singular plural
--- 1st conjugation ---
1st person (che io) lavi (that) I wash (che noi) laviamo (that) we wash 2nd person (che tu) lavi (that) you wash (sing.) (che voi) laviate (that) you wash (plur.) 3rd person (che egli / ella) lavi (that) he/she washes (che essi / esse) lavino (that) they wash
--- 2nd conjugation ---
1st person (che io) prenda (that) I take (che noi) prendiamo (that) we take 2nd person (che tu) prenda (that) you take (sing.) (che voi) prendiate (that) you take (plur.) 3rd person (che egli / ella) prenda (that) he/she take (che essi / esse) prendano (that) they take
--- 3rd conjugation ---
1st person (che io) apra (that) I open (che noi) apriamo (that) we open 2nd person (che tu) apra (that) you open (sing.) (che voi) apriate (that) you open (plur.) 3rd person (che egli / ella) apra (that) he/she opens (che essi / esse) aprano (that) they open
All the inflections of the third plural person carries the stress on the antipenultimate syllable (àprano,
prèndano, làvino), as the corresponding indicative ones do (àprono, prèndono, làvano). credo che lavino il cane molto spesso = I think that they wash the dog very often
spero che prenda la giusta decisione = I hope that he / she takes (= will take) the right decision pensiamo che il negozio apra alle 8:00 = we think that the shop opens at 8 o'clock
sebbene prendano il treno, arrivano sempre tardi = although they take the train, they always arrive late spero che la banca apra prima che voi prendiate il denaro da casa = I hope that the bank opens before
you take the money from home
SUBJUNCTIVE IN SENTENCES WITH A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE
Sometimes, sentences that in Italian contain the conjunction che and require a subjunctive tense, in English may have a different structure, thus may be less easy to tell.
A first case is when the verb of the primary sentence is to want, used in the following pattern: to want somebody / something to.... (verb)
which in Italian turns into
to want that somebody / something.... (verb)
For instance: the boy wants the dog to sit, in Italian turns into the boy wants that the dog sits, in which sits will be subjunctive. These are a few more examples, in which the verb in red colour shows where
subjunctive should be used:
the teacher wants you to come = [Italian form] the teacher wants that you come I want the car to be ready = [Italian form] I want that the car is ready
his mother wants him to return = [Italian form] his mother wants that he returns
they want you not to remain there = [Italian form] they want that you do not remain there
This change specifically concerns the verb volere (to want), NOT others (e.g. I asked you to stay; they helped us to carry the luggage; we put him to sleep; etc. do not require subjunctive)
Since volere is an irregular verb, its full conjugation will be shown in a further paragraph, but for the time being it is useful to become confident with its present indicative tense, in order to start practicing this structure in exercises.
VOLERE (to want)
PRESENT INDICATIVE
singular plural
1st person (io) voglio I want (noi) vogliamo we want 2nd person (tu) vuoi you want (sing.) (voi) volete you want (pl.) 3rd person (egli / ella) vuole he/she wants (essi / esse) vogliono they want
Here are a few sample sentences:
voglio che tu insista = I want you to insist (literally: I want that you insist)
vogliamo che i nostri amici tornino presto = we want our friends to come back soon vuole che vi divertiate = he / she wants you to have fun
vuoi che la tavola sia pronta per le otto? = do you want the table to be ready by eight o'clock?
Another difference in structure occurs when the primary sentence is impersonal (e.g. it is good..., it is right..., it is useless..., etc.): in such case, in English often makes use of the preposition for: it is wise for him to read books; it is good for the student to rehearse the lesson; it is good for wine to be stored in a cellar; etc.
Therefore, this structure is: for + (subject of the subordinate sentence) + infinitive. This does not exist in Italian, which uses a different structure: che + subjunctive. To understand how this is obtained, we must split the example into its two parts.
it is wise for him to read books
he reads books it is wise for him it is good for wine to be stored in a cellar
wine is stored in a cellar it is good for it
So the Italian way of turning these sentences is: it is wise that he reads books and it is good that wine is stored in a cellar (the verbs requiring subjunctive are in red)
These are a few more examples in which the Italian structure uses the conjunction that, and the following verb requires a subjunctive tense (shown in red):
it is bad for him to smoke = [Italian form] it is bad that he smokes
it is better for the shop to stay open = [Italian form] it is better that the shop stays open it is customary for me to work at night = [Italian form] it is customary that I work at night it is good for the flowers to be watered = [Italian form] it is good that the flowers are watered it is dangerous for us to remain there = [Italian form] it is dangerous that we remain there
The student should practice these changes until fully confident: turning similar sentences into the Italian form before translating them is a good exercise for telling where subjunctive tenses have to be used.
Obviously, not all sentences that start with it is (adjective) for... are impersonal ones, in which the conjunction that may replace the preposition for:
it is better for us to go = [Italian form] it is better that we go
it is famous for what happened here = "it" refers to a city or a site, that cannot be used it is difficult for you to take a train = [Italian form] it is difficult that you take a train it is handy for mending things = "it" refers to some kind of tool, that cannot be used
it is sad for them not to come = [Italian form] it is sad that they don't come it is amusing for both adults and children = "it" refers to a game, a show, etc.
it is important for both adults and children to read the instructions = [Italian form] it is important that both adults and children read the instructions
If that cannot replace for, there is no need to use subjunctive: indicative tenses will be used (as in English).
However, the presence of the conjunction that is still not enough for requiring a subjunctive tense, which has to be used only when the verb has one of aforesaid shades of meaning (uncertainty, opinions, wishes, demand, personal feelings and denying). In the following sentences the verbs in red are the ones that require subjunctive. All the others are translated with indicative tenses:
it is useless for you to come = [Italian form] it is useless that you come subjunctive (you may still decide whether to come or not)
he knew that you were sleeping indicative (it is a fact that you were sleeping)
this is useless for us indicative (that cannot replace for, there is no subordinate clause) he denied that we had been there subjunctive (is is a denial)
knowing that she was there, he too came indicative (it is a fact that she was there) I think that this may be of some help subjunctive (it is a personal opinion)
we hope that you will have a good time subjunctive (it is a wish)
they noticed that she was not there indicative (it is a fact that she was not there)
they wanted him to stay = [Italian form] they wanted that he stayed subjunctive (it is a command) Sometimes the threshold between the meanings that require subjunctive and other meanings is faint: I believe that this happened subjunctive (it is a personal opinion)
I know that this happened indicative (it is an actual fact)
I suspect that this happened subjunctive (it is a personal opinion) I deduce that this happened indicative (it is an actual fact)
I think that this happened in this case, it may be either of the two, depending on the context: I think that this happened, but I'm not sure subjunctive (it is a personal opinion)
I think that this happened because nobody was there indicative (it is an actual fact)
(in the latter case, subjunctive is sometimes used, although indicative would be more appropriate)
Therefore, particular care should be taken in telling which sentence requires a subjunctive tense and which does not, before attempting the translation (the first exercise of this paragraph specifically deals with this). Only practice and experience will avoid having to think every time whether subjunctive is needed or not.
THE USE OF PERSONAL PRONOUNS WITH SUBJUNCTIVE
Since the three singular persons have the same inflection, personal pronouns are very often added, not to mistake whom the verb refers to. For instance, the sentence è meglio che prenda l'autobus is not very clear, because according to the person it refers to it may have four different meanings:
è meglio che io prenda l'autobus = it is better for me to take the bus
è meglio che tu prenda l'autobus = it is better for you to take the bus
è meglio che egli prenda l'autobus = it is better for him to take the bus
è meglio che ella prenda l'autobus = it is better for her to take the bus
Therefore, the use of personal pronouns with subjunctive is much more common than with indicative tenses, especially for singular persons.
But when the subject is clearly understood from the context, there is no real need to use them:
(io) sono stanco, è meglio che prenda l'autobus = I'm tired, it is better (for me) to take the bus (tu) sei stanco, è meglio che prenda l'autobus = you are tired, it is better (for you) to take the bus
and so on.
This is also the case of conditional sentences, dealt with in chapter 13, in which the subjunctive tense is followed by the conditional one: the latter makes clear whom the verb refers to, without the use of a pronoun.
Since subjunctive does not have any future tense, it is never used when the sentence specifically contains this tense. These are the same examples shown before, with both present and future tenses: only the former take subjunctive.
credo che lavino il cane molto spesso = I think that they wash the dog very often (subjunctive) credo che laveranno il cane molto spesso = I think that they will wash the dog very often (indicative) pensiamo che il negozio apra alle otto = we think that the shop opens at 8 o'clock
pensiamo che il negozio aprirà alle otto = we think that the shop will open at 8 o'clock
However, remember that in colloquial language it is common to use a present tense for a future action happening very close in time (e.g. later during the day, tomorrow, within the week, etc.), whereas in English the future tense is normally used. In these cases, subjunctive will be used for the present tense.
spero che verrete presto = I hope you will come soon spero che veniate presto (colloquial)
crede che le scorte non basteranno fino a domani = he/she thinks that the provisions won't last until
tomorrow
crede che le scorte non bastino fino a domani (colloquial)
pensiamo che presto il tempo cambierà = we believe that soon the weather will change
pensiamo che presto il tempo cambi (colloquial)