Subjunctive Foundation
The patterns that make subjunctive automatic
Listen carefully: subjunctive appears after specific triggersโwishes, emotions, doubts. "Penso che" triggers it. "Sono sicuro che" doesn't. Once you recognize these patterns, subjunctive becomes instinct, not calculation.
Present -ARE
che io parli
io | parli |
tu | parli |
lui/lei | parli |
noi | parliamo |
loro | parlino |
Present -ERE
che io prenda
io | prenda |
tu | prenda |
lui/lei | prenda |
noi | prendiamo |
loro | prendano |
Present -IRE
che io parta
io | parta |
tu | parta |
lui/lei | parta |
noi | partiamo |
loro | partano |
Essential Irregular Subjunctives
essere
to be
โป
sia, sia, sia, siamo, siano
Most common
avere
to have
โป
abbia, abbia, abbia, abbiamo, abbiano
Essential
fare
to do/make
โป
faccia, faccia, faccia, facciamo, facciano
Very frequent
andare
to go
โป
vada, vada, vada, andiamo, vadano
Movement
dare
to give
โป
dia, dia, dia, diamo, diano
Commands
sapere
to know
โป
sappia, sappia, sappia, sappiamo, sappiano
Knowledge
potere
to be able
โป
possa, possa, possa, possiamo, possano
Ability
dovere
to must
โป
debba, debba, debba, dobbiamo, debbano
Obligation
volere
to want
โป
voglia, voglia, voglia, vogliamo, vogliano
Desires
venire
to come
โป
venga, venga, venga, veniamo, vengano
Arrival
dire
to say
โป
dica, dica, dica, diciamo, dicano
Speech
uscire
to exit
โป
esca, esca, esca, usciamo, escano
Leaving
stare
to stay
โป
stia, stia, stia, stiamo, stiano
Remaining
bere
to drink
โป
beva, beva, beva, beviamo, bevano
Drinking
rimanere
to remain
โป
rimanga, rimanga, rimanga, rimaniamo, rimangano
Staying
WEI Triggers
Remember these
โป
Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal
Core triggers
pensare che
to think that
โป
Penso che sia giusto
Opinion trigger
credere che
to believe that
โป
Credo che abbia ragione
Belief trigger
sperare che
to hope that
โป
Spero che venga
Hope trigger
dubitare che
to doubt that
โป
Dubito che sia vero
Doubt trigger
Alessandro's Rule:
The subjunctive flips endings: -ARE verbs take -i endings (like -ERE/IRE verbs), while -ERE/IRE verbs take -a endings (like -ARE verbs). This reversal is your key to remembering.
Desires & Requirements
What we want, need, and demand
In professional kitchens and boardrooms, subjunctive expresses standards. "Voglio che tu capisca"โI want you to understand. "ร necessario che sia perfetto"โit's necessary that it be perfect. This is how leaders communicate expectations.
Expressing Desires & Needs
Voglio che...
I want that...
โป
Voglio che tu provi questo piatto
Direct desire
Desidero che...
I desire that...
โป
Desidero che tutto sia perfetto
Formal wish
Preferisco che...
I prefer that...
โป
Preferisco che venga presto
Preference
ร necessario che...
It's necessary that...
โป
ร necessario che sia fresco
Requirement
ร importante che...
It's important that...
โป
ร importante che capisca
Emphasis
Bisogna che...
It's necessary that...
โป
Bisogna che tu faccia attenzione
Must happen
ร meglio che...
It's better that...
โป
ร meglio che parta ora
Advice
Suggerisco che...
I suggest that...
โป
Suggerisco che prenda questo
Recommendation
Richiedo che...
I require that...
โป
Richiedo che sia puntuale
Formal demand
Esigo che...
I demand that...
โป
Esigo che sia fatto bene
Strong demand
Doubt & Uncertainty
When you're not completely sure
Sophisticated Italian acknowledges uncertainty. "Dubito che sia possibile"โI doubt it's possible. "Non sono sicuro che funzioni"โI'm not sure it works. This nuance separates educated speech from basic communication.
Expressing Doubt
Dubito che...
I doubt that...
โป
Dubito che sia vero
Clear doubt
Non credo che...
I don't believe that...
โป
Non credo che venga
Disbelief
Non sono sicuro che...
I'm not sure that...
โป
Non sono sicuro che funzioni
Uncertainty
ร possibile che...
It's possible that...
โป
ร possibile che abbia ragione
Possibility
ร probabile che...
It's probable that...
โป
ร probabile che piova
Likelihood
Puรฒ darsi che...
It may be that...
โป
Puรฒ darsi che sia tardi
Maybe
Non penso che...
I don't think that...
โป
Non penso che sia giusto
Negative opinion
ร improbabile che...
It's unlikely that...
โป
ร improbabile che riesca
Unlikelihood
Certainty Exception:
When you're certain, NO subjunctive: "Sono sicuro che viene" (I'm sure he's coming). But doubt? Always subjunctive: "Non sono sicuro che venga."
Emotions & Opinions
Feelings that trigger subjunctive
Emotions demand subjunctive. "Sono felice che tu sia qui"โI'm happy you're here. "Mi dispiace che non possa venire"โI'm sorry he can't come. This is how Italians express feelings with sophistication.
Emotional Triggers
Sono felice che...
I'm happy that...
โป
Sono felice che tu sia qui
Joy
Mi dispiace che...
I'm sorry that...
โป
Mi dispiace che non possa
Regret
Sono contento che...
I'm glad that...
โป
Sono contento che capisca
Contentment
Ho paura che...
I'm afraid that...
โป
Ho paura che sia troppo tardi
Fear
Sono sorpreso che...
I'm surprised that...
โป
Sono sorpreso che lo sappia
Surprise
ร strano che...
It's strange that...
โป
ร strano che non ci sia
Oddity
ร bello che...
It's nice that...
โป
ร bello che vengano tutti
Appreciation
Temo che...
I fear that...
โป
Temo che non riesca
Worry
Advanced Mastery
Subjunctive that marks true sophistication
Now we reach professional Italian. Imperfect subjunctive, complex conjunctions, literary constructions. "Se fossi in te"โif I were you. "Prima che fosse troppo tardi"โbefore it was too late. This is Milan boardroom Italian.
Advanced Patterns
Prima che...
Before...
โป
Prima che sia troppo tardi
Time conjunction
Benchรฉ...
Although...
โป
Benchรฉ sia difficile
Concession
Affinchรฉ...
So that...
โป
Affinchรฉ tu capisca
Purpose
Senza che...
Without...
โป
Senza che lo sappia
Exclusion
Se fossi...
If I were...
โป
Se fossi in te
Hypothetical
Come se...
As if...
โป
Come se fosse facile
Comparison
Magari...
If only...
โป
Magari fosse vero!
Wish
Chiunque...
Whoever...
โป
Chiunque sia
Indefinite
Milanese Excellence:
In Milan's professional world, subjunctive isn't optionalโit's expected. Master these patterns and you'll speak like an executive, not a tourist.
Ready to Master Subjunctive with Milanese Precision?
You now understand that subjunctive isn't grammarโit's the expression of sophisticated Italian thought. Come practice with me. We'll work through real scenarios until subjunctive becomes natural, not calculated.