Lei si fa tagliare i capelli presto, poi ci raggiunge.

She is getting her hair cut early, then she’ll join us.

Breakdown of Lei si fa tagliare i capelli presto, poi ci raggiunge.

• poi: then
• presto: early
• lei: she
• ci: us
• farsi tagliare i capelli: to get one's hair cut
• raggiungere: to join

Questions & Answers about Lei si fa tagliare i capelli presto, poi ci raggiunge.

What does the structure si fa tagliare express?

It’s the Italian causative: farsi + infinitive = “to have/get something done to oneself.”
Here, si fa tagliare i capelli = “she gets her hair cut” (by someone else).

Why is it i capelli and not i suoi capelli?

With body parts, Italian usually uses the definite article, not the possessive. The possessor is clear from the reflexive pronoun (si). So si fa tagliare i capelli is the natural form. You’d only add i suoi for emphasis or contrast.

Could I say si taglia i capelli to mean the same thing?

Normally, si taglia i capelli implies she cuts her own hair. To make clear that someone else cuts it, use the causative: si fa tagliare i capelli.

What exactly does presto mean here—“early” or “soon”?

Both are possible depending on context. Most commonly with haircuts, presto = “early (in the day).” It can also mean “soon” if timing is relative rather than clock time.

Where can I place presto in the sentence?

Common options:

• Lei si fa tagliare i capelli presto, poi ci raggiunge.
• Presto si fa tagliare i capelli, poi ci raggiunge.
  All are natural; placing presto near the verb it modifies is best.

What does ci mean in poi ci raggiunge?

Here ci is the clitic pronoun meaning us (direct object): raggiungere qualcuno = “to reach/join someone.” So, “then she joins us.”

Could ci mean “there” in this sentence?

Technically, ci can be locative (“there”), but with raggiungere plus people, ci almost always means us. For a place, speakers typically specify it: poi ci raggiunge a casa/lì.

Why use raggiungere and not incontrare?

• raggiungere (qualcuno) = go to where others already are; “catch up/join.”
• incontrare (qualcuno) = meet (often by arrangement), not necessarily implying movement to them.
  Here, joining a group fits raggiungere.

Does Lei mean “she” or the formal “you” here?

At the start of a sentence, Lei can be either. With context, you’d know. Grammatically, both “she” and formal “you” take third-person verb forms: si fa…, raggiunge.

Why is the present tense used for a future plan (ci raggiunge)?

Italian often uses the present for near-future plans. Poi ci raggiunge ≈ “then she’ll join us.” You could also say poi ci raggiungerà (future) with little change in meaning.

How do I say who is cutting the hair?

Add a da + person phrase:

• Lei si fa tagliare i capelli dal parrucchiere/dal barbiere. You can also name someone specific: …da Marco.

How do I replace i capelli with a pronoun?

Use li and note that si becomes se before another clitic:

• Se li fa tagliare presto, poi ci raggiunge.

What happens if I drop si and say Lei fa tagliare i capelli presto?

Without si, it no longer refers to her own hair. It means “She has (someone) cut the hair,” usually someone else’s, and you’d specify:

• Lei fa tagliare i capelli a sua figlia.

Is the comma before poi required?

Not required, but common and clear: …, poi …. You could also write … e poi ….

Can I say a presto here to mean “early”?

No. A presto is a fixed farewell (“see you soon”). For “early,” use presto; for “soon,” also presto depending on context.

Where does ci go with other verb forms?

• Infinitive: raggiungerci (e.g., può raggiungerci).
• Imperative: Raggiungici!
• Finite forms (present, past, etc.): the clitic goes before the verb: ci raggiunge, ci ha raggiunto.

How would this look in the past?

• Lei si è fatta tagliare i capelli presto, poi ci ha raggiunto.
  Note: si è fatta agrees with a female subject; with a male: si è fatto.