REFLEXIVE VERBS

In italian, actions which are carried out upon oneself are called reflexive. That is "I call myself" (Chiamarsi (1st, 1) => Mi Chiamo) or "He washes himself" (Lavarsi (3rd, 1) => Si Lava).

In the diagram above, the 1st person (I) is the top of the triangle, the 2nd person (YOU) is to the left, and 3rd (HE) to the right. Plural forms (WE/YE/THEY) are outside the triangle.

The top triangle represents verbs ending in ARSI, the middle triangle represents ERSI verbs, and the bottom, IRSI.

The inner triangle represents:
1st,1 = Myself
2nd,1 = Yourself
3rd,1 = Himself
1st,2 = Ourselves
2nd,2 = Yourselves
3rd,2 = Themselves

Patterns:

• The 1st singular form of ARSI, ERSI and IRSI is always MI +O
• The 2nd singular form of ARSI, ERSI and IRSI is always TI +A
• The 3rd singular form of ERSI and IRSI is always SI + E
• The 1st plural form of ARSI, ERSI and IRSI is always CI + AMO
• The 2nd plural form of ARSI, ERSI and IRSI is always VI {TE} >
• The 3rd plural form of ERSI and IRSI is always SI + ONO