Questions & Answers about Spostati, sbrigati!
Why do both of these words end in -ti?
What are the base dictionary verbs for these commands?
The infinitive (dictionary) forms are spostarsi (to move oneself / get out of the way) and sbrigarsi (to hurry up). You can tell they are reflexive verbs because their infinitives end in -rsi.
Why can't I just say "sposta" to mean "move"?
The normal, non-reflexive verb spostare means to move an object (like moving a chair or a car). Because you are telling the person to move their own body out of the way, you must use the reflexive form spostarsi.
How would I say this politely to a stranger using the formal "Lei"?
In formal commands, the pronoun does not attach to the end of the word; instead, it goes in front of the verb. The verbs also change to their formal imperative endings. You would say: Si sposti, si sbrighi!
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