parlatevi

Parlatevi is an Italian verb form: the second-person plural imperative of parlare with the reflexive pronoun vi attached. It literally means “you all talk to yourselves,” but it is used to express reciprocal action, i.e., that the addressed group should speak to one another. The base imperative parlate (voi form) becomes parlatevi when the reflexive pronoun vi is added, forming a standard reflexive or reciprocal construction. In negative constructions, the form becomes Non parlatevi.

Usage and context: Parlatevi is common in classrooms, meetings, and informal conversation when a speaker wants participants to discuss among themselves before contributing. It can be expanded with modifiers or clarifying phrases, for example, Parlatevi tra di voi (talk among yourselves), Parlatevi piano (talk slowly), or Parlatevi a voce alta (talk aloud). The pronoun vi refers to the addressed group (voi) and marks reciprocity rather than directing speech to a single listener.

Variants and alternatives: While parlatevi is widely understood, speakers may also express the same idea with parlate tra voi or parlate tra di voi, which do not use the reflexive pronoun but convey the reciprocal sense.

Etymology and relation: The form derives from the verb parlare (to speak) and the reflexive pronoun vi, a manifestation of Italian’s system of reciprocal and reflexive pronouns paired with imperatives. See also reciprocal pronouns in Italian and the imperative mood.