Present Subjunctive Moods

Italian 3 5/13/14

Present Subjunctive Mood

• To put it in the most basic terms, it’s the tense that you should use when:– You have an opinion.– You have a desire or a wish that something would

be a certain way.– You’re experiencing an emotion (happy, sad,

sorry, scared).– You’re suggesting something to someone.

How to conjugate the present subjunctive

• il congiuntivo are a little wonky– first three are exactly the same– thus requiring you to actually use the io, tu, and

lui/lei* to describe who the subject is.

• Let’s drop some examples below:

The verb ASCOLTARE

• For a verb like ASCOLTARE, which ends in -ARE, it’s as follows:

The verb SENTIRE

• For a verb like SENTIRE, which ends in -IRE, it’s as follows:

The verb CONOSCERE

• For a verb like CONOSCERE, which ends in -ERE, it’s as follows:

But the most important conjugations for you to know are:

• If you’ve been learning Italian for a while now, you should know that the most important verbs for you to know are always irregular. (SIGH)

ESSERE – to be

• Peccato che Italia sia troppo lontana da – It’s a shame that Italy is too far from here. qui.

ANDARE: to go

• Per esempio:

• Spero che Luis non vada in Polonia da solo. – I hope that Luis does not go to Poland by himself.

FARE: to do/make

• Per esempio:

• Mi fa piacere che facciate colazione. – I am glad that you all made breakfast.

VOLERE: to want

• Per esempio:

• Penso che Maria voglia uscire con noi. – I think that Maria wants to go out with us.

AVERE: to have

• Ad esempio:

• Penso che gli italiani abbiano molte ricetteper la pasta. – I think that Italians have many recipes for .pasta

POTERE: to be able to

• Per esempio:

• Spero tu possa capire quello checerco di dirti. – I hope you can understand what I’m trying to tell you.

STARE: to stay/remain, to be

• Per esempio:

• Non desideriamo che tu stia qui negli stati uniti. – We don’t wish that you stay here in the United States.

DOVERE: to have to, must

• Per esempio:

• Penso che io debba comprare qua. - I think that I should buy something here.

VENIRE: to come

• Per esempio:

• Sono triste che tu non venga stasera. – I am sad that you are not going out tonight.

USCIRE: to go out

• Per esempio:

• Non è necessario che tu esca di casa. – It’s not necessary that you leave home.

SAPERE: to know (a fact, ability)• Per esempio:

• Dubitano che gli statunitensi sappiano cucinare il cibo italiano. – They doubt that Americans know how to cook Italian food.

DIRE: to say

• Per esempio:

• Crediamo che dicano le bugie. – We believe that they are saying/telling lies.

DARE: to give

• Per esempio:

• Credo che lui dia l’anello a Luisa. – I believe that he is giving the ring to Luisa.

One thing I hope you noticed:• There are trigger phrases used over & over again where you can

easily decided whether to use the subjunctive tense or not.

• These were:

• Peccato che… – It’s a shame that…• Spero che… – I hope that…• Mi fa piacere che… – I am pleased that…• Penso che… – I think that…• Desidero che... – I desire/want that…• Dubito che… – I doubt that….• Credo che… – I believe that…