C2 · The subjunctive (congiuntivo)
The congiuntivo in a main clause
With no verb to trigger it, the congiuntivo carries commands, wishes and reservations on its own.
At a glance
- Remember
- Commands, wishes and reservations carry the congiuntivo even on their own.
- Form
- che entri purelet him come in
- Signal words
- che entri
- che io sappia
- fosse vero
- sia come sia
- viva
- Trap
- Wrong:Che io so, il museo è chiuso il lunedì.Right:Che io sappia, il museo è chiuso il lunedì.
Your turn
5 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.
The form
The forms and what they mean
Each row gives the meaning first, then the form in Italian.
| let him come in | che entri pure |
| nobody move | che nessuno si muova |
| if only it were true | fosse vero |
| if only I had known | avessi saputo |
| long live the bride and groom | viva gli sposi |
| as far as I know | che io sappia |
| could he have left already? | che sia già partito? |
| be that as it may | sia come sia |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
che plus congiuntivo tells a third person what to do.
Che aspettino fuori, per favore.They should wait outside, please.
The imperfetto and trapassato on their own express a wish.
Avessi più tempo!If only I had more time!
che io sappia qualifies a statement.
Che io sappia, il museo è aperto anche il lunedì.As far as I know, the museum is open on Mondays too.
che plus congiuntivo as a question voices a guess.
Che abbia perso il telefono?Could he have lost his phone?
Example sentences
Fosse vero! Sarebbe una bella notizia.If only that were true! It would be good news.
Che vengano pure, c’è posto per tutti.Let them come, there is room for everybody.
Avessi saputo prima!If only I had known earlier!
Sia come sia, domani si parte.Be that as it may, we are leaving tomorrow.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Che io sappia looks like a subordinate clause with no main clause, and English as far as I know is a plain indicative. Carry that over and you get che io so — which does not exist. The formula is fixed, and its verb is in the congiuntivo. The same goes for che io ricordi, never che io ricordo.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
The congiuntivo belongs to subordinate clauses. A small number of main clauses carry it all the same — with no verb in front to trigger it. They lean towards formal Italian, but live on in fixed phrases in everyday speech too. English has the same relics: God save the King, so be it, be that as it may.
A command to a third person, usually with che: Che entri pure! — let him come in!; Che nessuno si muova! — nobody move! The polite command with Lei is the same congiuntivo without che: Entri pure.
A wish: besides magari with the congiuntivo there is the shortest form with no introduction at all — Fosse vero!, if only it were true!, Avessi saputo!, if only I had known! — and fixed formulas in the presente: Viva gli sposi!, Così sia, Sia lodato il cielo.
Reservation and conjecture: Che io sappia — as far as I know; che io ricordi — as far as I remember; Che sia già partito? — could he have left already?, a guess put as a question. And concessive: Sia come sia, be that as it may.
How well do you know this topic?
This is filled in automatically after you practise. You can change it here at any time.
Next on the path: 133 · Register: officialese and conversationBack to the learning path