Impersonal Si

In brief

Use impersonal si to talk about what people generally do without naming anyone in particular. Depending on context, English may use ‘people,’ ‘you,’ or ‘one.’ The statement can describe a habit, a custom, or a general rule.

Form

si + verb in the third-person singular: si mangia. With a reflexive verb, use ci si + third-person singular: ci si alza.

Usage

• Describe common habits: In Italia si cena tardi.
• Express general rules or expectations: Qui si deve aspettare.
• Use ci si when the verb is reflexive, rather than repeating si.

Examples

• In Italia si cena tardi. — In Italy, people eat dinner late.
• Qui si parla piano. — People speak quietly here.
• Per entrare, si deve prenotare. — To get in, you have to make a reservation.
• La domenica ci si alza tardi. — On Sundays, people get up late.

Common mistake

❌ La domenica si si alza tardi.

✅ La domenica ci si alza tardi.

When impersonal si is used with a reflexive verb such as alzarsi, the first si changes to ci: ci si alza.

Remember

For reflexive actions, remember ci si instead of si si.