{"id":11732,"date":"2016-05-25T18:15:42","date_gmt":"2016-05-25T16:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=11732"},"modified":"2016-05-25T18:15:42","modified_gmt":"2016-05-25T16:15:42","slug":"i-could-have-studied-italian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/i-could-have-studied-italian\/","title":{"rendered":"I Could Have Studied Italian"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today we continue our series on the modal verbs with the conjugation of the verb potere<\/a><\/strong><\/span> (to be able to) when it’s used with the auxiliary verbs essere<\/b> (to be) and avere<\/b> (to have). As with all the modal verbs, the choice of which auxiliary verb to use with potere<\/strong> depends on the verb that follows it. Here are some practical examples:<\/p>\n

Indicativo Passato Prossimo<\/b><\/span> (present perfect indicative):<\/span><\/span>
\nExamples:
\nieri non ho potuto fare<\/span> la spesa<\/b> = yesterday I couldn’t do the shopping
\nfinalmente abbiamo potuto visitare<\/span> il Castello di Bagnone<\/b> = at last we were able to visit the Castle in Bagnone
\nlo sai se Lucia \u00e8 potuta passare<\/span> in lavanderia a ritirare la mia giacca? <\/b>= do you know if Lucia was able to go by the laundry to get my jacket?
\nMario e Lucia non sono potuti restare<\/span> a cena<\/b> = Mario e Lucia couldn’t stay for dinner<\/p>\n

\"Uno<\/a>

Sopra: Uno scorcio di Bagnone, Lunigiana. Foto di Geoff.<\/em><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Condizionale Passato<\/b><\/span> (past conditional):<\/span><\/span>
\nExamples:
\nse non fossi stato cos\u00ec pigro avrei potuto studiare<\/span> l’italiano<\/b> = if I hadn’t been so lazy I could have studied Italian
\nse fossimo partiti prima avremmo potuto visitare<\/span> il Castello di Bagnone<\/b> = If we had left earlier we could have visited the Castle in Bagnone
\nse non fosse stato per l’incidente, Maria sarebbe potuta arrivare<\/span> in tempo per il pranzo <\/b>= had it not been for the accident, Maria could have arrived in time for lunch
\nsaremmo potuti restare<\/span> pi\u00f9 a lungo <\/b>= we could have stayed longer<\/p>\n

To find out more about the past conditional see this post: Condizionale Passato<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Congiuntivo Passato<\/b><\/span> (past subjunctive):<\/span><\/span>
\nExamples:
\n\u00e8 un peccato che Mario non abbia potuto partecipare<\/span> alla partita<\/b> = it’s a shame that Mario couldn’t take part in the match
\nnon credo che Luciano e Mario abbiano potuto portare<\/span> a termine il loro progetto<\/b> = I don’t think that Luciano and Mario were able to complete their project
\npensi che Lucia sia potuta passare<\/span> in lavanderia a ritirare la mia giacca?<\/b> = do you think that Lucia was able to go by the laundry to get my jacket?
\nmi dispiace che voi non siate potuti venire<\/span><\/b> = I’m sorry that you (plural)<\/i> couldn’t come<\/p>\n

To find out more about the past subjunctive see this post: Congiuntivo Passato<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Congiuntivo Trapassato <\/b><\/span>(pluperfect subjunctive):<\/span><\/span>
\nExamples:
\noh, se solo avessi potuto studiare<\/span> l’italiano!<\/b> = oh, if only I could had studied Italian!
\nse Mario avesse potuto finire<\/span> il lavoro in tempo sarebbe partito prima<\/b> = if Mario could had finished the job on time he would have left earlier
\nse fossimo potuti restare<\/span> un’altra settimana saremmo andati a Edimburgo <\/b>= if we could had stayed another week we would have gone to Edinburgh
\navevo paura che voi non foste potuti partire<\/span> in tempo<\/strong> = I was worried that you (plural)<\/em> had not been able to leave on time<\/p>\n

Next time I’ll be looking at the conjugation and use of the modal verb volere<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To find out more about the pluperfect subjunctive see this post: Congiuntivo Trapassato<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A presto!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Today we continue our series on the modal verbs with the conjugation of the verb potere (to be able to) when it’s used with the auxiliary verbs essere (to be) and avere (to have). As with all the modal verbs, the choice of which auxiliary verb to use with potere depends on the verb that…<\/p>\n

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