Lesson 163: Understanding Verbs -- accorgersene -- to realize it, to notice something

(I noticed a few errors in my examples when I published this post, so I have since corrected them. I apologize in advance. Sometimes it is difficult to edit my own work.)

Accorgersene is a pronominal verb (un verbo pronominale) which means:

• to realize it
• to notice something

Below you can see the verb conjugated in the present tense - notice the use of the pronoun, ne, and the reflexive pronoun. This pattern can be applied to other tenses.

The past participle is accorto. Accorgersene takes essere in compound tenses. Remember that the past participle must agree with the subject of the sentence.

Below are some examples which demonstrate the usage of the verb's usage:

1.
Ha frenato quando ha visto il precipizio ma se ne è accorto troppo tardi e ci è caduto dentro.

He braked when he saw the precipice but he realized it too late and fell inside it.
ne = quando ha visto il precipizio

2.
Mario amava Maria ma quando se ne è accorto, era troppo tardi.

Mario loved Maria, but when he realized it, it was too late.
ne = che Mario amava Maria

3.
Ho lasciato le chiavi in casa. Purtroppo, me ne sono accorta quando sono arrivata alla macchina e non potevo aprirla.

I left the keys in the house. Unfortunately, I realized it when I reached the car and could not open it.
ne = che Ho lasciato le chiavi in casa

4.
Maria: Mario, ti sei accorto che hai dimenticato di pagare la bolletta della luce questo mese?

Maria: Mario, do you realize that you forgot to pay the light bill this month?

Mario: Davvero? Non me ne sono accorto! La pagherò subito!

Mario: Really? I didn't realize it! I will pay it right away!
ne = che Mario ha dimenticato di pagare la bolletta della luce

IMPORTANTE!: It is important to note the differences between accorgersi and accorgersene. The pronomial verb is used only if it can refer back to whatever it was that was or was not realized, as in the examples above. If you can't refer back, then use accorgersi.

last updated: 22 September 2008