01 / 08
Start with your morning
Mi sveglio alle sette.
mee ZVEH-lyoh
I wake up at seven.
With svegliarsi, the action relates back to the person. For yourself, say mi sveglio. Keep mi with the verb.
02 / 08
Getting out of bed
Mi alzo alle sette e mezza.
I get up at half past seven.
Svegliarsi is waking up; alzarsi is getting up. They do not have to happen at the same time.
03 / 08
Getting ready
Mi preparo.
I get ready.
Preparo il caffè.
I make the coffee.
Prepararsi describes getting yourself ready. Preparo without mi means I prepare something else.
04 / 08
Change the small word too
Ti svegli presto?
Do you wake up early?
Giulia si prepara.
Giulia is getting ready.
Mi goes with I, ti with informal you and si with he, she or polite you. The verb ending changes as well.
05 / 08
Groups
Ci alziamo presto.
We get up early.
Vi preparate? / Si svegliano tardi.
Are you all getting ready? / They wake up late.
Use ci for we, vi for you all and si for they. Si appears for both singular and plural third persons.
06 / 08
A familiar example
Mi chiamo Alex. / Come ti chiami?
My name is Alex. / What’s your name?
Mi chiamo follows the same everyday pattern. You already know more of this than the grammar label suggests.
07 / 08
Rest at the end of the day
Mi rilasso dopo cena.
I relax after dinner.
Mi preparo, poi preparo la colazione.
I get ready, then I prepare breakfast.
Rilassarsi means to relax. Contrast the self-directed action with doing something to another object.
Remember this
Takeaway
Mi sveglio, mi alzo e mi preparo.
I wake up, get up and get ready.
Keep both pieces: the small word and the verb. Describe three steps from your own morning.