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When someone performs an action on or for themselves, you use the reflexive pronoun **si** (himself, herself, themselves). However, when you combine **si** with a direct object pronoun (**lo**, **la**, **li**, **le**) to say they do something with *it* or *them*, the **si** changes to **se**.

This creates the combined pronouns **se lo**, **se la**, **se li**, and **se le**.

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### Matching the Object

The second part of the combined pronoun (**lo**, **la**, **li**, **le**) must match the gender and number of the object being handled, taken, or worn.

For example, *la felpa* (the sweatshirt) is feminine singular, so we use **se la**. *Il braccialetto* (the bracelet) is masculine singular, so we use **se lo**.

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If the objects are plural, use **se li** for masculine items (like *i sandali*) and **se le** for feminine items.

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### Combined Reflexives in the Past Tense

Because these phrases use reflexive verbs, they must take **essere** in the *passato prossimo* (past tense). 

There is a strict rule when using a combined pronoun in the past tense: the ending of the past participle (like *messo*) MUST agree in gender and number with the **direct object pronoun**, not the subject.

- *Il pigiama* is masculine singular (**lo**), so the participle ends in **-o**: **se lo è messo**.
- *Le pantofole* is feminine plural (**le**), so the participle ends in **-e**: **se le è messe**.

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Reflexive combined pronouns (se lo, se la...)

adjective

adjective/adverb

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

preposition

pronoun

proper noun

sentence

verb

Subject pronouns and the verb to be (io sono)

Singular definite articles (il, la)

Singular demonstratives (questo, questa)

Basic verbal negation (non)

Yes/No questions

Coordinating conjunctions (e, ma, o)

Regular plurals and definite articles (-i, -e, i, le)

Plural verb to be (noi siamo, voi siete)

Plural demonstratives (questi, queste)

Nouns ending in -e

Special singular articles (lo, l')

The plural article (gli)

Special indefinite articles (uno, un')

Demonstrative adjectives (quello, quella)

Adjective endings (-o, -a, -i, -e)

Expressing quantity (molto, poco, tanto)

The verb to have (ho, hai, ha...)

There is / there are (c'è, ci sono)

The preposition of (di)

Singular possessives (il mio, la mia)

Numbers 1 to 10 (uno, due, tre...)

Numbers 11 to 20 (undici, dodici...)

Numbers 21 to 100 (trenta, quaranta...)

Idiomatic avere (avere fame, avere anni)

Plural possessive adjectives (i miei, le mie)

Possessives with family members (mio padre)

Formal address (dare del Lei)

Present tense of -are verbs (-o, -i, -a)

Question words (chi, cosa, dove)

Present tense of -ere verbs (-o, -i, -e)

Question words (quando, come, perché)

Question word agreement (quanto, quanta, quanti, quante)

Regular -ire verbs

Verbs with -isc- (capisco, capisci, capisce)

Pronouns after prepositions (me, te, lui)

The verb fare (faccio, fai, fa)

The verb andare (vado, vai, va)

The verb stare (sto, stai, sta)

The verb venire (vengo, vieni, viene)

The verb uscire (esco, esci, esce)

Location and destination (a, in)

Origin and movement (da)

Articulated prepositions with a (al, alla)

Articulated prepositions with in (nel, nella)

Articulated prepositions with di and da (del, dal)

Simple prepositions (con, per, su, tra)

Articulated prepositions with su (sul, sulla)

Months of the year

Telling time (sono le...)

Dates (il + number)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (primo, secondo, terzo...)

The verb to want (volere)

The verb can (potere)

The verb must (dovere)

The verb to know (sapere)

Reflexive verbs (mi lavo, ti lavi)

Indirect object pronouns (gli, le, ci...)

Expressing preferences (mi piace)

Plural preferences (mi piacciono)

Comparatives (più... di, meno... di)

The passato prossimo with avere (ho parlato)

Irregular past participles (fatto, letto, preso)

The passato prossimo with essere (sono andato)

Reflexive verbs in the past (mi sono svegliato)

Time adverbs with the past tense (già, mai, ancora)

Third-person direct object pronouns (lo, la, li, le)

First and second-person direct object pronouns (mi, ti, ci, vi)

The four seasons

Prepositions of place (vicino a, davanti a)

Conversational words (beh, allora, davvero)

Indefinite adjectives for some (qualche, alcuni)

Indefinite adjectives for every and all (ogni, tutti)

Indefinite pronouns (qualcosa, qualcuno)

Noun suffixes (-ino, -one)

Adverbs of manner (-mente)

Comparisons of equality (così... come)

The relative superlative (il più)

The absolute superlative (-issimo)

Irregular comparatives (migliore, peggiore)

Present progressive (stare + -ando, -endo)

Imminent actions (stare per)

The locative pronoun (ci)

The partitive pronoun (ne)

Pronoun placement with modal verbs

Impersonal subjects (si)

Prepositions of time (da, per, tra, fra)

Past participle agreement with pronouns

Question	Answer
sweatshirt	la felpa
it for himself/herself/themselves (se la, se li, se le)	se lo
to put on (clothing)	mettersi
This sweatshirt is beautiful, she puts it on.	Questa felpa è bella, se la mette.
tie	la cravatta
Marco has a new tie and puts it on.	Marco ha una cravatta nuova e se la mette.
bracelet	il braccialetto
He likes this bracelet, so he buys it for himself.	Gli piace questo braccialetto, così se lo compra.
sandal	il sandalo
The girl takes the sandals and tries them on.	La ragazza prende i sandali e se li prova.
pajamas	il pigiama
He found the pajamas and put them on.	Ha trovato il pigiama e se lo è messo.
slipper	la pantofola
She bought these slippers and put them on.	Ha comprato queste pantofole e se le è messe.
apron	il grembiule
The waiter has a clean apron and puts it on.	Il cameriere ha un grembiule pulito e se lo mette.
uniform	la divisa
The uniform is clean, he takes it home with him.	La divisa è pulita, se la porta a casa.
The manager has a beautiful tie, but doesn't put it on.	Il direttore ha una bella cravatta, ma non se la mette.
This sweatshirt is yours, but she keeps it for herself.	Questa felpa è tua, ma lei se la tiene.
The lady bought the sandals and the slippers, and took them home with her.	La signora ha comprato i sandali e le pantofole, e se li è portati a casa.
The apron is dirty, he doesn't put it on.	Il grembiule è sporco, non se lo mette.
He buys all the sandals and keeps them for himself.	Compra tutti i sandali e se li tiene.
The bracelet is expensive, but she buys it for herself.	Il braccialetto è caro, ma se lo compra.
The uniform is new, he puts it on right away.	La divisa è nuova, se la mette subito.
These pajamas are comfortable, he keeps them for himself.	Questo pigiama è comodo, se lo tiene.