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Ci riconoscete?

Ci riconoscete?
Do you all recognize us?
From Lesson 74:First and second-person direct object pronouns (mi, ti, ci, vi)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Ci riconoscete?

Why does ci come before the verb instead of after it?
In Italian, direct object pronouns like ci (us), mi (me), ti (you), and vi (you all) usually go directly before the conjugated verb. So instead of saying "You recognize us," the Italian structure is literally "Us (you) recognize": Ci riconoscete?
Doesn't ci mean "there", like in ci sono (there are)?
Ci is a busy little word with a few different jobs! While it does mean "there" in phrases like ci sono, it is also the direct object pronoun for "us". You can tell it means "us" in this sentence because someone is doing a direct action to a group of people.
Where is the word for "you all" in this sentence?
The subject "you all" (voi) is hidden in the verb ending. Riconoscete ends in -ete, which is the regular present tense ending for voi verbs ending in -ere. You could say Voi ci riconoscete?, but Italians usually drop the subject pronoun because the verb ending already makes it clear who is doing the action.
Is riconoscere related to the verb conoscere (to know)?
Yes! Adding the prefix ri- to a verb often means doing an action again or back, similar to "re-" in English. If conoscere is "to know" or "to be acquainted with", riconoscere is "to recognize" (to know someone again when you see them).

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