Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ci | /t͡ʃi/ | clitic |
| noi stessi | masculine, plural | |
| noi stesse | feminine, plural |
You use the clitic ci when the word functions as a reflexive pronoun. You use noi stessi or noi stesse when you want to provide emphasis, similar to saying "we ourselves" in English to highlight that the group performed the action personally or without help.
Which one should you use?
noi stessi and noi stesse are emphatic forms used to stress that the action was done by the speakers personally. Use noi stessi for masculine or mixed-gender groups, and use noi stesse specifically for groups consisting only of females.
How does it change in a sentence?
The reflexive pronoun ci is a clitic. When using the emphatic forms, the gender of the group dictates the ending: noi stessi is used for all-male or mixed-gender groups, while noi stesse is used exclusively for groups of females.
Did you know?
- Linguists are still debating whether ci actually comes from the Latin word for 'here', which would make 'ourselves' etymologically linked to 'at this place'.
- The word ci can be used to mean 'ourselves' but also to indicate a location, meaning 'there' in certain contexts.
- The pronoun ci is considered a 'clitic', which means it is too 'weak' to stand alone and must lean on another word for pronunciation.
Examples in context
- Noi ci siamo nutriti.We fed ourselves.This sentence shows how to use the reflexive pronoun ci.Tatoeba #2356416 by Guybrush88, translation #2241088 by CK
- Lo facemmo noi stessi.We did it ourselves.This sentence demonstrates the use of noi stessi for emphasis to show the speakers did something personally.Tatoeba #11546623 by Guybrush88, translation #258059 by CK
- Noi ci siamo divertiti.We enjoyed ourselves.This sentence illustrates the use of ci.Tatoeba #4202151 by Guybrush88, translation #2868170 by Amastan
- Vorremmo presentare noi stessi come la nuova squadra di lavoro.We would like to introduce ourselves as the new work team.
- 70 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are discussing a project they finished.
- LorenzoL'abbiamo preparato noi stessi.We prepared it ourselves.
- SofiaDavvero? Siete stati bravi.Really? You two were good.
- LorenzoSì, l'abbiamo fatto noi stessi.Yes, we did it ourselves.
- SofiaComplimenti a voi due.Compliments to you two.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ourselves” translations and entries ci, noi stessi, noi stesse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ci, noi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
