Italian Subjunctive (Part 3): Speak Italian!

               The Italian subjunctive mood is easy to conjugate, but tricky to use!

 

Speak Italian: How to Use the Italian Subjunctive Mood

Can you speak Italian? By now, many of you have passed the beginning stages of learning to speak Italian and can read and comprehend quite a bit of the Italian language. Meraviglioso!

But have you tried to take the next step to speak Italian fluently? Can you use the Italian subjunctive mood in the correct situations? To express complex feelings in Italian correctly, it is important to use the Italian subjunctive mood. Using the subjunctive mood is difficult for English speakers, as we only rarely use this tense in English, and this is something that I am always working on! The blogs in the “Speak Italian” blog series will focus on how to conjugate and use the Italian subjunctive mood, or “il congiuntivo.”

Let’s take that giant step from simple beginning sentences to more complex and fluid sentences in Italian by using the subjunctive mood. In this segment, we will discuss how to express one’s needs in Italian and learn about other important introductory phrases and individual words that take the Italian subjunctive mood. 

We will repeat the Italian conjugation of the subjunctive mood for the regular -are, -ere, and -ire verbs and then present the conjugation of the modal, or helping, verbs dovere, potere, and volere.

A review of the Italian subjunctive mood conjugations for the auxiliary verbs and for commonly used irregular verbs will complete this blog. Example sentences will follow!

Speak Italian: How to Use the Italian Subjunctive Mood

In each blog in the “Speak Italian” series about the  Italian subjunctive mood (“il congiuntivo”),  we will first present phrases that take the Italian subjunctive mood.

Then,  we will review how to conjugate the Italian subjunctive mood.

Finally, we will present common phrases used in daily life that take the Italian subjunctive mood.

Remember these examples as “anchors” in your knowledge for when you must speak Italian and try out the subjunctive mood in your next Italian conversation!

Enjoy the third blog in this series, “Italian Subjunctive (Part 3): Speak Italian!”
—Kathryn Occhipinti

Some of this material is adapted from our textbook, Conversational Italian for Travelers © 2012 by Stella Lucente, LLC, found on www.learntravelitalian.com. Special thanks to Italian instructors Simona Giuggioli and Maria Vanessa Colapinto.

 

---

Speak Italian: How to Use the Italian Subjunctive Mood (Part 3)

Once Again… Phrases That Take the Italian Subjunctive Mood

Italian has a subjunctive mood that is used to express beliefs, thoughts, or hopes with the verbs credere, pensare, and sperare.

The subjunctive mood is also said to “open up” a conversation to discussion about a particular topic by expressing doubt, uncertainty, desire, or a feeling.

Certain phrases are commonly used to start a sentence in order to introduce the subjunctive mood, and these initial phrases will be in the indicative tense (the “usual” present or past tense). The subjunctive mood is also used with the conditional tense, but this will be the topic of later blogs. These initial phrases imply uncertainty and trigger the subjunctive mood in the phrase to follow.

In our first blog about the Italian subjunctive mood, we learned that these initial phrases fall into several groups. We discussed Groups 1  through Group 6.

In our second blog about the Italian subjunctive mood, we discussed Groups 8 and 9.

These groups are again listed  below for review.

In this blog, we will discuss phrases that express feelings (any emotion, fear, or surprise) in Group 9 and describe the situations in which they are used to  introduce the subjunctive mood.

We will also now discuss Group 10, in which we list individual words that refer to the purpose or timing of an action that must be followed by the subjunctive mood. These words are part of “adverbial clauses” that modify verbs. As such, they are often used in the phrase that completes a sentence, but can also be found at the beginning of a sentence. Many of these words are easy to recognize since they end in -che.

Finally, Groups 11 and 12 are individual adjectives or pronouns that can introduce another clause and must be followed by the subjective mood, which we will discuss in blogs to follow.

Hypothetical Phrases are mentioned at the end of our list, to complete our discussion of specific words or phrases that can be used to introduce the subjunctive mood.

Groups 1-9: “Noun Clauses”

Group 10: “Adverbial Clauses”

Groups 11 and 12: “Adjective/Pronoun Clauses”

1. 1. 1. Phrases that use the verbs credere (to believe), pensare (to think), and sperare (to hope). These verbs use the pattern: [verb  + di + infinitive verb]  to describe the beliefs, thoughts, or hopes that one has. When the subject in the introductory phrase is not the same as the subject in the subjunctive clause that follows, the pattern changes to: [verb + che + subjunctive verb].*
      2. Impersonal constructions that begin with, “It is…” such as, “È possibile che…”
      3. Phrases that express a doubt, such as, “I don’t know…” or “Non so che…”
      4. Phrases that express suspicion, such as, ” I suspect that…” or “Sospetto che…”
      5. Phrases that express uncertainty, such as, “It seems to me…” or “Mi sembra che…” and  ” To wonder if…” or  “Chiedersi se… “
      6. Impersonal verbs followed by the conjunction che, such as, “Basta che…” “It is enough that,” or “Si dice che…” “They say that…
      7. Phrases that use the verbs volere, desiderare, chiedere, esigere  when the subject in the introductory phrase is not the same as the subject in the clause that follows. In this situation, these verbs will be followed by che.
      8. Phrases that use the verbs piacere and dispiacere when the subject in the introductory phrase is not the same as the subject in the clause that follows. In this situation, these verbs will be followed by che.
      9. Phrases that express feelings (any emotion, fear, surprise) and use the pattern: [avere, essere, or augurarsi verb  +  di + infinitive verb].  When the subject in the introductory phrase is not the same as the subject in the clause that follows, the pattern changes to: [avere, essere, or augurarsi verb + che + subjunctive verb].
      10. Sentences that begin with words that end in –ché, or complex conjunctions that end with che:  affinché, perché (so as, so that, in order that), purché (as long as, provided that, only if)**, a meno che, senza che (unless), può darsi che (it may be possible that, possibly, maybe), prima che (before that).  Also the many words that mean although/even though, one of which ends in -che: benché  (also sebenne, malgrado, nonostante).***
      11. Sentences that begin with adjectives or pronouns that include the idea of any in a description of a person, place or thing:  qualsiasi, qualunque (any), chiunque (whoever), dovunque (anywhere).
      12. Sentences that begin with adjectives or pronouns that include the idea of nothing or only  in a description of a person, place, or thing: niente che, nulla che (nothing that), nessuno che (nobody that), l’unico, il solo, a che (the only one that).

Hypothetical Phrases:  Phrases that begin with se (if) in certain situations. Phrases that begin with come se (as if),  magari (if only), and ammesso che (assuming that).

As usual, there is a summary table at the end of each descriptive section that shows how to use these  additional groups that take the subjunctive mood in Italian. The present tense phrases are in the first two columns and the past tense phrases in the last two columns.  Notice that the imperfetto form of the past tense is given in our table for brevity, but the passato prossimo form of the past tense can also be used, depending on the situation.  Use of the past tense forms will be the topic of later blogs.

Points to remember about the subjunctive mood:

In Italian, the introductory phrases that take the subjunctive mood (those that trigger doubt, uncertainty, desire, or a feeling)  usually end with a linking word, also known as a conjunction, which will be che.  In this situation, che means that.  The clause that follows our introductory phrase will then describe what the uncertainty is about.

We now see from Group 9 that some words or phrases already have -ché or che integrated into the word itself. In these cases, che is not repeated.  The clause that follows our introductory phrase will then describe what the uncertainty is about.

*When the speaker in the introductory phrase will carry out the action in the phrase to follow, Italian will use the following construction to link the phrases for credere, pensare, and sperare :  di + infinitive verb. Example: Penso di andare a Roma domani.  =  I think I will go to Rome tomorrow. (Use  pensare a when thinking ABOUT something or someone.)

**solo se also means only if but does NOT take the subjunctive mode.

*** anche se also means even though/if but does NOT take the subjunctive mode.

 

---

 

Expressing One’s Feelings with “Di” and “Che” and the Italian Subjunctive Mood

Phrases Used to Express Feelings with “Di” in Italian

When expressing one’s feelings in Italian in the first person (io conjugation), many common Italian expressions are followed by di (of). In this case, when di is followed by another verb, the verb in the second phrase will be in the infinitive tense (if you remember, infinitive verbs end in -are, -ere, -ire, and translate as “to…”). Below are some examples of these phrases, along with example sentences, adapted from Chapter 7 of the Conversational Italian for Travelers textbook.

 

avere bisogno di	to have need of	Ho bisogno di… riposare.
avere paura di	to be afraid/have fear of	Ho paura di… guidare.
avere voglia di	to feel like	Ho voglia di… mangiare una pizza.
essere certo di	to be certain of	Sono certo(a) di… ricordare il tuo nome.
essere sicuro di	to be certain of	Sono sicuro(a) di… ricordare questo posto.
essere felice di	to be happy to	Sono felice di… incontrare mio cugino oggi.
essere fortunato di	to be lucky to	Sono fortunato(a) di… mangiare questa cena.
essere libero di	to be free to	Sono libero(a) di… viaggiare.
essere stanco di	to be tired of	Sono stanco(a) di… lavorare.
temere di…	to be afraid of	Temo di… essere in ritardo.
augurarsi di…	to wish/to hope (of)	Mi auguro di… fare una buona vacanza.

 

---

How to Use the Phrase “Avere bisogno di…” in Italian

Before we go on to discuss more complex uses of the phrases in the table above, here is a brief description of how to use the very popular phrase, “ho bisogno di…” which means, “I need…”   Any beginning student of Italian no doubt has come across this phrase many times in general conversation and has already used it to express what he/she wants.

While I was learning how to use the subjunctive mood properly, I took the opportunity to learn how to use “ho bisogno di” properly as well.  After many question and answer sessions with native Italian speakers, here is what I’ve found out about the different uses of this phrase in English and Italian.

First, use of the phrase “ho bisogno di” is limited to describing a need one has for a person, a thing (something) or a physical need.  Remember to conjugate the verb avere used in this phrase (“ho” is the io form of avere) if someone else besides you needs something.  Also, leave out the word “di,” which means “of” in this phrase when it is at the end of the sentence.

The phrases “Mi serve…” and “Mi servono…” can also mean, “I need…” The conjugation is like that of piacere.  (See below)

If a person needs to do something, but it is also necessary that he does it – he has to do it – then the verb dovere is used.   See some examples in the table below:

avere bisogno di	to have need of…
	…a person	Ho bisogno di… te.
	…a thing/ something	Ho bisogno di… una macchina nuova.
		Ho bisogno di… prendere una vacanza.
	…a physical need	Ho bisogno di… riposarmi.
Mi serve…	I need… (one thing)	Mi serve 1 millione di euro.
Mi servono…	I need… (many things)	Mi servono tante cose.
dovere	for what you have to do (and need to do)	Devo cucinare il pranzo ogni sera.

When we come to more complex sentences, and the subject  wants to express what he/she wants another person to do, the phrase “ho bisogno di” is not used.  In other words, if I want someone to do something, I must use the verb voglio, with the subjunctive, as in, “Voglio che tu…”  This was an important point for me to learn, as in English I am constantly asking my children or family to do things by saying, “I need you to…”

For instance, take the sentence, “I need you to take care of the cats when I am on vacation.”  I am not sure if this phrase “I need you to…” is used commonly in other parts of  America, but it has become a habitual use in the Northeast and Midwest.  The Italian translation would be, “Voglio che tu ti prenda cura dei gatti quando io sono in vacanza.”  So, to use the phrase “ho bisogno di” we must really learn how to think in Italian!

Enjoy some more examples for how to use our phrases to express a need or want in Italian, and then create your own!

Ho bisogno di un grande abbraccio!	I need a big hug!
Abbracci e baci sono due cose di cui  ho bisogno!	Hugs and kisses are two things that I need!
Non mi serve niente.	I don’t need anything.
Non mi serve nient’altro.	I don’t need anything else.
Mi serve di più caffè.	I need more coffee.
Devo andare al mercato.	I need to/have to go to the (outdoor) market.

Non abbiamo  bisogno di giorni migliori,

ma di persone che rendono migliori i nostri giorni!

We don’t need to have better days,

instead, people who make our days better!

---

 

Phrases Used to Express Feelings with “Che” and the Italian Subjunctive Mood

Some of the expressions listed in the following table are most commonly used with the same subject for the second phrase. As noted in our previous discussions, these phrases will be followed with “di” and an infinitive verb. They are reprinted here to correspond with the previous table, followed by an asterisk and an explanation in parentheses.

For most of the expressions of feeling that we have been talking about, though, it is possible to express a feeling that the speaker (io) has regarding another person or people. In this case, then, these expressions must be followed by che, and the subjunctive mood should be used for the verb in the second phrase.

In our example table, we will illustrate this by following the Italian phrases in which the subjects can be different with ...che tu, which we know means …that you, although of course, this rule follows no matter which subject pronoun we use.

 

Phrases Used to Express Feelings with “Che” and the Italian Subjunctive Mode

Present Tense Subjunctive Phrase Group 8			Past Tense Subjunctive Phrase Group 8
Ho bisogno… che tu	I need… that you* *(This expression is not commonly used in Italian to tell another person what needs to be done; voglio che is used instead.)		Avevo bisogno… che tu	I needed… that you* *(This expression is not commonly used in Italian to tell another person what needs to be done; volevo che is used instead.)
Ho paura… che tu	I am afraid… that you		Avevo paura…  che tu	I was afraid… that you
Ho voglia di… *	I feel like… * *(always used with the same subject +di in both phrases)		Avevo voglia… *	I felt like…* *(always used with the same subject + di in both phrases)
Non sono certo(a)… che tu	I am not certain… that you		Non ero certo… che tu	I was not certain… that you
Non sono sicuro(a)… che tu	I am not certain… that you		Non ero sicuro… che tu	I was not certain… that you
Sono felice… che tu	I am happy… that you		Ero felice… che tu	I was happy… that you
Sono fortunato(a)… che tu	I am happy… that you		Ero fortunato(a)… che tu	I was fortunate… that you
Sono libero(a) di… *	I am free… * *(always used with the same subject +di in both phrases)		Ero libero(a)… *	I was free… * *(always used with the same subject +di in both phrases)
Sono stanco(a) di…	I am tired…* *(always used with the same subject +di in both phrases)		Ero stanco(a)… che tu	I was tired…* *(always used with the same subject +di in both phrases)
Temo… che tu	I am afraid… that you		Temevo… che tu	I was afraid… that you
Mi auguro… che tu	I hope… that you		Mi auguravo… che tu	I hoped… that you

 

 

---

Adverbial Clauses

Use of the Italian Subjunctive Mood

The final group of words we will discuss in this blog are called “adverbial clauses” and are given in the table. These words take the subjunctive mood when used to start a sentence, and use of these adverbial clauses implies that a second phrase is necessary to complete the sentence.

Only the most commonly used have been given in the table.  For a more complete list, see the list in the first section of this blog.

 

Phrases Used to Introduce the Subjunctive Mood — Adverbial Clauses

 

Present Tense Subjunctive Phrase Groups 9, 10, 11
Prima che	Before that  ( Prima che is used to mean “before that” and followed by the subjunctive mood when the subject in the first phrase is different from the subject in the second phrase; use Prima di + infinitive when the subject of both phrases is the same.)
Benché, Sebbene	Although, Even though, If
Può darsi che	It may be possible that, Possibly, Maybe
Affinché	So as, So that, In order that
Perché	So that (Perché is only used in the subjunctive mood when it means “so that.” Other meanings of perché include “why” and “because” and in these cases, the subjunctive mood is not used.)
Purché	As long as, Provided that, Only if

 

Finally, our usual reminder:

DO NOT USE THE SUBJUNCTIVE WITH THE FOLLOWING THREE PHRASES!

Forse = Perhaps       

Per me = For me

Secondo me = According to me

The above may seem like exceptions to the rule, but perhaps… because these phrases already express doubt or your personal opinion… in the Italian way of thinking, it would be redundant to use these phrases along with the subjunctive!

And, two more  phrases we can now add that DO NOT take the subjunctive mood:

Solo se = Only if

Anche se = Even though/if

 

---

Speak Italian: The Present Tense Subjunctive Mood (Part 3)

How to Conjugate the Italian Subjunctive Mood Present Tense for -are, -ere, and -ire Verbs

A review from the second blog in this series:

To change any regular Italian infinitive verb into the present subjunctive mood, first drop the final -are, -ere, or -ire to create the stem. Then add the endings given in the first table below to the stem that has been created. Examples for each verb type are given in the second table below.*

The word che is included in parentheses in the subject pronoun column as a reminder that these verb forms typically are introduced with  the conjunction che. Also, use the subject pronoun in your sentence after che for clarity, since the endings for the singular forms are all the same!

Practice the subjunctive verbs out loud by saying che, the subject pronoun and then the correct verb form that follows!

Subjunctive Mood – Present Tense

Subject Pronoun	-are ending	-ere ending	-ire ending
io	i	a	a
tu	i	a	a
Lei/lei/lui	i	a	a
noi	iamo	iamo	iamo
voi	iate	iate	iate
loro	ino	ano	ano

	Tornare (to return)	Vendere (to sell)	Partire (to leave)
(che)  io	torni	venda	parta
(che) tu	torni	venda	parta
(che) Lei/lei/lui	torni	venda	parta
(che) noi	torniamo	vendiamo	partiamo
(che) voi	torniate	vendiate	partiate
(che) loro	tornino	vendano	partano

*(The stressed syllable for the example verbs has been underlined in the table above.)

1. When pronouncing the subjunctive verbs, the stress will fall in the same place as in the conjugated verb forms for the present tense. This will be in the beginning of the verb (first or second syllable) for the io, tu, Lei/lei, lui, and loro forms, and one syllable to the right (second or third syllable) for the noi and voi forms.
2. Notice that all of the singular subjunctive endings (io, tu, Lei/lei lui) are the same for each infinitive form of the verb.
3. Also, all the endings for the -ere and -ire verbs are identical in the first person!
4. The noi and voi forms are the same for all infinitive verb forms as well.
5. The noi form is identical to the present tense!

 

---

How to Conjugate the Italian Subjunctive Mood Present Tense for the Modal Verbs

Here are the  Italian present subjunctive forms for the modal verbs. If you remember, modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are also called “helping verbs.” These verbs are often used in the subjunctive mood in written and spoken Italian. As you no doubt recall, these three helping verbs give additional information about the main verb in the phrase. In the subjunctive mood, volere can also be translated as “to need.”

 

 Dovere – to have to/must – Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	debba	I have to/must
(che) tu	debba	you (familiar) have to/must
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	debba	you (polite) have to/must she/he has to/must
(che) noi	dobbiamo	we have to/must
(che) voi	dobbiate	you all have to/must
(che) loro	debbano	they have to/must

 

  

Potere – to be able (to)/can – Present Subjunctive Mood

che) io	possa	I am able to/can
(che) tu	possa	you (familiar) are able to/can
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	possa	you (polite) are able to/can she/he is able to/can
(che) noi	possiamo	we are able to/can
(che) voi	possiate	you all are able to/can
(che) loro	possano	they are able to/can

 

 Volere – to want/ to need – Present Subjunctive mode

(che) io	voglia	I want/need
(che) tu	voglia	you (familiar) want/need
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	voglia	you (polite) want/need she/he wants/needs
(che) noi	vogliamo	we want/need
(che) voi	vogliate	you all want/need
(che) loro	vogliano	they want/need

---

The Subjunctive Mood – Irregular Present Tense
Commonly Used Verbs

A review from the second blog in this series:

Here are the irregular  Italian present subjunctive forms for six commonly used  verbs in Italian.  It may be useful to commit these forms to memory, as these verbs are often used in the subjunctive mood in written and spoken Italian. Notice that the translation is the simple present tense in English.

Andare – to go – Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	vada	I go
(che) tu	vada	you (familiar) go
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	vada	you (polite) go she/he goes
(che) noi	andiamo	we go
(che) voi	andiate	you all go
(che) loro	vadano	they go

 

Dare – to give – Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	dia	I give
(che) tu	dia	you give
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	dia	you give she/he gives
(che) noi	diamo	we give
(che) voi	diate	you all give
(che) loro	diano	they give

 

Dire – to say/ to tell – Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	dica	I say/tell
(che) tu	dica	you (familiar) say/tell
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	dica	you (polite) say/tell she/he says/tells
(che) noi	diciamo	we say/tell
(che) voi	diciate	you all say/tell
(che) loro	dicano	they say/tell

Fare – to do/ to make– Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	faccia	I do/ make
(che) tu	faccia	you (familiar) do/make
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	faccia	you (polite) do/make she/he does/makes
(che) noi	facciamo	we do/make
(che) voi	facciate	you all do/make
(che) loro	facciano	they do/make

 

Sapere – to know (facts) – Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	sappia	I know
(che) tu	sappia	you (familiar) know
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	sappia	you (polite) know she/he knows
(che) noi	sappiamo	we know
(che) voi	sappiate	you all know
(che) loro	sappiano	they know

 

Venire – to come –  Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	venga	I come
(che) tu	venga	you (familiar) come
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	venga	you (polite) come she/he comes
(che) noi	veniamo	we come
(che) voi	veniate	you all come
(che) loro	vengano	they come

---

How to Conjugate Italian Verbs “Essere,” “Avere,” and “Stare” in the Present Tense Subjunctive Mood

A review from the first blog in this series:

In the tables below are the subjunctive forms for the Italian auxiliary verbs avere, stare, and essere, which are often used in the subjunctive mood in written and spoken Italian. These are important verbs to commit to memory!

 

Avere – to have – Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	abbia	I have
(che) tu	abbia	you (familiar) have
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	abbia	you (polite) have she/he has
(che) noi	abbiamo	we have
(che) voi	abbiate	you all have
(che) loro	abbiano	they have

 

Essere – to be – Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	sia	I am
(che) tu	sia	you (familiar) are
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	sia	you (polite) are he/he is
(che) noi	siamo	we are
(che) voi	siate	you all are
(che) loro	siano	they are

 

Stare – to stay (to be) – Present Subjunctive Mood

(che) io	stia	I stay (am)
(che) tu	stia	you (familiar) stay (are)
(che) Lei (che) lei/lui	stia	you (polite) stay (are) she/he stays (is)
(che) noi	stiamo	we stay (are)
(che) voi	stiate	you all stay (are)
(che) loro	stiano	they stay (are)

---

Speak Italian: How to Use the Italian Subjunctive Mood (Part 3)

Example Phrases Using the Present Tense
Italian Subjunctive Mood

To follow are some examples of how the Italian subjunctive mood in the present tense might be used in conversation during daily life. (In later blog posts in this series, we will cover examples of how to use the subjunctive when the introductory phrase is in the conditional or past tense.)

Notice that English sentence structure differs from Italian in most of these sentences.  We can make a similar sentence in English as in Italian, but it would be considered an “awkward” sentence.

The biggest difference is that we English speakers do not use the subjunctive form, whether or not the subject in the two phrases is the same or different.  Also, we often leave out the word “that” from our sentences that contain two phrases. But, the Italian word for “that,” “che,”  is not an option when linking two Italian phrases – except if the introductory word itself ends in -che.

For the translations, the Italian sentence structure is given first for some examples to help us to think in Italian. The correct English is in bold.

We will use the example introductory phrases  from earlier in this section. How many more combinations can you think of?

Voglio che tu cucini una cena speciale per la festa stasera.	I want that you cook a special dinner for the party tonight. = I want you to cook a special dinner for the party tonight.
Ho paura che lui  guidi  troppo veloce.	I am afraid he drives too fast.
Non sono certo che Lei ricordi questo giorno.	I amnot certain that you (will) remember this day.

 

Non sono sicuro che noi ricordiamo questo posto speciale.	I am not sure that we (will) remember this special  place.
Sono felice che voi incontriate  mio cugino oggi.	I am happy (that) you all (are going) to meet my cousin today.
Sono fortunato che voi mangiate con me questa sera per il mio compleanno.	I am lucky that you all are eating with me tonight for my birthday.

 

Temo che loro non siano persone perbene.	I am afraid that they are not good people.
Mi auguro che loro facciano una buona vacanza.	I hope that they have a good vacation.

 

---

 

The Italian Subjunctive Mood: Examples for Modal Verbs

Here are some examples for the introductory phrases “before that” and “after that,” which, as we have discussed in the earlier section, should take the subjunctive mood. These phrases seem to be most useful in situations in which we talk about plans people would like to or have to make for themselves or others, and therefore helping verbs many times also come into play.

Lei deve prepare molto bene i tuoi documenti prima che tu debba andare al lavoro.	She must prepare your papers very well before (that) you have to go to work. = She has to prepare your papers very well before you have to go to work.
Prima che mio figlio possa andare dove vuole, io devo venire a casa.	Before (that) my son can go where he wants, I have to come home. = Before my son can go where he wants, I have to come home.
Prima che noi dobbiamo partire per Roma, dovete riposare un po’ in campagna.	Before (that) we have to leave for Rome, you all must rest a little bit in the country. = Before we have to leave for Rome, you all must rest a little bit in the country.
Prima che voi possiate andare a trovare* i vostri parenti in America, tuo padre deve guardagnare un sacco di soldi.**	Before (that) you all can visit your relatives in America, your father must make a lot of money. = Before you all can visit your relatives in America, your father must make a lot of money.
Il mio assistente deve portarli alla riunione prima che loro possano mangiare la cena.	My assistant must take them to the meeting before (that) they can eat dinner. = My assistant must take them to the meeting before they can eat dinner.

* andare a trovare is an idiomatic expression that means “to go to visit (someone).” Visitare is used when going to visit a place.

** un sacco di soldi is an idiomatic expression that means “a lot of money.”

 

---

The  Italian Subjunctive Mood: Examples for Adverbial Clauses

The final group of words that take the subjunctive mood on an idiomatic basis imply that a second phrase is necessary to complete the sentence. These are essential phrases to remember if we want to express complex thoughts in Italian. Here are some examples. How many more can you think of?

Benché io voglia andare in Italia, non è possibile ora.	Although I want to go to Italy, it is not possible now.
Sebbene lui voglia andare all’università,  non ha ricevuto voti abastanza buoni al liceo.	Although he wants to go to college, he did not get good enough grades in high school.
Sebbene noi vogliamo vivere bene, invece dobbiamo lavorare nel ristorante della famiglia per molti anni.	Though we want to live well, we must work in the family restaurant for many years.
Perché la crostata sia fatta bene, si deve avere le fragle fresche.	So that the pie is made well, one must have fresh strawberries. = You  must have fresh strawberries so that the pie is made properly.
Vengo alla festa, purché lui non ci sia.	I will come to the party, provided that he will not be there.

-Some of this material is adapted from Conversational Italian for Travelers, Chapter 7, “Idiomatic Expressions – Avere and Essere + di + Infinitive” © 2012 by Stella Lucente, LLC.

---

   Available on amazon.com and Learn Travel Italian.com

Kathryn Occhipinti, MD, is the author of the
Conversational Italian for Travelers series of books and a teacher of Italian for travelers to Italy in the Peoria and Chicago area.
“Everything you need to know to enjoy your visit to Italy!”

Join my Conversational Italian! Facebook group and follow me on Twitter at StellaLucente@travelitalian1  and start to learn Italian today for FREE!
Conversational Italian! Facebook Group
Tweet @travelitalian1 for Stella Lucente Italian

YouTube videos to learn Italian are available from © Stella Lucente, LLC.
Learn Conversational Italian.

More information on and photographs of Italy can be found on Facebook Stella Lucente Italian and Pinterest Stella Lucente Italian.
Facebook Stella Lucente Italian
Pinterest Stella Lucente Italian

Visit learntravelitalian.com/download.html to purchase/download Conversational Italian for Travelers and find more interesting facts and helpful hints about getting around Italy! Learn how to buy train tickets online, how to make international and local telephone calls, and how to decipher Italian coffee names and restaurant menus, all while gaining the basic understanding of Italian that you will need to know to communicate easily and effectively while in Italy. —From the staff at Stella Lucente, LLC

Italian Subjunctive (Part 3) : Speak Italian!