Reciprocal Verbs by Ronald Glenn Wrigley
Reciprocal verbs are verbs that express a reciprocal action. By definition they must have a plural subject.
Noi ci vediamo ogni giorno. We see each other every day.
The action of the verb in the sentence above is reciprocal: I see you every day, and you see me every day = We see each other every day. You may have noticed the expression ci vediamo could have two possible meanings: we see ourselves (reflexive) or we see each other (reciprocal). The context of the conversation will help to clear up any misunderstandings! The following table contains some useful reciprocal verbs:
Table 10-7
Italian |
English |
abbracciarsi |
to embrace each other |
aiutarsi |
to help each other |
amarsi |
to love each other |
ammirarsi |
to admire each other |
baciarsi |
to kiss each other |
conoscersi |
to know/meet each other |
consolarsi |
to comfort each other |
incontrarsi |
to meet |
innamorarsi |
to fall in love |
insultarsi |
to insult each other |
riconoscersi |
to recognize each other |
rispettarsi |
to respect each other |
rivedersi |
to see each other again |
salutarsi |
to greet each other |
scriversi |
to write to each other |
sposarsi |
to get married |
vedersi |
to see each other |
visitarsi |
to visit each other |
Exercise 10-4</h2>
<p>In each of the following sentences, determine how each pronoun (underlined) is being used. Is it a direct object pronoun? Indirect object pronoun? Reflexive pronoun? Reciprocal pronoun?</p>
<ul>
<li><p><B><emphasis role="underline">Ci</B> vediamo stasera!</emphasis> ____________________________</p></li>
<li><p><B>Il professore <emphasis role="underline">le</B> ha spiegato il problema.</emphasis> ____________________________</p></li>
<li><p><B><emphasis role="underline">Gli</B> hai detto di comprare dei fiori per sua madre?</emphasis> ____________________________</p></li>
<li><p><B>Non <emphasis role="underline">ti</B> vedo!</emphasis> ____________________________</p></li>
<li><p><B><emphasis role="underline">Mi</B> sveglio presto ogni mattina.</emphasis> ____________________________</p></li>
</ul>
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