svegliarsi
/zveʎˈʎar.si/
To wake up in Italian is svegliarsi.
The verb is used to describe the process of becoming awake. It is important to distinguish this from alzarsi, which specifically means the act of getting out of bed.
Meaning: to (become) awake (verb)
Which one should you use?
Use the reflexive form svegliarsi when referring to oneself becoming awake, but use the non-reflexive form svegliare when you are waking someone else up.
How does it change in a sentence?
This is a reflexive verb, which is indicated by the suffix -si, meaning the subject wakes themselves up. When you conjugate this verb in the first person singular present tense, the reflexive pronoun mi is placed before the verb, such as in mi sveglio (I wake up). Because it is reflexive, the past participle used with auxiliary verbs is svegliato or svegliata for feminine subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
/zveʎˈʎar.si/. The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- If you say you are 'awake' in a social context, you might use sveglio, which can also mean you are 'clever' or 'sharp-witted'.
- The word sveglia is used both for the act of waking and as the noun for an alarm clock. Literally, an alarm clock is just 'a wake-up'.
- While svegliarsi covers the transition from sleep to consciousness, Italians use the verb destare in very formal or poetic literature to describe the same act.
Examples in context
- È ora di svegliarsi!It's time to wake up!This sentence shows how to use svegliarsi to express that it is time to wake up.Tatoeba #4515494 by Guybrush88, translation #2496170 by Hybrid
- È ora di svegliarsi.It's time to wake up.This sentence provides a standard way to say it is time to wake up.Tatoeba #4515522 by Guybrush88, translation #3818968 by CK
- È ora di svegliarsi, caro.It's time to wake up, dear.This sentence demonstrates using svegliarsi when addressing someone as dear.Tatoeba #4515559 by Guybrush88, translation #2496176 by Hybrid
- Mi devo svegliare molto presto domani.I have to wake up very early tomorrow.
- È necessario destarsi con calma.It is necessary to wake up calmly.
- Mi risveglio con il profumo del caffè.I wake up with the smell of coffee.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are talking about their morning routines.
- GiuliaA che ora preferisci svegliarsi?What time do you prefer to wake up?
- MatteoDi solito mi piace svegliarsi presto.Usually, I like to wake up early.
- GiuliaIo invece odio svegliarsi prima delle otto.I, on the other hand, hate waking up before eight.
- MatteoAllora continua a svegliarsi tardi!Then keep waking up late!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wake up” translations and entries svegliarsi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
