Parlarsi

Parlarsi is an Italian pronominal verb formed from parlare (to speak) with the reflexive and reciprocal suffix -si. Its primary meaning is to talk to one another, that is, to engage in a dialogue or exchange of words between two or more people. The reciprocal sense is common in everyday speech, as in conversations among friends, colleagues, or family.

Grammatically, parlarsi is treated as a non-separable pronominal verb. In compound tenses it uses the auxiliary avere or essere? For pronominal verbs in Italian, the standard pattern is to use essere in the perfect tenses, with the participle agreeing in gender and number with the subject. For example, in the passato prossimo, forms such as ci siamo parlati (we spoke to each other, masculine or mixed gender) or ci siamo parlate (we spoke to each other, feminine) may occur depending on the subject. In the present tense, it is conjugated like other -arsi verbs, with the appropriate reflexive pronouns: io mi parlo, tu ti parli, lui si parla, noi ci parliamo, voi vi parlate, loro si parlano.

Usage notes include its core role in describing reciprocal communication. It is used for ordinary conversations, negotiations, and exchanges between people. An idiomatic extension is parlarsi chiaro, meaning to speak plainly or frankly to one another; a common directive in Italian is "Parliamoci chiaro" (Let’s be clear with each other).

Etymology-wise, parlarsi combines parlare with the clitic -si, reflecting its reflexive and reciprocal force. The construction is common in Italian grammar for expressing mutual actions and is part of a broader pattern of reciprocal verbs in the language. See also reciprocals, pronominal verbs in Italian, and parlarsi chiaro.