Italian Grammar Bank
ITALIAN PRESENT & PAST SUBJONCTIVE
In Italian, the subjunctive mood (il congiuntivo) can seem a bit tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes an essential tool in speaking and writing fluently.
Let’s see two key forms of the subjunctive: the present subjunctive and the past subjunctive.
PRESENT SUBJONCTIVE
The present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente) is used to express things like wishes, doubts, uncertainty, emotions, and actions that are not guaranteed to happen.
Think of it as the mood for anything that’s not set in stone.
It’s like the difference between saying “ Penso che pioverà ” (“I think it’s going to rain” (factual)) and “ Spero che piova ” (“I hope it rains” (uncertain)).
HOW TO FORM THE PRESENT SUBJONCTIVE
The present subjunctive is formed by taking the root of the verb (removing the infinitive ending) and adding the subjunctive endings.
PATTERN
Main Clause (Indicative) + “che” + Dependent Clause (Present Subjunctive)
Conjugation of “Essere” (To Be) and “Avere” (To Have)
| infinitive | io | tu | lui/lei | noi | voi | loro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essere | sia | sia | sia | siamo | siate | siano |
| Avere | abbia | abbia | abbia | abbiamo | abbiate | abbiano |
These two verbs are crucial as they are used in various compound tenses and expressions requiring the subjunctive.
Regular -ARE, -ERE, -IRE Verbs
| ending type | io | tu | lui/lei | noi | voi | loro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -ARE | -i | -i | -i | -iamo | -iate | -ino |
| -ERE | -a | -a | -a | -iamo | -iate | -ano |
| -IRE | -a | -a | -a | -iamo | -iate | -ano |
| -IRE (-isc) | -isca | -isca | -isca | -iamo | -iate | -iscano |
These endings replace the standard indicative endings and must be memorized.
Examples of Regular Verbs
| infinitive | io | tu | lui/lei | noi | voi | loro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pensare (to think) | pensi | pensi | pensi | pensiamo | pensiate | pensino |
| Credere (to believe) | creda | creda | creda | crediamo | crediate | credano |
| Dormire (to sleep) | dorma | dorma | dorma | dormiamo | dormiate | dormano |
| Capire (to understand) | capisca | capisca | capisca | capiamo | capiate | capiscano |
EXAMPLES OF PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
Let’s look at some examples to understand how these rules apply. Each of these examples is used after a verb or phrase that triggers the subjunctive mood:
Example 1:
Spero che lei parli bene.
I hope that she speaks well.Spero che (I hope that) is a clear indicator that the present subjunctive parli (speak) should be used here. The verb parlare is regular, so we use the -i ending for the third person singular.
Example 2:
Penso che loro abbiano ragione.
I hope that she speaks well.Penso che (I think that) usually doesn’t trigger the subjunctive.
However, when there’s uncertainty or doubt about the truth of the statement, abbiano (they are) is in the present subjunctive.
The verb avere (to have) is irregular in the subjunctive form.
Example 3:
Temo che non arriviamo in tempo.
I fear that we won’t make it on time.Temo che (I fear that) triggers the use of the present subjunctive, and arriviamo (we arrive) follows the regular pattern for -are verbs.
Example 4:
Desidero che ti diverta alla festa.
I wish that you enjoy the party.Desidero che (I wish that) is a clear trigger for the subjunctive, and diverti (you enjoy) is formed with the -i ending for regular -are verbs.
PAST SUBJUNCTIVE
The past subjunctive is used when the action or situation refers to the past.
It’s often used in conjunction with verbs in the main clause that describe emotions, doubts, or uncertainty about something that happened before the moment of speaking.
HOW TO FORM THE PAST SUBJUNCTIVE
PATTERN
Main Clause (Indicative) + “che” + Dependent Clause (Past Subjunctive)
To form the past subjunctive, you need two parts:
- The present subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb essere (to be) or avere (to have), depending on the main verb.
- The past participle of the main verb.
Essere & Avere in the past subjunctive
| verb | lo | tu | lui/lei | noi | voi | loro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essere | sia stato/a | sia stato/a | sia stato/a | siamo stati/e | siate stati/e | siano stati/e |
| Avere | abbia avuto | abbia avuto | abbia avuto | abbiamo avuto | abbiate avuto | abbiano avuto |
Other verbs
| verb | lo | tu | lui/lei | noi | voi | loro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pensare | abbia pensato | abbia pensato | abbia pensato | abbiamo pensato | abbiate pensato | abbiano pensato |
| Credere | abbia creduto | abbia creduto | abbia creduto | abbiamo creduto | abbiate creduto | abbiano creduto |
| Dormire | abbia dormito | abbia dormito | abbia dormito | abbiamo dormito | abbiate dormito | abbiano dormito |
EXAMPLES OF PAST SUBJUNCTIVE
| Spero che tu abbia studiato. | I hope that you studied. |
| Mi auguro che lui abbia finito. | I wish that he have finished. |
| Spero che loro abbiano capito. | I hope that they have understood. |
| Non penso che tu lo abbia visto. | I don’t think that you have seen him. |
| Dubito che loro siano andati via. | I doubt that they went away. |
| Non credo che abbiamo perso. | I don’t believe that we have lost. |
Here’s a simple comparison to show how the present and past subjunctive work in similar situations, but with different time frames.
| situation | present | past |
|---|---|---|
| I hope that you pass(ed) the exam. | Spero che tu superi l’esame. | Spero che tu abbia superato l’esame. |
| I’m afraid that they aren’t (weren’t) ready. | Temo che non siano pronti. | Temo che non siano siano pronti. |
| I think that you love(d) this place. | Penso che ti piaccia questo posto. | Penso che ti sia piaccia questo posto. |
- In the present subjunctive ( Spero che tu superi l’esame ), the action is hoped for in the future.
- In the past subjunctive ( Spero che tu abbia superato l’esame ), the action is being reflected on as something that didn’t happen.
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FAQs
When to use the present subjunctive in Italian?
The present subjunctive is used when the action or state in the subordinate clause happens at the same time or after the main clause. The past subjunctive is used when the action in the subordinate clause happened before the main clause.
Penso che lui sia felice. (I think he is happy.) → Present subjunctive
Penso che lui sia stato felice. (I think he was happy.) → Past subjunctive
What are the main triggers for using the subjunctive tense in Italian?
The subjunctive is typically triggered by verbs or expressions that indicate uncertainty, doubt, opinion, emotion, desire, or necessity. Some common triggers include:
Doubt/uncertainty: Dubito che sia vero. (I doubt it’s true.)
Emotion: Mi dispiace che tu non sia venuto. (I’m sorry that you didn’t come.)
Necessity: È importante che tu studi. (It’s important that you study.)
How to conjugate verbs in the subjunctive?
Regular verbs follow these patterns:
Present Subjunctive: Parlare → *parli, parli, parli, parliamo, parliate, parlino
Prendere → *prenda, prenda, prenda, prendiamo, prendiate, prendano
Past Subjunctive: Avere or essere in subjunctive + past participle:
Penso che lui abbia parlato. (I think he spoke.)
Credo che lei sia andata. (I believe she went.)
Irregular verbs like essere (sia) and avere (abbia) don’t follow standard patterns.
Can subjunctive be replaced with indicative?
Yes, in everyday spoken Italian, many speakers tend to use the indicative instead of the subjunctive, especially in less formal situations. For example:
Formal/written: Penso che tu abbia ragione. (I think you are right.) → Subjunctive
Spoken/informal: Penso che tu hai ragione. (I think you are right.) → Indicative
However, in formal writing and exams, using the subjunctive correctly is important.
What are some expressions that require subjunctive?
Some expressions that always require the subjunctive include:
Benché/sebbene (although) → Benché sia tardi, usciamo. (Although it’s late, we’re going out.)
Prima che (before) → Parti prima che piova. (Leave before it rains.)
A meno che non (unless) → Non vado a meno che tu non venga. (I won’t go unless you come.)
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