Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs express actions performed by the subject on the subject.  These verbs are conjugated like regular verbs, but a reflexive pronoun precedes the verb form.  This pronoun always agrees with the subject.  In the infinitive form, reflexive verbs have -si attached to them with the final e dropped.  Lavare is to wash, therefore lavarsi is to wash oneself.  (Note that some verbs are reflexive in Italian, but not in English.)

Io mi lavo. I wash myself.
Noi ci alziamo presto.  We get up early.

The plural reflexive pronouns (ci, vi, si) can also be used with non-reflexive verbs to indicate a reciprocal action.  These verbs are called reciprocal verbs.

Ci scriviamo ogni settimana.  We write to each other every week.
Vi vedete spesso?  Do you see each other often?

Irregularities in Regular Verbs

Verbs ending in -care and -gare add an h before the -i and -iamo endings to keep the hard sound.  Verbs ending in -ciare and -giare do not repeat the i in front of the -i ending.

Past Indefinite Tense

To form the past tense (something happened, something has happened, or something did happen), conjugate avere or sometimes essere and add the past participle.  To form the past participle, add these endings to the appropriate stem of the infinitives:

Verbs that can take a direct object are generally conjugated with avere.  Verbs that do not take a direct object (generally verbs of movement) are conjugated with essere and their past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject. Avere uses avere as its auxiliary verb, while essere uses essere as its auxiliary verb. Negative sentences with the past indefinite tense are formed by placing non in front of the auxiliary verb.