Subjunctive in Italian
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In the following pages we are going to see in detail the use and the occurence of the subjunctive mood in Italian.
There are four main tenses for this mood:
| Simple tenses | Compound tenses |
|---|---|
The subjunctive is very common among the Italian speakers. It is used both in independent and dependent clauses.
Lesson outline
HideWhere to use the congiuntivo in Italian
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Independent clause
In the independent clauses, it is possible to find the subjunctive to convey the following messages:
- a desire or a wish: e.g. Oh, se io fossi lì con te! (Oh, if I could be there with you!)
- a doubt or an assumption: e.g. Che abbia perso il treno? (What if he had lost the train?)
- an order or a proposal: e.g. Prego, vada prima lei di me! (Please, go before me!)
Dependent clause
The most frequent use of the subjunctive mood in Italian can be observed in the dependent clauses.
Let's see in detail for what it is used for.
| Clause | Usage | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final |
| Chiamerò il taxi affinché tu possa arrivare a casa sano e salvo. | I will call the cab in order that you would arrive home safe and sound. |
| Subjective |
| Credo che tu abbia ragione. | I think you are right. |
| Objective |
| Ho paura che sia tardi. | I'm afraid it would be late. |
| Relative |
| Hanno cercato quale strada fosse la più breve. | They searched for the shorter way to go. |
| Declarative |
| Pensano che il ladro abbia agito da solo. | They think that the thief did the rob alone. |
| Causative |
| Sono venuto con te in modo che noi potessimo parlare. | I came with you so that we could talk. |
| Concessive |
| Sebbene loro non fossero ancora arrivati, era già tutto pronto. | Even though they weren't there yet, everything was ready. |
| Conditional |
| Se voi poteste rispondere alla domanda, ve ne sarei grato. | If you could answer my question, I would be so thankful. |
| Temporal |
| Andiamo a casa sua, prima che sia tardi. | Let's go to her house, before it would be too late. |
| Hypothetical |
| Se tu non fossi stato così incauto, non ti saresti fatto male. | If you hadn't been so careless, you wouldn't have hurt yourself. |
Remember! The tense of the dependent clause and the one of the independent clause must present an agreement of tenses.
The agreement of tenses: consecution temporum
In order to preserve the grammaticality of the Italian sentences, tenses of the main clause and of the dependent clause must present an agreement.
Below, we will explain the main rules for this agreement (namely, consecutio temporum) in Italian.
For the subjunctive, we have to consider:
- The contemporaneity, that refers to an event that it is happening simultaneously both in the dependent and in the independent clause.
- The anteriority, that refers to an event that took place before the moment in which the speaker is talking.
In particular:
| Main clause tense | Time relation | Dependent clause tense | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present indicative or conditional | Anteriority | Past subjunctive | Credo che abbiano perso il treno. | I think that they lost the train. |
| Present indicative or conditional | Contemporaneity | Present subjunctive | Temo che non ci sia tempo. | I'm afraid there is no time for this. |
| Past indicative or conditional | Anteriority | Past perfect subjunctive | Ho pensato che avessero perso il treno. | I thought they had lost the train. |
| Past indicative or conditional | Contemporaneity | Imperfect subjunctive | Ho temuto che non ci fosse tempo. | I was afraid there wasn't time for this. |
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I am from Calabria, but over the years I have felt at home in various places. In each one I have searched for my way and in the end in each one I have found little clues that have allowed me to understand that I want to teach my language to those who do not yet know it.
I have always loved the word, its power and the infinite possibilities it offers; at first I only thought of writing it down but there was still something missing. What use is the word if it is not shared, if it does not become an opportunity for exchange between cultures, or better, between individuals?
So, between one suitcase and another, I graduated in Italian literature and specialised in journalism, then I obtained the Ditals II from the University for Foreigners of Siena and the two-year specialisation school as a teacher of Italian to foreigners at the same university.
I have been teaching Italian for more than ten years: in Italy in state schools, in schools for adult migrants (Cpia in Modena and Rome) and in public schools; abroad at the Dante Alighieri in Valletta and at the University of Cork.
I have a passion for music, cinema, documentaries and photography, different mo(n)es which allow me to learn and tell stories.
Step by step I have become more and more aware of how much I love this job which has given me the opportunity to meet wonderfully unique people, now very often friends.
I look forward to sharing more details of my experience and motivations with you. Thank you for your time consideration.
Sincerely,
Federica Lento
N. V.
Just great experience! Thank you. To be continued. What a nice and easy platform. Good and interesting teacher.. Congradulations. Nina
Federica L.
Do you want to learn Italian to know better the Italian culture and enjoy a trip in Italy? Do you need it for your business or to speak with your relatives?
Whatever is your reason in learning Italian I can help you and personalize your lesson according to your needs and interest.
My work as Italian tutor started with my love for languages and for travels. I experienced that learning a new language is a way to know a new culture and to enrich your knowledge of the world.
I started teaching Italian online few years ago. I have a TEFL certificate, and currently teach students from different parts of the world.
Before teaching Italian, I worked for a few years after graduation in tourism.
I believe that the teacher work requires continual renewal and study of new teaching methods is part of my job.
Feel free to contact me so we can tailor your personal lessons.
G. Y.
A big 'thank you'to Davide for the last 12 lessons. We have done some very useful work together and he is supportive and encouraging.
Davide M.
INSEGNANTE DI TEDESCO
V. B.
Rina is a pleasure to work with. Her lessons go by quickly, because they are a lot of fun. She is always on time, sends the material beforehand, is always available for questions and corrects homework right away. She is funny & energetic. She speaks German and Italian. I can only recommend taking lessons with her, because it is fun and you learn quickly and good.
Fiorina D.
Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
Z. C.
Taking lessons with Daniela was a pleasure. She was always well prepared, she gave all necessary information and materials I needed. The lessons were really good - I could practice grammar, speaking etc. Highly recommended :)
Daniela V.