms. Some important irregular verbs include essere (to be), avere (to have), andare (to go), and fare (to do/make).

Essere (to be)

• Present: io sono, tu sei, lui/lei è, noi siamo, voi siete, loro sono
• Imperfect: io ero, tu eri, lui/lei era, noi eravamo, voi eravate, loro erano
• Future: io sarò, tu sarai, lui/lei sarà, noi saremo, voi sarete, loro saranno
• Present Perfect: io sono stato/a, tu sei stato/a, lui/lei è stato/a, noi siamo stati/e, voi siete stati/e, loro sono stati/e
• Pluperfect: io ero stato/a, tu eri stato/a, lui/lei era stato/a, noi eravamo stati/e, voi eravate stati/e, loro erano stati/e
• Subjunctive Present: che

io sia, che tu sia, che lui/lei sia, che noi siamo, che voi siate, che loro siano

• Subjunctive Imperfect: che io fossi, che tu fossi, che lui/lei fosse, che noi fossimo, che voi foste, che loro fossero
• Conditional Present: io sarei, tu saresti, lui/lei sarebbe, noi saremmo, voi sareste, loro sarebbero

Avere (to have)

• Present: io ho, tu hai, lui/lei ha, noi abbiamo, voi avete, loro hanno
• Imperfect: io avevo, tu avevi, lui/lei aveva, noi avevamo, voi avevate, loro avevano
• Future: io avrò, tu avrai, lui/lei avrà, noi avremo, voi avrete, loro avranno
• Present Perfect: io ho avuto, tu hai avuto, lui/lei ha avuto, noi abbiamo avuto, voi avete avuto, loro hanno avuto
• Pluperfect: io avevo avuto, tu avevi avuto, lui/lei aveva avuto, noi avevamo avuto, voi avevate avuto, loro avevano avuto
• Subjunctive Present: che io abbia, che tu abbia, che lui/lei abbia, che noi abbiamo, che voi abbiate, che loro abbiano
• Subjunctive Imperfect: che io avessi, che tu avessi, che lui/lei avesse, che noi avessimo, che voi aveste, che loro avessero
• Conditional Present: io avrei, tu avresti, lui/lei avrebbe, noi avremmo, voi avreste, loro avrebbero

Andare (to go)

• Present: io vado, tu vai, lui/lei va, noi andiamo, voi andate, loro vanno
• Imperfect: io andavo, tu andavi, lui/lei andava, noi andavamo, voi andavate, loro andavano
• Future: io andrò, tu andrai, lui/lei andrà, noi andremo, voi andrete, loro andranno
• Present Perfect: io sono andato/a, tu sei andato/a, lui/lei è andato/a, noi siamo andati/e, voi siete andati/e, loro sono andati/e
• Pluperfect: io ero andato/a, tu eri andato/a, lui/lei era andato/a, noi eravamo andati/e, voi eravate andati/e, loro erano andati/e
• Subjunctive Present: che io vada, che tu vada, che lui/lei vada, che noi andiamo, che voi andiate, che loro vadano
• Subjunctive Imperfect: che io andassi, che tu andassi, che lui/lei andasse, che noi andassimo, che voi andaste, che loro andassero
• Conditional Present: io andrei, tu andresti, lui/lei andrebbe, noi andremmo, voi andreste, loro andrebbero

Fare (to do/make)

• Present: io faccio, tu fai, lui/lei fa, noi facciamo, voi fate, loro fanno
• Imperfect: io facevo, tu facevi, lui/lei faceva, noi facevamo, voi facevate, loro facevano
• Future: io farò, tu farai, lui/lei farà, noi faremo, voi farete, loro faranno
• Present Perfect: io ho fatto, tu hai fatto, lui/lei ha fatto, noi abbiamo fatto, voi avete fatto, loro hanno fatto
• Pluperfect: io avevo fatto, tu avevi fatto, lui/lei aveva fatto, noi avevamo fatto, voi avevate fatto, loro avevano fatto
• Subjunctive Present: che io faccia, che tu faccia, che lui/lei faccia, che noi facciamo, che voi facciate, che loro facciano
• Subjunctive Imperfect: che io facessi, che tu facessi, che lui/lei facesse, che noi facessimo, che voi faceste, che loro facessero
• Conditional Present: io farei, tu faresti, lui/lei farebbe, noi faremmo, voi fareste, loro farebbero

3. Modal Verbs

Modal verbs in Italian include potere (can), dovere (must), and volere (want). These verbs often combine with infinitives to express ability, necessity, or desire.

Potere (can, to be able to)

• Present: io posso, tu puoi, lui/lei può, noi possiamo, voi potete, loro possono
• Imperfect: io potevo, tu potevi, lui/lei poteva, noi potevamo, voi potevate, loro potevano
• Future: io potrò, tu potrai, lui/lei potrà, noi potremo, voi potrete, loro potranno
• Present Perfect: io ho potuto, tu hai potuto, lui/lei ha potuto, noi abbiamo potuto, voi avete potuto, loro hanno potuto
• Conditional Present: io potrei, tu potresti, lui/lei potrebbe, noi potremmo, voi potreste, loro potrebbero

Dovere (must, to have to)

• Present: io devo, tu devi, lui/lei deve, noi dobbiamo, voi dovete, loro devono
• Imperfect: io dovevo, tu dovevi, lui/lei doveva, noi dovevamo, voi dovevate, loro dovevano
• Future: io dovrò, tu dovrai, lui/lei dovrà, noi dovremo, voi dovrete, loro dovranno
• Present Perfect: io ho dovuto, tu hai dovuto, lui/lei ha dovuto, noi abbiamo dovuto, voi avete dovuto, loro hanno dovuto
• Conditional Present: io dovrei, tu dovresti, lui/lei dovrebbe, noi dovremmo, voi dovreste, loro dovrebbero

Volere (to want)

• Present: io voglio, tu vuoi, lui/lei vuole, noi vogliamo, voi volete, loro vogliono
• Imperfect: io volevo, tu volevi, lui/lei voleva, noi volevamo, voi volevate, loro volevano
• Future: io vorrò, tu vorrai, lui/lei vorrà, noi vorremo, voi vorrete, loro vorranno
• Present Perfect: io ho voluto, tu hai voluto, lui/lei ha voluto, noi abbiamo voluto, voi avete voluto, loro hanno voluto
• Conditional Present: io vorrei, tu vorresti, lui/lei vorrebbe, noi vorremmo, voi vorreste, loro vorrebbero

4. Impersonal Verbs

Impersonal verbs such as piacere (to please) follow different patterns depending on the subject they refer to.

Piacere (to like)

• Present: mi piace (I like [singular]), mi piacciono (I like [plural])
• Imperfect: mi piaceva (I liked [singular]), mi piacevano (I liked [plural])
• Future: mi piacerà (I will like [singular]), mi piaceranno (I will like [plural])
• Present Perfect: mi è piaciuto/a (I liked [singular]), mi sono piaciuti/e (I liked [plural])
• Conditional Present: mi piacerebbe (I would like [singular]), mi piacerebbero (I would like [plural])

Summary

These conjugation patterns cover the most common regular, irregular, modal, and impersonal verbs in Italian. While there are many more verbs and nuances, these forms provide a strong foundation for understanding how Italian verbs operate across different moods and tenses.

In Italian, there are several types of verbs beyond reflexive verbs. Here's a breakdown of the main categories:

1. Regular Verbs (Verbi Regolari)

• These verbs follow standard conjugation patterns in the present, past, and future tenses. Regular verbs are divided into three groups based on their infinitive endings: -are, -ere, and -ire.
• Examples:
  • -are: Parlare (to speak) - io parlo, tu parli, lui/lei parla, etc.
  • -ere: Vendere (to sell) - io vendo, tu vendi, lui/lei vende, etc.
  • -ire: Dormire (to sleep) - io dormo, tu dormi, lui/lei dorme, etc.

2. Irregular Verbs (Verbi Irregolari)

• These verbs do not follow the regular conjugation patterns and often have unique forms in different tenses.
• Examples:
  • Essere (to be) - io sono, tu sei, lui/lei è, etc.
  • Avere (to have) - io ho, tu hai, lui/lei ha, etc.
  • Andare (to go) - io vado, tu vai, lui/lei va, etc.

3. Modal Verbs (Verbi Modali)

• Modal verbs express necessity, possibility, ability, or willingness. They are often used in conjunction with another verb in the infinitive.
• Examples:
  • Potere (can, to be able to) - io posso, tu puoi, lui/lei può, etc.
  • Dovere (must, to have to) - io devo, tu devi, lui/lei deve, etc.
  • Volere (to want) - io voglio, tu vuoi, lui/lei vuole, etc.

4. Transitive Verbs (Verbi Transitivi)

• These verbs take a direct object, meaning they directly act on something or someone.
• Examples:
  • Mangiare (to eat) - "Mangio una mela." (I eat an apple.)
  • Leggere (to read) - "Leggo un libro." (I read a book.)

5. Intransitive Verbs (Verbi Intransitivi)

• These verbs do not take a direct object. Instead, they describe an action that does not act on anything directly.
• Examples:
  • Camminare (to walk) - "Cammino nel parco." (I walk in the park.)
  • Arrivare (to arrive) - "Arrivo alle otto." (I arrive at eight.)

6. Pronominal Verbs (Verbi Pronominali)

• These verbs include a pronoun as an integral part of the verb, which changes its meaning or adds emphasis.
• Examples:
  • Farcela (to manage, to succeed) - "Ce la faccio!" (I can do it!)
  • Andarsene (to leave) - "Me ne vado." (I'm leaving.)

7. Impersonal Verbs (Verbi Impersonali)

• These verbs are used in a way that does not specify a particular subject, often referring to general statements or conditions.
• Examples:
  • Piacere (to like, to please) - "Mi piace il gelato." (I like ice cream.)
  • Bastare (to be enough) - "Basta così." (That’s enough.)

8. Reflexive Verbs (Verbi Riflessivi)

• As discussed, these verbs reflect the action back onto the subject, using reflexive pronouns like mi, ti, si, ci, vi, and si.
• Examples:
  • Lavarsi (to wash oneself) - io mi lavo, tu ti lavi, lui/lei si lava, etc.
  • Svegliarsi (to wake up) - io mi sveglio, tu ti svegli, lui/lei si sveglia, etc.

9. Reciprocal Verbs (Verbi Reciproci)

• These verbs indicate actions performed by two or more subjects on each other. They are often reflexive verbs used in a plural form.
• Examples:
  • Incontrarsi (to meet each other) - "Ci incontriamo al bar." (We meet each other at the bar.)
  • Abbracciarsi (to hug each other) - "Si abbracciano." (They hug each other.)

10. Causative Verbs (Verbi Causativi)

• These verbs express the idea of causing someone to do something or causing something to happen.
• Examples:
  • Fare (to make, to have someone do something) - "Faccio riparare la macchina." (I have the car repaired.)
  • Lasciare (to let, to allow) - "Lascio entrare il gatto." (I let the cat in.)

11. Passive Verbs (Verbi Passivi)

• These verbs describe an action performed on the subject by someone or something else. The passive form is often constructed with the auxiliary verb "essere" and the past participle.
• Examples:
  • Essere amato (to be loved) - "È amato da tutti." (He is loved by everyone.)
  • Essere scritto (to be written) - "Il libro è stato scritto." (The book was written.)

These categories help you understand how verbs function in Italian and how they interact with subjects, objects, and other parts of the sentence.

Question: I need help with this sentence 'quando arriverai me ne saro gia andata'?

The sentence "quando arriverai me ne sarò già andata" is a complex one, and here's a breakdown of its structure:

Quando arriverai: "When you arrive." "Arriverai" is the future tense of "arrivare," meaning "to arrive." "Quando" means "when." me ne sarò già andata: "I will have already left." Here's the breakdown: Me: This refers to "me" or "myself." Ne: This often means "of it" or "from it," but here it works with "andata" to imply that the speaker has left a place. Sarò: The future tense of "essere" (to be), meaning "I will be." Già: Means "already." Andata: The past participle of "andare" (to go), which, when used with "essere," forms the compound past. So, the full translation would be: "When you arrive, I will have already left."

This sentence implies that by the time the person addressed arrives, the speaker will no longer be there.

Question: How do I know it needs the ne?

The use of "ne" in the sentence "quando arriverai me ne sarò già andata" can be a bit tricky, but it's essential for conveying the correct meaning. Here's why "ne" is used:

The Role of "Ne" Implying Departure: In Italian, "ne" is often used in contexts where it implies a departure or leaving from a place. The verb "andarsene" (which means "to leave" or "to go away") is a reflexive verb that inherently includes "ne" to indicate that someone is leaving a place.

Andarsene vs. Andare:

Andare simply means "to go." Andarsene means "to leave" or "to go away," but with an emphasis on the fact that you're departing from a specific place. The "ne" in "andarsene" indicates this leaving or moving away. Without "Ne" If you omitted "ne" and said "me sarò già andata," it wouldn't sound correct because "andata" alone means "gone" without the reflexive or locational nuance. The sentence would lose its meaning related to leaving or departing, making it grammatically incorrect in this context.

In Summary "Ne" is essential in "andarsene" to indicate that the action involves leaving or moving away from a place. In your sentence, "me ne sarò già andata" correctly uses "ne" to convey that the speaker will have already left by the time the person arrives. This is a common usage in Italian to express the idea of having left or gone away from somewhere.

Question: but why isnt it 'io saro'?

The choice between "io sarò" and "me ne sarò" depends on the sentence structure and the reflexive nature of the verb being used.

1. Subject Pronoun vs. Reflexive Pronoun: "Io sarò": This is the standard subject pronoun "io" (I) followed by the future tense of "essere" (to be), "sarò" (I will be). It’s used when you want to simply state what "I" will be or do in the future. "Me ne sarò": Here, "me" is a reflexive pronoun, and it's part of the reflexive verb "andarsene" (to leave). The "me" reflects back on the subject (which is "I"), indicating that the subject is performing the action on themselves.

2. Reflexive Verbs: Andarsene is a reflexive verb. Reflexive verbs in Italian are used when the subject of the verb is also the object—meaning the action is performed by the subject on themselves. In "me ne sarò già andata," the verb "andarsene" means "to leave" or "to go away," and it’s reflexive. "Me" (myself) is required to indicate that the action of leaving is being done by the speaker to themselves.

3. Why Not "Io sarò"? If you said "io sarò già andata," without the reflexive "me" and the "ne," it would sound unnatural because "andata" (gone) on its own doesn’t convey the idea of leaving or departing from a place, and it would lack the reflexive structure needed to match "andarsene." "Io sarò" would typically be used with a different verb that isn't reflexive, for example, "Io sarò felice" (I will be happy), where there's no need for a reflexive pronoun. In Summary "Io sarò" is the standard way to express "I will be" with non-reflexive verbs. "Me ne sarò già andata" is correct because "andarsene" is reflexive, requiring "me" to reflect the action onto the subject, and "ne" to imply leaving from a place. This structure is essential for conveying the idea that the speaker will have already left by the time the other person arrives.

Question: but ne also corresponds to amounts doesn't it?

Yes, you're absolutely correct! The pronoun "ne" in Italian does indeed have multiple uses, one of which is to refer to quantities or amounts. Here's a brief overview of the different roles "ne" can play:

1. Indicating Amount or Quantity: Example: "Quanti libri hai letto?" — "Ne ho letti tre." Translation: "How many books have you read?" — "I’ve read three of them." In this context, "ne" refers to a part or quantity of something previously mentioned (in this case, "books"). It essentially means "of them" or "of it."

2. Indicating Origin or Movement Away From a Place: Example: "Vado via, me ne vado." Translation: "I’m leaving, I’m going away." Here, "ne" indicates leaving a place. It’s part of the reflexive verb "andarsene" (to go away), where "ne" conveys the idea of moving away from a place.

3. Referring to a Part of Something: Example: "Parliamo di viaggi. Ne abbiamo già parlato." Translation: "Let’s talk about trips. We’ve already talked about it." In this case, "ne" refers back to the topic of "viaggi" (trips) discussed earlier. It functions similarly to "about it" in English. In the Sentence "Quando arriverai me ne sarò già andata": In your sentence, "ne" does not refer to an amount or quantity. Instead, it fulfills the role related to movement or departure, which is intrinsic to the reflexive verb "andarsene." It emphasizes that the speaker will have left from somewhere by the time the other person arrives.

 Summary of "Ne" Functions: Referring to quantity or amount: "Ho due mele. Ne mangio una." ("I have two apples. I eat one of them.") Referring to origin or a place: "Ne vengo." ("I come from there.") Part of reflexive verbs (like "andarsene"): "Me ne vado." ("I’m going away.") The context of the sentence determines the function of "ne." In your original sentence, "ne" is necessary because of the reflexive verb "andarsene," not because it refers to an amount or quantity.

Proposition - By Michael San Filippo 

Italian Verbs That Demand A

The proposition a can link a verb to an object such as a noun or a pronoun, or a verb in the infinitive. For example: to get used to the weather; to get used to doing something.

Connecting to a Noun or Pronoun With A

These verbs connect through a to someone or something.

Connecting to an Infinitive With A

These are verbs that use a to connect to another verb: to begin to do something.

Verbs of Movement That Want by ABeforeObject or Infinitive

Verbs of movement use a to connect with a noun or a verb, except for a few that want da: partire da (to leave from), venire/provenire da (to come from), allontanarsi da (to distance oneself from).

Italian Verbs That Demand Di

The preposition di can link a verb to an object such as a noun or a pronoun, or to another verb in the infinitive (or both, depending on the meaning).

Connecting to a Noun or Pronoun With Di

Connecting toan Infinitive With Di

Italian Verbs That Demand Su

These verbs use su to connect to a noun or pronoun:

Italian Verbs That Want Per

These verbs use per to connect to a noun or pronoun or another verb.

Verbs Without Preposition Before Another Verb

Of course, you know that helping verbs dovere, potere, and volere do not need any preposition to connect to another verb: Devo andare (I must go); non posso parlare (I cannot speak). There are others:

Have you ever studied the “Si spersonalizzante“?

The so called “Si spersonalizzante” is used in Italian to make the verb impersonal.

When there is not a specific subject, we use the particle “si” as an indefinite subject which refers to people in general.

We have to distinguish a number of different situations though.

Let’s go through some examples to better understand it!

In example n.1, we have an impersonal construction with an intransitive verb: in this case we use si + third person singular of the verb.

In n.2 we have an impersonal construction with a transitive verb agreed with a singular object (un buon profumo): so we use si + third person singular of the verb + singular object.

Example n.3 is an impersonal construction with a transitive verb agreed with a plural object (panorami meravigliosi): in this case we use si + third person plural of the verb + plural object.

N.4 refers to Reflexive Verbs: if we want to make them impersonal, we use ci + si + third person singular of the verb.

The last example shows the impersonal construction si + è + adjective: careful, in this case the adjective is always masculine plural!

Try to make some sentences using the “si spersonalizzante” now!

It will be easier than you thought!

You will see several different types of object pronouns:

1. ) direct objects
2. ) indirect objects,
3. ) objects of preposition,
4. ) reflexive pronouns,
5. ) the passive “si,” 
6. )and  ci and ne.

1) Direct objects

A direct object receives the action of the verb and answers the question, “What?” For example:

• Vedo la ragazza. I see the girl.

We can ask, “What do I see?” and answer “The girl.” So “la ragazza” is our direct object.

Just like how in English we can replace “the girl” with the pronoun “her,” in Italian we can replace direct objects with pronouns. The direct object pronouns are the following:

Usually these pronouns come before your verb. So the sentence “Vedo la ragazza” becomes “La vedo” (I see her).

Sometimes pronouns are put after the verb for emphasis, and then use a different set of pronouns, called tonic pronouns:

Except for “me” and “te,” these are the same forms as the subject pronouns. Going back to “Vedo la ragazza,” we can say “Vedo lei,” if we want to emphasize that it is her (not someone else).

2) Indirect objects

Like direct objects answer the question “What?” indirect objects usually answer the question “To whom?” or “For whom?” For example:

• Scrivo a mia sorella. I write to my sister.

“My sister” answers the question, “To whom do I write?” so “mia sorella” is the indirect object.

The indirect object pronouns look like the direct object pronouns, except the third person:

Like the direct object pronouns, these typically come before the verb:

• Scrivo a mia sorella. Le scrivo. I write to my sister. I write to her.

You can also use the tonic pronouns (see above) after the verb for emphasis or clarification, but with the indirect object, “a” is required:

• Scrivo a lei.

The only exception is “loro,” which does not require “a”:

• Scrivo ai miei amici. Gli scrivo. / Scrivo loro. I write to my friends. I write to them.

3) Objects of preposition

After a preposition (for example, “con,” “di,” “per”), you should use a tonic pronoun (see above):

• Non so niente di te. I don’t know anything about you.

4) Reflexive pronouns

In Italian, some verbs are reflexive, meaning that the person doing the action does it to him or herself. Examples of this would be “mettersi” (to put a piece of clothing on), “chiamarsi” (literally “to call oneself”), and “sentirsi” (to feel). In the dictionary, you may notice that the infinitive has “si” on the end to show the verb is reflexive.

Reflexive verbs have their own pronouns:

These pronouns match the verb (“mi” with the “io” form, “ti” with “tu,” etc.) and are usually placed before the verb:

• Mi metto la giacca. I put on my coat.

5) The passive “si” (si passivante)

We use the passive or impersonal “si” when we don't want to state who exactly did the action. This can be translated in different ways in English. For example:

• In Italia si mangia la pizza.

This could be translated as: In Italy, pizza is eaten, In Italy, you (in general) eat pizza, In Italy, one eats pizza, In Italy, they (in general) eat pizza, among other things. The important thing to remember is that this action is not being done by any specific person.

To form this, use “si” and a verb in the third person (the form for lui/lei or loro). If there is an object after the verb, the verb agrees with the object. So we say:

• Si mangia la pizza.

but

• Si mangiano le pizze.

If there is no object, the verb is singular:

• Si mangia.

For reflexive verbs, you add “ci” before “si”:

• Ci si alza presto. One gets up early.

6) Ci and ne

“Ci” and “ne” replace prepositional phrases. “Ci” replaces “in” or “a” and their object:

• Vai a Roma? No, non ci vado. Are you going to Rome? No, I’m not going there.

“Ne” replaces “di” and its object:

• Vuoi una di queste caramelle? Ne vuoi una? Do you want one of these candies? Do you want one of them?