Subjunctive Foundation

The patterns that make subjunctive automatic

Listen carefully: subjunctive appears after specific triggersโ€”wishes, 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
ioparli
tuparli
lui/leiparli
noiparliamo
loroparlino
Present -ERE
che io prenda
ioprenda
tuprenda
lui/leiprenda
noiprendiamo
loroprendano
Present -IRE
che io parta
ioparta
tuparta
lui/leiparta
noipartiamo
loropartano

Essential Irregular Subjunctives

essere
to be
โ†ป
sia, sia, sia, siamo, siano
Most common
avere
to have
โ†ป
abbia, abbia, abbia, abbiamo, abbiano
Essential
fare
to do/make
โ†ป
faccia, faccia, faccia, facciamo, facciano
Very frequent
andare
to go
โ†ป
vada, vada, vada, andiamo, vadano
Movement
dare
to give
โ†ป
dia, dia, dia, diamo, diano
Commands
sapere
to know
โ†ป
sappia, sappia, sappia, sappiamo, sappiano
Knowledge
potere
to be able
โ†ป
possa, possa, possa, possiamo, possano
Ability
dovere
to must
โ†ป
debba, debba, debba, dobbiamo, debbano
Obligation
volere
to want
โ†ป
voglia, voglia, voglia, vogliamo, vogliano
Desires
venire
to come
โ†ป
venga, venga, venga, veniamo, vengano
Arrival
dire
to say
โ†ป
dica, dica, dica, diciamo, dicano
Speech
uscire
to exit
โ†ป
esca, esca, esca, usciamo, escano
Leaving
stare
to stay
โ†ป
stia, stia, stia, stiamo, stiano
Remaining
bere
to drink
โ†ป
beva, beva, beva, beviamo, bevano
Drinking
rimanere
to remain
โ†ป
rimanga, rimanga, rimanga, rimaniamo, rimangano
Staying
WEI Triggers
Remember these
โ†ป
Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal
Core triggers
pensare che
to think that
โ†ป
Penso che sia giusto
Opinion trigger
credere che
to believe that
โ†ป
Credo che abbia ragione
Belief trigger
sperare che
to hope that
โ†ป
Spero che venga
Hope trigger
dubitare che
to doubt that
โ†ป
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"โ€”I want you to understand. "รˆ necessario che sia perfetto"โ€”it's necessary that it be perfect. This is how leaders communicate expectations.

Expressing Desires & Needs

Voglio che...
I want that...
โ†ป
Voglio che tu provi questo piatto
Direct desire
Desidero che...
I desire that...
โ†ป
Desidero che tutto sia perfetto
Formal wish
Preferisco che...
I prefer that...
โ†ป
Preferisco che venga presto
Preference
รˆ necessario che...
It's necessary that...
โ†ป
รˆ necessario che sia fresco
Requirement
รˆ importante che...
It's important that...
โ†ป
รˆ importante che capisca
Emphasis
Bisogna che...
It's necessary that...
โ†ป
Bisogna che tu faccia attenzione
Must happen
รˆ meglio che...
It's better that...
โ†ป
รˆ meglio che parta ora
Advice
Suggerisco che...
I suggest that...
โ†ป
Suggerisco che prenda questo
Recommendation
Richiedo che...
I require that...
โ†ป
Richiedo che sia puntuale
Formal demand
Esigo che...
I demand that...
โ†ป
Esigo che sia fatto bene
Strong demand

Doubt & Uncertainty

When you're not completely sure

Sophisticated Italian acknowledges uncertainty. "Dubito che sia possibile"โ€”I doubt it's possible. "Non sono sicuro che funzioni"โ€”I'm not sure it works. This nuance separates educated speech from basic communication.

Expressing Doubt

Dubito che...
I doubt that...
โ†ป
Dubito che sia vero
Clear doubt
Non credo che...
I don't believe that...
โ†ป
Non credo che venga
Disbelief
Non sono sicuro che...
I'm not sure that...
โ†ป
Non sono sicuro che funzioni
Uncertainty
รˆ possibile che...
It's possible that...
โ†ป
รˆ possibile che abbia ragione
Possibility
รˆ probabile che...
It's probable that...
โ†ป
รˆ probabile che piova
Likelihood
Puรฒ darsi che...
It may be that...
โ†ป
Puรฒ darsi che sia tardi
Maybe
Non penso che...
I don't think that...
โ†ป
Non penso che sia giusto
Negative opinion
รˆ improbabile che...
It's unlikely that...
โ†ป
รˆ 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"โ€”I'm happy you're here. "Mi dispiace che non possa venire"โ€”I'm sorry he can't come. This is how Italians express feelings with sophistication.

Emotional Triggers

Sono felice che...
I'm happy that...
โ†ป
Sono felice che tu sia qui
Joy
Mi dispiace che...
I'm sorry that...
โ†ป
Mi dispiace che non possa
Regret
Sono contento che...
I'm glad that...
โ†ป
Sono contento che capisca
Contentment
Ho paura che...
I'm afraid that...
โ†ป
Ho paura che sia troppo tardi
Fear
Sono sorpreso che...
I'm surprised that...
โ†ป
Sono sorpreso che lo sappia
Surprise
รˆ strano che...
It's strange that...
โ†ป
รˆ strano che non ci sia
Oddity
รˆ bello che...
It's nice that...
โ†ป
รˆ bello che vengano tutti
Appreciation
Temo che...
I fear that...
โ†ป
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"โ€”if I were you. "Prima che fosse troppo tardi"โ€”before it was too late. This is Milan boardroom Italian.

Advanced Patterns

Prima che...
Before...
โ†ป
Prima che sia troppo tardi
Time conjunction
Benchรฉ...
Although...
โ†ป
Benchรฉ sia difficile
Concession
Affinchรฉ...
So that...
โ†ป
Affinchรฉ tu capisca
Purpose
Senza che...
Without...
โ†ป
Senza che lo sappia
Exclusion
Se fossi...
If I were...
โ†ป
Se fossi in te
Hypothetical
Come se...
As if...
โ†ป
Come se fosse facile
Comparison
Magari...
If only...
โ†ป
Magari fosse vero!
Wish
Chiunque...
Whoever...
โ†ป
Chiunque sia
Indefinite
Milanese Excellence:
In Milan's professional world, subjunctive isn't optionalโ€”it'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 grammarโ€”it's the expression of sophisticated Italian thought. Come practice with me. We'll work through real scenarios until subjunctive becomes natural, not calculated.