basarsi

Basarsi is an Italian reflexive verb meaning to base oneself or to rely on something as a foundation. It is used when the subject relies on a basis, such as evidence, sources, or principles, to justify a statement, decision, or action. It is most commonly found in constructions with the preposition su, as in basarsi su dati affidabili or basarsi sul buonsenso.

Grammatical properties: Basarsi is a pronominal verb and uses the auxiliary essere in compound tenses. In the present indicative the forms are: io mi baso, tu ti basi, lui/lei si basa, noi ci basiamo, voi vi basate, loro si basano. The imperfect is mi basavo, ti basavi, si basava, ci basavamo, vi basavate, si basavano. The future is mi baserò, baserai, baserà, baseremo, baserete, baseranno. The conditional: mi baserei, baseresti, baserebbe, baseremmo, basereste, baserebbero. The present subjunctive: che io mi basi, che tu ti basi, che lui si basi, che noi ci basiamo, che voi vi basiate, che loro si basino. Often, the verb is used in a passive-like sense with si in impersonal constructions: Questo studio si basa sui dati.

Usage notes: Basarsi differs from basare in that basarsi is inherently reflexive and often emphasizes the subject’s own basis or justification. Common collocations include basarsi su fonti, basarsi sui fatti, and basarsi su criteri. The phrase basarsi su è widely used in academic, journalistic, and argumentative writing to indicate that conclusions or claims rest on specific evidence or principles.

Etymology and related forms: Basarsi derives from basare, with the reflexive suffix -si. Related terms include basato (basised), basamento (foundation), and the non-reflexive basare (to base).