Il Congiuntivo (Subjunctive)
The subjunctive (Il Congiuntivo) is a mood used to express subjectivity, doubt, emotion, opinions, and hypotheses. It is the hallmark of fluent, advanced Italian.
💡 Explain Like I'm 5
While normal tenses state facts, the subjunctive expresses feelings, doubts, or opinions. It's the mood of uncertainty: stating what you think, hope, or fear is happening, rather than what is objectively true.
When to Use It
Opinions & Beliefs: Credo che sia vero. (I believe that it is true.)
Hopes & Desires: Spero che tu venga. (I hope that you come.)
Emotions & Feelings: Sono felice che voi siate qui. (I am happy that you all are here.)
Doubts & Uncertainty: Non sono sicuro che lui legga molto. (I am not sure that he reads a lot.)
The 'Che' Trigger
The subjunctive is almost always introduced by the conjunction **che** (that). It typically appears in a subordinate clause, when there are two different subjects in the sentence.
Regular Verbs (Present Subjunctive)
To form the present subjunctive of regular verbs, drop the infinitive ending and add the appropriate subjunctive endings. Notice that all singular forms (io, tu, lui/lei) are identical!
| Pronoun | -are (parlare) | -ere (credere) | -ire (dormire) |
|---|---|---|---|
| io | parli | creda | dorma |
| tu | parli | creda | dorma |
| lui/lei | parli | creda | dorma |
| noi | parliamo | crediamo | dormiamo |
| voi | parliate | crediate | dormiate |
| loro | parlino | credano | dormano |
Common Irregular Verbs
Because the singular forms are identical, we often use subject pronouns (io, tu, lui/lei) in front of irregular subjunctive verbs to clarify who is doing the action.
| Infinitive | io / tu / lui, lei | noi | voi | loro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| essere (to be) | sia | siamo | siate | siano |
| avere (to have) | abbia | abbiamo | abbiate | abbiano |
| andare (to go) | vada | andiamo | andiate | vadano |
| fare (to do) | faccia | facciamo | facciate | facciano |
| sapere (to know) | sappia | sappiamo | sappiate | sappiano |
Tips for Learning
If there's only one subject (I think that I will go), use the infinitive instead of the subjunctive: Penso di andare (I think to go).
The words 'Penso che...' (I think that) and 'Credo che...' (I believe that) ALWAYS trigger the subjunctive.
Because the singular forms (io, tu, lui/lei) are identical, Italians use the pronouns 'io', 'tu', 'lui', or 'lei' much more often in subjunctive sentences to avoid confusion.