Continuing my series of articles on the subjunctive form, today I’m going to write about il congiuntivo imperfetto (imperfect subjunctive).

To make the congiuntivo imperfetto of regular verbs, remove the ending from the infinitive form of the verb, i.e. -are, -ere, or -ire, and add the following:

for verbs ending in –are add –assi –assi –asse –assimo –aste –assero, for example:

Parlare (to speak):

Io parlassi, tu parlassi, lui parlasse, lei parlasse, noi parlassimo, voi parlaste, loro parlassero

for verbs ending in –ere, add –essi –essi –esse –essimo –este –essero, for example:

Credere (to believe):

Io credessi, tu credessi, lui credesse, lei credesse, noi credessimo, voi credeste, loro credessero

 

for verbs ending in –ire, add –issi –issi –isse –issimo –iste –issero for example:

Dormire (to sleep):

Io dormissi, tu dormissi, lui dormisse, lei dormisse, noi dormissimo, voi dormiste, loro dormissero

The main irregular verbs are:

essere (to be): io fossi, tu fossi, lui/lei fosse, noi fossimo, voi foste, loro fossero

dare (to give): io dessi, tu dessi, lui/lei desse, noi dessimo, voi deste, loro dessero

dire (to say): io dicessi, tu dicessi, lui/lei dicesse, noi dicessimo, voi diceste, loro dicessero

fare (to do, to make): io facessi, tu facessi, lui/lei facesse, noi facessimo, voi faceste, loro facessero

stare (to stay, to be): io stessi, tu stessi, lui/lei stesse, noi stessimo, voi steste, loro stessero

Il congiuntivo imperfetto is normally used…

1. with verbs which express wishes, thoughts, beliefs, worries, and doubts, e.g.: volere (to want), sperare (to hope), pensare (to think), credere (to believe), temere (to be afraid), dubitare (to doubt), when these verbs are followed by the conjunction che (that). Here are some examples: Giovanni voleva che lo aiutaste a ridipingere la camera (Giovanni wanted you [plural] to help him repaint the bedroom); Lucia pensava  che Maria partisse oggi per le vacanze (Lucia thought that Maria was leaving today for her holidays); mi sono stupita che tu fossi ancora lì (I was surprised that you were still there); avevo paura che Carlo non ce la facesse a superare l’esame (I was worried that Carlo wouldn’t be able to pass the exam).

2. following impersonal verbs conjugated in the past (mainly imperfetto indicativo, the normal imperfect tense), such as bastava che (it was enough/sufficient that), bisognava che (it was necessary that), si diceva che (it was said). Here are some examples: bisognava che Carlo studiasse di più (it was necessary for Carlo to study more); bastava che tu mi dicessi con che treno saresti arrivato (you only needed to tell me which train you would have arrived on); si diceva che questa fosse una leggenda (this was said to be a legend).

3. following impersonal constructions used in the past (mainly the ‘imperfetto indicativo’), such as era meglio (it was better), era un peccato (it was a pity), non era giusto (it was unfair). Here are some examples: era meglio che veniste oggi pomeriggio (it was better that you [plural] came this afternoon); era un peccato che tu non potessi venire (it was a pity that you weren’t able to come).

4. following the conditional form of all the verbs and constructions listed above in 1, 2, and 3, e.g. vorrei che tu smettessi di fumare (I would like you to stop smoking); bisognerebbe che Carlo studiasse di più per poter passare l’esame (it would be necessary for Carlo to study more in order to pass the exam); non sarebbe giusto se fossi sempre io a lavare i piatti (it wouldn’t be fair if it was always me that had to wash the dishes).

5. following conjunctions built with che, such as prima che (before), affinché (so that, in order that), a meno che (unless), nel caso che (in case), e.g. siamo dovuti partire prima che facesse buio (we had to leave before it got dark); ti ho aiutato affinché tu potessi superare l’esame (I helped you so that you could pass the exam).

6. following the conjunction se (if) when talking about an imagined situation. See my blog If I could have …  

Coming soon: Il Congiuntivo Trapassato (pluperfect subjunctive)!