A subordinate clause, called proposizione subordinata in Italian, is a part of a sentence that depends on another part, called the main clause (proposizione principale). The main clause expresses the central idea, while the subordinate clause adds information that helps explain or complete it. Subordinate clauses allow us to connect ideas in a single sentence instead of using several short, separate sentences. At the A1 level, the most useful ones express reasons, time, conditions, or simple information about people and things. Learning to recognize a few common connecting words makes these sentences much easier to understand.
Subordinate Clauses That Explain Reasons and Time
One of the easiest subordinate clauses to recognize is introduced by perché (because). It explains the reason for an action or situation and answers the question why? For example, in Resto a casa perché piove (I'm staying home because it's raining), resto a casa is the main clause, while perché piove is the subordinate clause. The second part explains why the person is staying home. In simple sentences like this, the word order is similar to English, and the verbs use the present indicative. The subordinate clause introduced by perché normally follows the main clause in this type of sentence, making the connection between the action and its reason easy to understand.
Another common type expresses time, telling us when something happens. The word quando (when) introduces a clause that connects two actions or situations in time. For example, Mangio quando ho fame means I eat when I'm hungry. The main clause describes the action, while the subordinate clause explains when it happens. A time clause can also come before the main clause without changing the basic meaning. In simple present-tense sentences, this construction uses the present indicative and does not require a special verb form.
Resto a casa perché piove. — I'm staying home because it's raining.
Mangio quando ho fame. — I eat when I'm hungry.
Clauses That Add Information, Complete Ideas, or Express Conditions
Another common type of subordinate clause gives more information about a person or thing. This is called a relative clause, or proposizione relativa. In simple Italian sentences, it is often introduced by che (who, that, or which). For example, La ragazza che parla italiano è Maria means The girl who speaks Italian is Maria. The clause che parla italiano tells us which girl we are talking about. Unlike English, where we can use different words such as who, that, and which, Italian commonly uses che for both people and things. The word che does not change according to gender or number, making it especially useful for beginners.
Subordinate clauses can also complete the meaning of a verb, especially after verbs such as sapere (to know) and dire (to say). These clauses are often introduced by che, which means that in this context. For example, So che Maria è a casa means I know that Maria is home. The main clause, so (I know), introduces the idea, while che Maria è a casa tells us what the speaker knows. In English, that can often be omitted, but after verbs such as sapere and dire, Italian normally keeps che when introducing this type of clause. It is important to recognize that che can have different functions: in a relative clause, it refers to a person or thing, while in a clause that completes a verb, it simply connects the two parts of the sentence.
La ragazza che parla italiano è Maria. — The girl who speaks Italian is Maria.
So che Maria è a casa. — I know that Maria is home.
A final useful pattern is introduced by se (if), which expresses a condition. For example, Se piove, resto a casa means If it rains, I'll stay home. The subordinate clause presents a possible situation, while the main clause tells us what happens in that situation. In simple sentences about possible future situations, Italian can use the present indicative in both clauses, while English often uses will in the main clause. More complex conditional sentences follow other rules, but beginners only need to recognize this basic pattern.
Se piove, resto a casa. — If it rains, I'll stay home.
Summary of Common Subordinate Clauses
| Type of clause | Main function | Common introductory word | Example |
| Reason | Explains why something happens | perché (because) | Studio perché mi piace. — I study because I like it. |
| Time | Explains when something happens | quando (when) | Esco quando finisco. — I go out when I finish. |
| Relative | Gives information about a person or thing | che (who, that, which) | Il ragazzo che studia è Luca. — The boy who is studying is Luca. |
| Completing a verb | Adds information needed to complete an idea | che (that) | So che sei qui. — I know you're here. |
| Condition | Expresses a possible situation | se (if) | Se ho tempo, vengo. — If I have time, I'll come. |