Language/Italian/Grammar/Present-Subjunctive

◀️ Italian Contemporary Art — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Imperative Form ▶️

Italian Grammar - Subjunctive and Imperative Moods > Present Subjunctive

The present subjunctive is a mood, that is, a grammatical feature of the Italian language that allows the speaker to express a range of attitudes towards what is being said. The present subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses to express necessity, possibility, doubt or uncertainty, and emotion. It is therefore an important tool for speakers of Italian who wish to express themselves with precision and nuance. In this lesson, you will learn how to form and use the present subjunctive in Italian.

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Definite Articles in Italian & Accents.

Formation

To form the present subjunctive, you add the appropriate endings to the stem of the verb. The stem is obtained by removing the -are, -ere or -ire ending from the infinitive form of the verb. Here are the endings for each conjugation:

• Verbs ending in -are:

Pronoun	Ending
io	-i
tu	-i
egli/ella	-i
noi	-iamo
voi	-iate
essi/esse	-ino

• Verbs ending in -ere and -ire:

Pronoun	Ending
io	-a
tu	-a
egli/ella	-a
noi	-iamo
voi	-iate
essi/esse	-ano

Here are some examples:

• For the verb "parlare" (to speak):

Italian	Pronunciation	English
che io parli	ké io pàrli	that I speak
che tu parli	ké tu pàrli	that you speak
che egli/ella parli	ké èlli/élla pàrli	that he/she speaks
che noi parliamo	ké nòi parlìamo	that we speak
che voi parliate	ké voi parlìate	that you (plural) speak
che essi/esse parlino	ké èssi/èsse parlìno	that they speak

• For the verb "aprire" (to open):

Italian	Pronunciation	English
che io apra	ké io àpra	that I open
che tu apra	ké tu àpra	that you open
che egli/ella apra	ké èlli/élla àpra	that he/she opens
che noi apriamo	ké nòi aprìamo	that we open
che voi aprite	ké voi aprìte	that you (plural) open
che essi/esse aprano	ké èssi/èsse àprano	that they open

Uses

The present subjunctive is used after certain conjunctions, such as "che" (that), "senza che" (without), "a meno che" (unless), "prima che" (before), "dopo che" (after), "purche" (provided that), "benché" (although), "sebbene" (although), "affinché" (so that), and "perché" (that, so that).

Here are some examples:

• Che io parli italiano.

(That I speak Italian.)

• Prima che tu parta.

(Before you leave.)

• Dopo che egli mangi.

(After he eats.)

In addition, the present subjunctive is used in various idiomatic expressions, such as "bisogna che" (it's necessary that), "è meglio che" (it's better that), "è importante che" (it's important that), "credo che" (I believe that), and "penso che" (I think that).

Here are some examples:

• Bisogna che noi studiamo.

(It's necessary that we study.)

• È meglio che voi partiate.

(It's better that you (plural) leave.)

• È importante che loro capiscano.

(It's important that they understand.)

Irregular forms

There are a few verbs that are irregular in the present subjunctive. Some of the most common ones are:

• Essere (to be):

Pronoun	Ending
io	sia
tu	sia
egli/ella	sia
noi	siamo
voi	siate
essi/esse	siano

• Avere (to have):

Pronoun	Ending
io	abbia
tu	abbia
egli/ella	abbia
noi	abbiamo
voi	abbiate
essi/esse	abbiano

• Dovere (to have to):

Pronoun	Ending
io	debba
tu	debba
egli/ella	debba
noi	dobbiamo
voi	dobbiate
essi/esse	debbano

• Potere (to be able to):

Pronoun	Ending
io	possa
tu	possa
egli/ella	possa
noi	possiamo
voi	possiate
essi/esse	possano

• Venire (to come):

Pronoun	Ending
io	venga
tu	venga
egli/ella	venga
noi	veniamo
voi	veniate
essi/esse	vengano

Exercises

• Translate the following sentences into Italian, using the present subjunctive:

1. I hope that she comes.
2. It's necessary that they study.
3. Unless you eat, you will be hungry.
4. We doubt that he knows how to swim.
5. It's important that you (formal) understand.

Sources

• Understanding the Italian Present Subjunctive Tense
• How do you form the present subjunctive in Italian? - Grammar
• The Infamous Italian Subjunctive: A User's Manual | FluentU Italian

Table of Contents - Italian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

Introduction to Italian Language

• Italian Alphabet
• Nouns and Articles
• Present Tense of Regular Verbs
• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Present Tense of Irregular Verbs

  ---

Daily Life Expressions

• Greetings and Introductions
• Foods and Drinks
• Transportation
• Numbers and Dates

  ---

Italian Culture and Tradition

• Italian Regions and Cities
• Italian Cuisine and Wine
• Italian Art and Music
• Italian Festivals and Celebrations

  ---

Past and Future Tenses

• Passato Prossimo
• Futuro Semplice
• Imperfect Tense
• Condizionale Presente

  ---

Social and Work Life

• Family and Relationships
• Work and Employment
• Shopping and Services
• Tourism and Hospitality

  ---

Italian Literature and Cinema

• Famous Italian Writers and Poets
• Italian Cinema Industry
• Italian Contemporary Art

  ---

Subjunctive and Imperative Moods

• Present Subjunctive
• Imperative Form
• Simple Past Subjunctive
• Conditional Subjunctive

  ---

Science and Technology

• Computer and Technology
• Science and Research
• Environment and Ecology

  ---

Italian Politics and Society

• Contemporary Italian Politics
• Italian Society and Customs
• Religion and Believes

  ---

Compound Tenses

• Trapassato Prossimo
• Trapassato Remoto
• Futuro Anteriore
• Congiuntivo Passato

  ---

Arts and Design

• Fashion and Design
• Music and Performing Arts
• Visual Arts

  ---

Italian Language and Dialects

• Italian Language Variations
• Italian Language in the World
• Italian Language as a Second Language

Other Lessons

• Past Tense
• Nouns and Articles
• Accents
• Condizionale Presente
• Plural
• Future Tense
• Conditional Mood
• Negation
• Plurals
• Past Participle in Italian

Videos

Learn Italian Ep.31 - Present Subjunctive - YouTube

◀️ Italian Contemporary Art — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Imperative Form ▶️