Do these sentences with reflexive and a non-reflexive verb have same meaning?
Ciao

Is there any difference in meaning between ‘FERMACI’and ‘CI FERMIAMO’ which I think both mean ‘WE STOP’.

They are used in the following sentences;

Che ne dici di FERMARCI

(How about WE STOP at the pharmacy)

Allora prima CI FERMIAMO

(Then before WE STOP)

I am thinking that the first one is reflexive ‘FERMARSI’ whereas the second is just the normal verb ‘FERMARE’?? but according to a dictionary definition, both have the identical meaning ‘TO STOP’

Why therefore are both versions used and do they have the same meaning?

Would it be possible therefore to say switch the two around and say;

Che ne dici di CI FERMIAMO

Allora prima FERMARCI

I hope that someone may be able to offer their expertise which would be very gratefully received.

Thanks

Kayleigh

Question

Do these sentences with reflexive and a non-reflexive verb have same meaning?
Ciao 

Is there any difference in meaning between ‘FERMACI’and ‘CI FERMIAMO’ which I think both mean ‘WE STOP’.

They are used in the following sentences;

Che ne dici di FERMARCI 

(How about  WE STOP at the pharmacy)

Allora prima CI FERMIAMO

(Then before WE STOP)

I am thinking that the first one is reflexive ‘FERMARSI’  whereas the second is just the normal verb ‘FERMARE’??  but  according to a  dictionary definition, both have the identical meaning ‘TO STOP’

Why therefore are both versions used and do they have the same meaning?

Would it be possible therefore to say switch the two around and say;

Che ne dici di CI FERMIAMO

Allora prima FERMARCI

I hope that someone may be able to offer their expertise which would be very gratefully received.

Thanks

Kayleigh

Answer

/fermarci, fermrsi/ sono verbi nel modo infinito, ed e` usato come complemento oggetto di altri verbi, oppure dopo il verbo /dovere/.
ad esempio:

-- e` opportuno fermarsi quando il semaforo e` rosso.
-- dobbiamo fermarci qui: la neve e` troppo alta

-- ci fermiamo un po` a riposare ? Che ne dite ? Sono stanco.
-- che ne pensate di fermarci per una breve sosta ?

-- la polizia a cavallo e` venuta e ha cercato di fermarci durante la nostra marcia pacifica.

-- la polizia a cavallo e` venuta  ma non ci siamo fermati, abbiamo continuato nella marcia.

-- non penso che fermarci adesso sia la cosa da fare, siamo quasi in cima.
-- penso che se non ci fermiamo adesso sarebbe meglio, ormai la cima e` vicina, e poi c'e` la lunga strada del ritorno che non possiamo fare al buio.

Answer

/fermarci/ e /ci fermiamo/ sono entrambe forme del verbo riflessivo /fermarsi/

/fermarci/ è infinito presente, seconda persona plurale, mentre /ci fermiamo/ è indicativo presente, seconda persona plurale

Non puoi dire "che ne dici di CI FERMIAMO" perché "di" in questo caso introduce una proposizione subordinata e quindi deve essere seguito dall'infinito, e allo stesso modo non puoi dire "allora prima FERMARCI" perché in questa frase è corretto usare l'indicativo (oppure l'imperativo: /fermiamoci/)

infinito presente: 
/fermarmi/ (io) 
/fermarti/ (tu) 
/fermarsi/ (lui, lei) 
/fermarci/ (noi) 
/fermarvi/ (voi)

indicativo presente: 
io /mi fermo/ 
tu /ti fermi/ 
lui, lei /si ferma/ 
noi /ci fermiamo/ 
voi /vi fermate/ 
loro /si fermano/

Answer

Hi,
as far as I know - that's the same verbe FERMARSI in both cases.

In the first case you don't conjugate it because it goes together with dire and grammaticaly there should be an infinitive. So the translation would be - How about to stop at the pharmacy. However the reflexive part "SI" is changing for "CI" according to the implied subject "WE".

In the second case it's a form of Imperativo. (=Let's stop first) and here you should conjugate it accordingly.

You can't switch them around 'cause there are two different grammatical structures with different meaning.

I hope it helps and sorry for my english :)

Answer

Hi to Maurizo, Katerina, Giovanni and Andrew and a big thank you for taking the time to reply to my posting.  May I also apologise for the delay in thanking you all, I have been working away with my firm and although I had a sneaky peek at the answers to my posting, did not have the time to properly consider them and to offer my thanks until now. I appreciate this very much.

Grazie, Kayleigh

Answer

FermaLO = you stop him/it ; LO ferma = he she it stops him/it

Answers · 6

Still haven’t found your answers?

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!