Common Uses of the Subjunctive
The subjunctive, called congiuntivo in Italian, is a verb form often used to express opinions, doubts, wishes, and feelings. Unlike the indicative, which is commonly used to present information as a fact, the subjunctive often appears when someone expresses a personal judgment or an uncertain idea. In English, the difference between the indicative and the subjunctive is often not visible in the translation, so it is important to recognize how Italian uses these forms. At the A1 level, the main goal is to recognize the present subjunctive, called congiuntivo presente, and understand a few common expressions that use it.
The subjunctive often appears after che (that) when the first part of the sentence expresses an opinion, hope, or possibility. For example, penso che (I think that) and credo che (I believe that) are normally followed by the subjunctive in affirmative sentences in standard Italian. Expressions such as spero che (I hope that) and è possibile che (it is possible that) also commonly introduce the subjunctive. In these sentences, the verb after che takes a subjunctive form because of the meaning of the expression before it. The word che alone does not require the subjunctive, and not every sentence containing che uses it. For beginners, the most practical approach is to learn a few common expressions together with the subjunctive forms that follow them, rather than trying to memorize every possible rule.
Penso che Maria sia a casa. — I think Maria is home.
Spero che tu abbia tempo. — I hope you have time.
È possibile che Marco sia malato. — It is possible that Marco is sick.
Forming the Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive has different endings from the present indicative. For regular -are verbs, the singular forms end in -i, while regular -ere and -ire verbs use -a in the singular. For example, parlare gives parli, prendere gives prenda, and dormire gives dorma. In each group, the same form is used for io (I), tu (you), and lui/lei (he/she). These patterns are useful for recognizing the subjunctive in simple sentences, even before learning to use every form actively. Other forms exist for plural subjects, but at the A1 level, recognizing these common singular forms is a useful starting point.
Spero che tu parli italiano. — I hope you speak Italian.
Penso che Marco prenda il treno. — I think Marco takes the train.
Spero che Maria dorma bene. — I hope Maria sleeps well.
Some very common verbs have irregular subjunctive forms. The most important are essere (to be), with sia, and avere (to have), with abbia. Like the regular forms described above, sia and abbia are used for all three singular persons: io, tu, and lui/lei. These forms are frequently used after expressions such as penso che and spero che, and they are especially useful in everyday conversation. Other irregular verbs exist, but for A1 students, recognizing sia and abbia is a useful first step.
Summary of the Present Subjunctive
| Verb group or type | Main rule | Basic singular form | Example |
| -are verbs | Singular forms end in -i | parli | Penso che parli italiano. — I think he speaks Italian. |
| -ere verbs | Singular forms end in -a | prenda | Credo che prenda il treno. — I think he takes the train. |
| -ire verbs | Singular forms end in -a | dorma | Penso che dorma. — I think he is sleeping. |
| Essere | Irregular present subjunctive | sia | Credo che sia pronto. — I think he is ready. |
| Avere | Irregular present subjunctive | abbia | Penso che abbia fame. — I think he is hungry. |