IMPERSONAL “SI”

Remember those useful phrases you learned in your first Italian class
– Come si dice…? [How do you say…?] Come si scrive…? [How do you
write/spell…?] and Come si legge…? [How do you read/pronounce…?] The
word si has a general meaning of people, everybody, one, and an
unspecified you, and it is often used in Italian to express actions that are
common to many people.

“Non si lavora la domenica” (One does not work on Sundays).

This sentence do not have a specific subject and are therefore

called impersonal.

This impersonal construction is used to talk in a generalized manner about

events or situations that do not have a specific subject.

The use of the impersonal si can substitute generalized subjects like:

• La gente (people):
In Francia si parla francese = In Francia la gente parla francese. (In France
people speak French).

• Tutti (everyone):
D’estate si va in vacanza = D’estate tutti vanno in vacanza. (In the summer
everyone goes on holiday).

• Nessuno (no one):

Non si lavora la domenica = Nessuno lavora la domenica (No one works on
Sundays).

In Italian, there are different ways of constructing an impersonal sentence.

One of the most common ones is the use of the impersonal si.

Some very common impersonal forms are:

• Si dice…
It is said…
 • Si sa…
It is known…
• Si pensa…
It is thought…

In English the impersonal construction is commonly made using

‘one’, (but also ‘you’, ‘we’, ‘people’ and ‘they’ or” it”) + verb: One can
have it; You never know; First, we cut the onion, then we add the
tomatoes; They say etc. One, you, we, and they in these sentences
aren’t referring to specific people, but people in general. Italian has an
equivalent construction called the impersonal si.

The impersonal SI
With impersonal SI, the following options are available:

In the restaurant one Without reference

Al ristorante si mangia.
eats. word.

A Natale si mangia il On Christmas one eats Reference word in

panettone panettone. singular

A Natale si aprono i On Christmas one opens Reference word in

regali. gifts. plural.

SI with reference word

If there is a reference word, the verb is adapted to it, i.e. the verb is in the
3rd person singular or plural, depending on whether the object is singular
or plural.

In pizzeria si mangia la pizza. In the pizzeria one eats pizza.

 In libreria si comprano i libri. In the bookstore one buys books.

When using verbs like essere (to be), restare (to remain), sembrare (to
seem), diventare (to become), we normally use a plural
adjective. Si + essere/restare/sembrare/diventare (3rd singular person) +
plural adjective
• Quando si è stanchi, bisogna riposarsi – (When you are tired,
you must rest)
• Si resta esterrefatti dopo avere visto i fuochi d’artificio – (You
remain awestruck after looking at fireworks)
• Si sembra impazienti quando si è affamati – (You look impatient
when you’re hungry)
• Se ci si allena tanto, si diventa forti – (If you train a lot, you
become strong)
Note that when using uno the singular adjective is using instead of the
plural one.
• Uno è stanco dopo aver corso una maratona – (One is tired
after running a marathon)
• Uno diventa matto se non dorme mai – (One becomes mad if
one never sleeps)

The impersonal form with the verbs “DOVERE” and “POTERE”

The Italian impersonal form is often used with the verbs dovere and potere,
indicating what it’s necessary or not necessary to or what can or cannot be
done.
impersonal forms with dovere
• si deve – you must/need (when the subject is not specified)
• non si deve – you must/need (when the subject is not specified)
impersonal forms with potere
• si può – you can (when the subject is not specified)
• non si può – you can’t (when the subject is not specified)
Examples with these impersonal forms
A scuola… – at school…
• si deve studiare – you need to study
• non si può usare il cellulare – you can’t use your phone
• si deve essere puntali – one must be punctual
In ufficio… – at the office…
• si deve arrivare in orario – one must arrive on time
• non si può mangiare davanti al pc – one can’t eat in front of the
computer
• non si può fumare – you can’t smoke
 1 Tutti dicono che a Bologna ______ (mangiare) molto bene.
2 Non ___________(chiedere) mai l'età ad una signora.
3 I vini bianchi ____________(bere) sempre freddi.
4 Non ____________ (uscire) di casa in macchina quando nevica.
5 L'uva____________ (raccogliere) a settembre.
6 In campagna ___________(dormire) molto bene, perché non ci sono i
rumori della città.
7 In treno ____________ (viaggiare) più comodi che in aereo.
8 Oggi ____________ (pubblicare) molti più libri che in passato.

TRASFORM WITH IMPERSONAL SI

1. Quando mangi la pizza sei subito più felice.

When you eat pizza you're instantly happy. When one eats pizza, one is
instantly happier.
2. In questo ristorante mangiamo bene.
In this restaurant we eat well. In this restaurant you eat well.
3. Il lunedì non lavoriamo.
On Monday we don't work. No work on Monday.
4. Non scriviamo sul tavolo.
We don't write on the table. No writing on the table.
5. Parliamo a bassa voce.
We keep our voice down. One should keep his voice down.
6. In ufficio mangiamo sempre alle 12.
In the office we eat at 12. The lunch time in the office is at 12.
7. A scuola impariamo molte cose.
At school we learn many things. You learn many things at school.
8. In montagna dormono bene.
They sleep well at the mountains. You sleep well at the mountains.
9. Noi possiamo arrivare alla stazione in 5 minuti.
We can go to the station in 5 minutes. You can arrive to the station in 5
minutes.
10. E infine aggiungiamo lo zucchero.
And finally we add the sugar. And finally add the sugar.
A . Complete the sentences choosing from the verbs in the list (each is used
once). Use “SI” constructions. PARLARE PERMETTERE POTERE
PRENDERE SERVIRE STARE
1 ) In Italia ____________________________________ molti dialetti.
2 ) A Applebee’s ____________________________________ buon cibo.
3 ) In questo lago no ____________________________________ nuotare
(swim) .
4 ) Molte volte ____________________________________ gli antibiotici
senza bisogno.
5 ) In campagna ____________________________________ molto bene.
6 ) A quella libreria ____________________________________ comprare
anche i CD.

B . Re-phrase each of the following using a SI construction.

1 ) “Non potete fumare.” : _____________________________________
2 ) “Cerchiamo
camerieri.”:________________________________________
3 ) “Parliamo
francese.”___________________________________________
4 ) “Non devi bere alcolici in eccesso.” :
___________________________________________________________

C . Express in Italian:
1 ) “When one is hungry, one is grumpy(=scorbutico).” :
____________________________________________________________
_
2 ) “One lives well when one is happy.” :
____________________________________________________________