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Italian Phrase

Sì, mi pettino i capelli.

/si mi petˈti.no i kaˈpɛl.li/
Meaning"Yes, I brush my hair."
💡

Meaning

The sentence means “Yes, I brush my hair.” It confirms a positive answer to a question about personal grooming, using the reflexive form of the verb ‘pettinare’.

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When to use

Use this phrase when someone asks you if you comb or brush your hair, for example in a conversation about daily routines, hair care habits, or when you’re being asked to demonstrate a grooming habit.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Sì,mipettinoicapelli.

1

Affermative response

‘Sì’ is used to give a positive answer, often followed by a comma before the rest of the sentence.

2

Reflexive pronoun (mi)

‘mi’ is the first‑person singular reflexive pronoun, indicating that the subject performs the action on itself.

3

Present indicative (pettino)

‘pettino’ is the first‑person singular present indicative of the verb ‘pettinare’, meaning ‘to comb/brush’. The ending –o marks ‘io’.

4

Definite article (i)

‘i’ is the masculine plural definite article, used here because ‘capelli’ is a plural masculine noun.

5

Noun (capelli)

‘capelli’ means ‘hair’ (plural). In Italian hair is usually spoken about in the plural form.

🗨In Conversation

A

Ti pettini i capelli tutti i giorni?

Do you brush your hair every day?

Sì, mi pettino i capelli.

Yes, I brush my hair.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Sì, mi pettare i capelli.

    ‘Pettare’ is not a verb; the correct infinitive is ‘pettinare’.

  • Sì, mi pettino i capello.

    ‘Capello’ is singular; hair is normally spoken about in the plural ‘capelli’.

  • Sì mi pettino i capelli.

    A comma after ‘Sì’ helps the sentence flow and mirrors natural punctuation.

↔Alternatives

  • Sì, mi lisco i capelli.

    Yes, I comb my hair.

  • Certo, mi pettino i capelli.

    Sure, I brush my hair.

  • Sì, li pettino ogni mattina.

    Yes, I brush them every morning.

it

Cultural Tip

In Italy, personal grooming is often discussed in the context of ‘cura della persona’. While ‘pettinare’ is the generic verb for combing, many Italians use ‘pettinare i capelli’ for both combing and brushing. In informal speech you’ll also hear ‘lisciare i capelli’ (to smooth the hair) when talking about using a brush or a comb.