{"id":19767,"date":"2021-08-13T18:11:04","date_gmt":"2021-08-13T16:11:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=19767"},"modified":"2021-08-13T18:11:04","modified_gmt":"2021-08-13T16:11:04","slug":"the-subjunctive-il-congiuntivo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/the-subjunctive-il-congiuntivo\/","title":{"rendered":"The subjunctive – Il congiuntivo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ciao a tutti!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Today let’s talk about il congiuntivo, the subjunctive tense.<\/p>\n

The subjunctive indicates a subjective attitude toward the action or situation described by the verb.<\/p>\n

It is used to express wishes,\u00a0thoughts,\u00a0beliefs,\u00a0worries, and\u00a0doubt <\/strong>(voglio che\u00a0(I\u00a0want\u00a0that<\/i>),\u00a0spero che\u00a0(I\u00a0hope\u00a0that<\/i>),\u00a0penso che\u00a0(I\u00a0think\u00a0that<\/i>),\u00a0credo che\u00a0(I\u00a0believe\u00a0that<\/i>),\u00a0temo che\u00a0(I\u2019m\u00a0afraid\u00a0that<\/i>),\u00a0dubito che\u00a0(I\u00a0doubt\u00a0that<\/i>): <\/strong><\/p>\n

Penso che<\/strong> legga <\/em>– (I think he’s reading)<\/p>\n

Non sono sicura che<\/strong> abbia venduto la macchina – <\/em>(I’m not sure that she sold her car)<\/p>\n

Mi stupisco che<\/strong> lei\u00a0sia<\/u> ancora qui – <\/em>(I\u2019m surprised that she\u2019s still here)<\/p>\n

Ho paura che<\/strong> sia troppo tardi – <\/em>(I am afraid it may be too late)<\/p>\n

Desidero che<\/strong> venga con me – <\/em>(I want her to come with me)<\/p>\n

It is used after impersonal constructions and for the polite imperative (Lei): <\/strong><\/p>\n

Bisogna che<\/strong> venda la sua macchina<\/em>\u00a0– (It is necessary for him to sell his car)<\/p>\n

Basta che<\/strong> lei mi dica<\/u> con che treno arriver\u00e0 – <\/em>(It’s enough that she tells me which train she\u2019s arriving on)<\/p>\n

Si dice che <\/strong>sia<\/u> un posto meraviglioso per passare le vacanze – <\/em>(It is said that it\u2019s a wonderful place to go on holiday)<\/p>\n

Parli piano <\/em>– (Speak slowly)<\/p>\n

Prego, si accomodi – <\/em>(Please make yourself comfortable)<\/p>\n

Firmi qui per piacere – <\/em>(Sign here please)<\/p>\n

It is used after impersonal constructions such as<\/strong> \u00e8 facile\u00a0che,\u00a0\u00e8\u00a0difficile che\u00a0(it\u2019s likely\u00a0that, it\u2019s\u00a0unlikely that),\u00a0\u00e8 meglio che\u00a0(it\u2019s better that),\u00a0\u00e8 un peccato che\u00a0(it\u2019s a pity that),\u00a0non \u00e8 giusto che\u00a0(it\u2019s unfair that)<\/p>\n

\u00e8\u00a0un peccato che tu non\u00a0possa<\/u> venire<\/em> – (it\u2019s a pity that you can\u2019t come)
\nnon \u00e8 giusto che\u00a0sia<\/u> sempre lui a pulire la casa<\/em> – (it\u2019s unfair that it\u2019s always him that has\u00a0to clean the house)
\n\u00e8 meglio che\u00a0veniate<\/u> oggi pomeriggio<\/em> – (it\u2019s better that you come this afternoon).<\/p>\n

It is used following conjunctions built with che <\/strong>such as\u00a0prima che\u00a0(before),\u00a0affinch\u00e9\u00a0(so that, in order that),\u00a0a meno che non\u00a0(unless),\u00a0nel caso che\u00a0(in case)<\/p>\n

Dobbiamo partire prima che faccia<\/u> buio – <\/em>(we must leave before it gets\u00a0dark)
\nCi vediamo domani, a meno che non ci siano imprevisti <\/em>– (see you tomorrow, unless anything unexpected happens.)
\nNel caso che venga tardi e ti serva un passaggio, dammi un colpo di telefono, va bene?<\/em> –<\/strong>\u00a0(if it should get dark and you need a lift give me a ring, okay?)<\/p>\n

_________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

The subjunctive has four tenses: present, perfect, imperfect and pluperfect.\u00a0<\/strong>Let’s look at the present tense today.<\/p>\n

We\u00a0construct\u00a0the\u00a0congiuntivo presente\u00a0<\/em>of regular verbs\u00a0by\u00a0modifying\u00a0the\u00a0ending\u00a0of\u00a0the infinitive form\u00a0in\u00a0the following\u00a0way:<\/p>\n