Learn Italian - Lesson Ten

Lesson Ten - Subjunctive, More Italian Idioms, Proverbs, and Essential Dictionary

Of the many Italian verb moods, the congiuntivo (subjunctive) is probably the most difficult to learn for an English speaking person. It does not have a direct or indirect comparison with any English verb tense and so it is often forgotten. But don't worry... many Italians often wrongly use another verb mood in place of the "congiuntivo", particularly when speaking and in informal situations. This is wrong, but is becoming more and more accepted, so if you make a mistake most people would not look down on you, if they even notice at all!

The congiuntivo is always used in a secondary clause, and its tense is determined by the tense of the verb of the primary clause. It is used in the following situations:

- When expressing emotion and fear: Ho paura che tu abbia un incidente (I'm scared you are going to have an accident).

- When expressing opinions and doubts: Non credo che tu sappia l'italiano abbastanza bene (I don't think you know Italian sufficiently well).

- When expressing desire: Voglio che tu vada a dormire presto domani (I want you to go to sleep early tomorrow).

- When expressing necessity and importance: È fondamentale che tu raggiunga questi risultati (It is critical that you achieve these results).

- When expressing appearances and hope: Spero che tu abbia prenotato l'aereo (I hope you have booked the plane).

- When expressing possibility and probability and lack thereof: È improbabile che Giovanni venga domani, è ancora in viaggio (It is unlikely that Giovanni comes tomorrow, he is still traveling).

- After certain conjunctions (mainly ending in -che): see lesson 4 for more details on these conjunctions.

It is to be noted, however, that the subjunctive is used only if the subject of the second clause is different than the subject of the first clause.

Ho paura che tu abbia preso l'influenza (I fear you got the flu). In this case the subjects of the two clauses are different, therefore the subjunctive is used in the second clause.

Ho paura di aver preso l'influenza (I fear I got the flu). The subject is the same in both clauses, the infinitive is used in the second clause.

There are four tenses for the congiuntivo: presente (present), passato (past), imperfetto and trapassato (past perfect).

The congiuntivo presente is formed by adding the correct endings to the stem of the verb

Mangiare	Vedere	Partire
Mang-i	Ved-a	Part-a
Mang-i	Ved-a	Part-a
Mang-i	Ved-a	Part-a
Mang-iamo	Ved-iamo	Part-iamo
Mang-iate	Ved-iate	Part-iate
Mang-ino	Ved-ano	Part-ano

Many verbs are irregular and therefore must be learnt by heart:

Essere	Avere	Andare	Potere	Volere	Fare	Dare	Stare	Uscire
Sia	Abbia	Vada	Possa	Voglia	Faccia	Dia	Stia	Esca
Sia	Abbia	Vada	Possa	Voglia	Faccia	Dia	Stia	Esca
Sia	Abbia	Vada	Possa	Voglia	Faccia	Dia	Stia	Esca
Siamo	Abbiamo	Andiamo	Possiamo	Vogliamo	Facciamo	Diamo	Stiamo	Usciamo
Siate	Abbiate	Andiate	Possiate	Vogliate	Facciate	Diate	Stiate	Usciate
Siano	Abbiano	Vadano	Possano	Vogliano	Facciano	Diano	Stiano	Escano

The congiuntivo imperfetto is also created by adding the correct endings to the root of the verbs; of course, the endings are different.

Mangiare	Vedere	Partire
Mangi-assi	Ved-essi	Part-issi
Mangi-assi	Ved-essi	Part-issi
Mangi-asse	Ved-esse	Part-isse
Mangi-assimo	Ved-essimo	Part-issimo
Mangi-aste	Ved-este	Part-iste
Mangi-assero	Ved-essero	Part-issero

Again, many verbs are irregular:

Essere	Bere	Fare	Dare	Stare
Fossi	Bevessi	Facessi	Dessi	Stessi
Fossi	Bevessi	Facessi	Dessi	Stessi
Fosse	Bevesse	Facesse	Desse	Stesse
Fossimo	Bevessimo	Facessimo	Dessimo	Stessimo
Foste	Beveste	Faceste	Deste	Steste
Fossero	Bevessero	Facessero	Dessero	Stessero

The "congiuntivo passato" and "congiuntivo trapassato" are formed by adding the past participle of the verb to the "congiuntivo presente" or "congiuntivo imperfetto", respectively, of the verbs "avere" or "essere": Sia andato (congiuntivo passato), Fossi venuto (congiuntivo trapassato), Abbia dormito (congiuntivo passato), Avessimo saputo (congiuntivo trapassato).

But how to know which tense to use? It all depends from the verb tense of the main clause.

If the main clause is in the present, future or imperative, then you would use the "congiuntivo presente" if the second clause refers to something happening at the same time or in the future compared to the main clause, or the "congiuntivo passato" if it is something happening in a period previous to the period of the first clause. For example: Credo che tu sia troppo stanco ora (I believe you are too tired now): I believe, now, that you are too tired, now. Both clauses refer to something taking place in the present, so the "congiuntivo presente" is used. However: Credo che tu sia stato troppo duro con lei (I believe you have been too harsh with her): I believe, now, that you have been too harsh with her at some time in the past (even if not in a distant past). The congiuntivo passato is used here.

When the main clause is in the past tense or in the conditional, the "congiuntivo" imperfetto or trapassato is used, again according to the period to which the second clause refers too.

Ieri pensavo che tu fossi un bravo ragazzo (Yesterday I thought you were a good boy). Congiuntivo imperfetto.

Te lo avrei detto se lo avessi saputo (I would have told you if I knew).

Italian Proverbs And Idioms

Che roba!	I can't believe it
Che schifo!	How disgusting!
Che ti passa per la testa?	What's the matter with you
Chi s'è visto s'è visto	Anyone for himself
Ci mancherebbe altro!	God forbid
Ci vuole altro!	It takes much more than that
Come non detto	As you were
Chi lascia la strada vecchia per la nuova sa quel che lascia, ma non sa quel che trova	Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know
Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano	Slow and steady wins the race
Del senno di poi son piene le fosse	Hindsight is always 20/20
Il troppo stroppia	Too much breaks the bag
Il desiderio rende lunga l’attesa	Watched pot never boils

AN ESSENTIAL DICTIONARY OF ITALIAN - PART 3

disposizione	Disposition
distanza	Distance
distinguere	To distinguish
distruggere	To destroy
dito	Finger
divenire	To become
diventare	To become
diverso	Different
divertire	To have fun
dividere	To divide, to share
dolce	Sweet
dolore	Pain
domanda	Question
domandare	To ask
domani	Tomorrow
Domenica	Sunday
donna	Woman
dopo	After
dormire	To sleep
dottore	Doctor
dove	Where
dovere	To have to
dubbio	Doubt
dunque	So, therefore, thus
durante	During
durare	To last
duro	Hard
e	And
eccellenza	Excellence
eccetera	Etc.
ecco	That's it
economico	Economical
effetto	Effect
egli	He
elemento	Element
elettrico	Electrical
elevare	To elevate
energia	Energy
enorme	Huge
entrare	To enter
entro	Within, by
epoca	Age
eppure	Yet
erba	Grass
errore	Error, mistake
esame	Exam, examination
escludere	To exclude
esempio	Example
esercito	Army
esistere	To exist
esperienza	Experience
esporre	To expose
espressione	Expression
esprimere	To express
estate	Summer
estendere	To extend
estero	Foreign
estremo	Extreme
età	Age
europeo	European
evitare	To avoid
fabbrica	Factory
faccia	Face
facile	Easy, simple
fame	Hunger
famiglia	Family
famoso	Famous, well known
fantasia	Imagination
fatica	Fatigue
fatto	Fact
favore	Favour (Note: Per favore = please)
fede	Faith
felice	Happy
fenomeno	Phenomenon
ferire	To harm, to hurt
fermare	To stop
ferro	Iron
festa	Party
fianco	Side
fiducia	Trust
figlia	Daughter
figlio	Son
figura	Figure
film	Movie
filo	Thread
finalmente	Finally, eventually
fine	End
finestra	Window
finire	To finish, to end
fino	Until
fiore	Flower
fiume	River
foglia	Leaf
folla	Crowd
fondare	To found
fondo	Fund
forma	Shape
formare	To shape, to form
fornire	To provide
forse	Perhaps, maybe
forte	Strong
fortuna	Luck
forza	Strength
fra	Between
francese	French
frase	Sentence, phrase
fratello	Brother
freddo	Cold
fresco	Cool
fretta	Hurry
fronte	Forehead
frutto	Fruit
fuggire	To escape
fumare	To smoke
funzione	Function
fuoco	Fire
fuori	Out, outside
futuro	Future
gamba	Leg
gatto	Cat
generale	General
gente	People (note: gente is singular in Italian)
gesto	Gesture
gettare	To throw
già	Already
giallo	Yellow
giardino	Garden
giocare	To Play
gioco	Game
gioia	Joy
giornale	Newspaper
giornata	Day
giorno	Day
giovane	Young
girare	To turn
giro	Turn
giù	Down
giudicare	To judge
giudizio	Judgment
giugno	June
giungere	To arrive, to come to
giustizia	Justice
giusto	Just
godere	To enjoy
governo	Government
grado	Degree
grande	Big
grave	Serious
grazia	Grace
grazie	Thanks, thank you
greco	Greek
gridare	To scream
grigio	Grey
grosso	Big, large
gruppo	Group
guardare	To look, to watch
guardia	Guard
guerra	War
guidare	To drive
gusto	Taste, flavor
idea	Idea
ieri	Yesterday
immaginare	To imagine
immagine	Imagine
imparare	To learn
impedire	To prevent
imporre	To impose
importante	Important
importanza	Importance
importare	To import
impossibile	Impossible
improvviso	Sudden
incontrare	To meet
indicare	To indicate, to show, to point at
indietro	Back
industria	Industry
industriale	Industrial
infatti	In fact, indeed
infine	Finally, eventually
inglese	English
iniziare	To begin, to start
inizio	Start
innamorare	To fall in love
inoltre	Furthermore, moreover
insegnare	To teach
insieme	Together