{"id":14824,"date":"2017-09-07T10:51:32","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T08:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=14824"},"modified":"2017-09-07T10:51:32","modified_gmt":"2017-09-07T08:51:32","slug":"il-periodo-ipotetico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/il-periodo-ipotetico\/","title":{"rendered":"Il Periodo Ipotetico"},"content":{"rendered":"

When we hypothesise about the past, present or future and predict what the consequences might be we use a grammatical form called il periodo ipotetico<\/strong> (conditional sentences). A conditional sentence contains both a hypothesis introduced by the preposition se<\/strong> (if), and a statement of consequence.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Italian we have three types of periodo ipotetico<\/strong>. Let’s have a look at how they are constructed:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Se vincessi la lotteria, comprerei una casa sulla costa ligure. Photo by Geoff<\/em><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

1. Periodo Ipotetico della Realt\u00e0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The periodo ipotetico della realt\u00e0<\/strong> presents situations which are real or possible. For this reason we use il modo indicativo<\/strong><\/span> (used to make factual statements, ask questions, or express opinions as if they were facts<\/em>). Let’s have a look at some practical examples:<\/p>\n

se piove<\/span>, ci bagniamo<\/span><\/strong> (if it rains, we’ll get wet)
\nse domani c’\u00e8<\/span> il sole, andremo<\/span> al mare<\/strong> (if tomorrow is sunny, we’ll go to the sea)
\nse domenica sar\u00f2<\/span> libero, verr\u00f2<\/span> volentieri alla gita<\/strong> (if I’m free on Sunday, I’ll be happy to come on the trip)
\nse abbiamo dimenticato<\/span> qualcosa, lo prenderemo<\/span> al ritorno<\/strong> (if we’ve forgotten something, we’ll get it on the way back)<\/p>\n

Sometimes we use l’imperativo<\/strong> <\/span>(the imperative) in the clause describing the consequence:<\/p>\n

se non capite<\/span>, ditemelo <\/span><\/strong>(if you don’t understand, tell me)
\nse sei<\/span> stanco, riposati <\/span><\/strong>(if you are tired, have a rest)<\/p>\n

2. Periodo Ipotetico della Possibilit\u00e0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The periodo ipotetico della possibilit\u00e0<\/strong> presents situations which are unlikely or unreal at present. For this reason we use il congiuntivo imperfetto<\/span> <\/strong>(the imperfect subjunctive) in the hypothetical clause, and il condizionale presente<\/strong> <\/span>(the present conditional) to express the possible outcome. Let’s have a look at some practical examples:<\/p>\n

se vincessi<\/span> la lotteria, comprerei<\/span> una casa sulla costa ligure<\/strong> (if I won the lottery, I’d buy a house on the Ligurian coast)
\nse non piovesse<\/span>, potremmo<\/span> andare a fare una passeggiata<\/strong> (if it weren’t raining, we could go for a walk)
\nci farebbe<\/span> molto piacere se venissi<\/span> anche tu<\/strong> (we’d be really pleased if you came as well)
\nse avessi<\/span> pi\u00f9 mele, farei<\/span> della marmellata<\/strong> (if I had more apples, I’d make some jam)<\/p>\n

3. Periodo Ipotetico della Irrealt\u00e0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The periodo ipotetico della irrealt\u00e0<\/strong> presents situations in the past which are contrary to what actually happened. For this reason we use il congiuntivo trapassato<\/strong> <\/span>(the pluperfect subjunctive) in the hypothetical clause, and il condizionale passato<\/span> <\/strong>(the past conditional) to express the hypothetical outcome. Let’s have a look at some practical examples:<\/p>\n

se avessimo saputo<\/span> che dormivi, non saremmo venuti<\/span> <\/strong>(if we’d known that you were asleep, we wouldn’t have come)
\nse aveste portato<\/span> l’ombrello, non vi sareste bagnati<\/span> <\/strong>(if you’d brought the umbrella, you wouldn’t have got wet)
\nse fossi stato<\/span> al tuo posto, avrei accettato<\/span> la proposta<\/strong> (if I’d been in your situation, I would have accepted the offer)<\/p>\n

N.B.<\/strong> in colloquial Italian l’imperfetto indicativo<\/strong> <\/span>(the imperfect indicative) is commonly used in one or both clauses. For example, instead of saying se avessimo saputo che dormivi, non saremmo venuti<\/strong> (if we’d known that you were asleep, we wouldn’t have come), you might hear:<\/p>\n

se sapevamo<\/span> <\/span>che dormivi, non saremmo venuti
\n<\/strong> se avessimo saputo che dormivi, non venivamo<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong>se sapevamo<\/span> <\/span>che dormivi, non venivamo<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

4. Periodo Ipotetico Misto<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We also have a form that mixes il periodo ipotetico della irrealt\u00e0<\/strong> with il periodo ipotetico della possibilit\u00e0<\/strong> when the hypothetical situation is in the past, but the result carries on into the present, e.g.:<\/p>\n

se tu avessi continuato a studiare, oggi potresti essere un professore<\/strong> (if you had carried on studying, you could be a professor today)
\nse avessimo portato la mappa, ora non saremmo perduti<\/strong> (if we had brought the map, now we wouldn’t be lost)<\/p>\n

Studiate bene che la settimana prossima ci sar\u00e0 il test!<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

When we hypothesise about the past, present or future and predict what the consequences might be we use a grammatical form called il periodo ipotetico (conditional sentences). A conditional sentence contains both a hypothesis introduced by the preposition se (if), and a statement of consequence. In Italian we have three types of periodo ipotetico. Let’s…<\/p>\n

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