Breakdown of Non dimenticarti di scrivermi appena arrivi.
di
of
non
not
mi
me
arrivare
to arrive
scrivere
to write
ti
you
appena
as soon as
dimenticarsi
to forget
Questions & Answers about Non dimenticarti di scrivermi appena arrivi.
What’s the difference between dimenticare and dimenticarsi, and why does the sentence use dimenticarti?
Dimenticare is a transitive verb (“to forget something”): you can say Ho dimenticato le chiavi (“I forgot the keys”).
Dimenticarsi is a pronominal (reflexive) or intransitive form used when you “forget to do something.” It always takes di + infinitive afterward. In the 2nd person singular informal negative command, Italian uses non + infinitive, so:
- Non dimenticare (di…)
- Non dimenticarti (di…)
The -ti is the reflexive pronoun “yourself,” attached to the infinitive dimenticare because it’s a negative imperative.
Why is there a di before scrivermi? Could I say dimenticarti scrivermi?
Why is the pronoun mi attached to scrivere (as scrivermi) instead of placed before the verb?
Because the governing verb here is in the infinitive (“di scrivere”), clitic pronouns (mi, ti, lo, ecc.) attach to the end of the infinitive: scrivere → scrivermi. In Italian:
- after an infinitive or with non-imperative forms you attach clitics (scrivermi, leggerlo, ecc.).
- with finite verbs (io ti chiamo, lui mi aspetta) the clitic precedes.
Why does the clause appena arrivi use the present tense for something that happens in the future? Can I use the future tense instead?
In Italian temporal clauses introduced by appena (“as soon as”), you normally use the present indicative to refer to future events. So appena arrivi = “as soon as you arrive.” You do not use the future (appena arriverai) in standard Italian.
What is the role of appena here? Do I need che after it? Could I say non appena?
Can I switch the word order and say Appena arrivi, non dimenticarti di scrivermi? Is that correct?
Should the dependent clause after appena ever use the subjunctive mood?
Generally no. With conjunctions like appena, quando, non appena you use the present indicative for future time. The subjunctive appears with prima che (“before”), not with appena. So stick with appena arrivi, not appena tu arrivi (subj.).
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Italian grammar?”
Italian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning ItalianMaster Italian — from Non dimenticarti di scrivermi appena arrivi to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions