Learn Italian: Sdraiati sul letto e rilassati. - Lie down on the bed and relax.

Sdraiati sul letto e rilassati.

Lie down on the bed and relax.

Breakdown of Sdraiati sul letto e rilassati.

Questions & Answers about Sdraiati sul letto e rilassati.

Why do the words sdraiati and rilassati end in -ti?

These are commands using reflexive verbs. In Italian, when you give an informal command (talking to someone using the tu form), you attach the reflexive pronoun (ti, meaning yourself) directly to the end of the verb. So, sdraia + ti becomes sdraiati (lie yourself down).

Why do the verbs before the -ti end in -a (sdraia, rilassa)? Shouldn't the tu form end in -i?

For regular -are verbs, the informal command form actually ends in -a. Even though the normal present tense is tu ti rilassi (you relax), the command is rilassati! (relax!).

Why do these verbs need to be reflexive when in English we just say relax and lie down?

In Italian, many actions that involve moving or changing the physical state of your own body are reflexive, meaning you do them to yourself. You are literally telling the person to lie yourself down (sdraiarsi) and relax yourself (rilassarsi).

Why use sul letto (on the bed) instead of nel letto (in the bed)?

Sul is a combined word made from su (on) + il (the). When you are just lying down to rest on top of the bed, you use sul letto. You would generally use nel letto (in the bed) if you were actually getting under the covers to go to sleep.