Pensavo che fosse: the imperfect subjunctive

Forms: imperfetto stem + -ssi

Start from the imperfetto, drop -vo, and add -ssi, -ssi, -sse, -ssimo, -ste, -ssero: parlavo → parlassi, prendevo → prendessi, partivo → partissi. The vowel of the infinitive stays: a for -are verbs, e for -ere, i for -ire.

Io and tu share a form, so add the subject when it isn’t clear: che tu parlassi. Verbs with -isc- lose it: finissi, capissi.

Voi has a single s (parlaste) and looks exactly like the passato remoto. The che in front tells you which one it is.

The few irregular verbs

Essere becomes fossi. Dare and stare swap their a for e: dessi, stessi. Fare, dire, bere and tradurre build on their imperfetto: facevo → facessi, dicevo → dicessi, bevevo → bevessi, traducevo → traducessi.

Many verbs that are irregular elsewhere are regular here: andassi, venissi, potessi, volessi, sapessi, uscissi. Watch the double s: dicessi is the subjunctive, dicesti is the passato remoto.

A past main verb

The triggers are the ones you know: opinions, wishes, feelings, doubt, and conjunctions like benché and prima che. What changes is the tense of the main verb. Present main verb → present subjunctive. Past main verb (imperfetto, passato prossimo or passato remoto) → imperfect subjunctive, for something happening at the same time.

If the action in the che clause came even earlier, you need the pluperfect subjunctive, which comes next.

After vorrei: a conditional main verb

A main verb in the conditional takes the imperfect subjunctive too, even when you mean now or the future: Vorrei che tu venissi domani. The same goes for preferirei che, mi piacerebbe che and sarebbe meglio che.

Vorrei che tu venga is one of the most common slips, even among Italians. Train your ear: vorrei pairs with venissi.

Wishes: magari and se solo

Magari or se solo + imperfect subjunctive makes a wish about something that isn’t true: Magari fosse vero! (If only it were true!), Se solo avessi più tempo!

With the indicative, magari simply means maybe: Magari passo da te stasera (Maybe I’ll drop by tonight). The mood tells you which one you’re hearing.

As if: come se

Come se (as if) takes the imperfect subjunctive whatever the tense of the main verb: Parla come se sapesse tutto, Parlava come se sapesse tutto. Unlike penso che, it never takes the present subjunctive. (For something earlier, it takes the pluperfect subjunctive, coming next.)

English often does the same with as if he knew or as if I were, so the pattern may feel familiar.

A first look at se + imperfect subjunctive

To imagine something unlikely or untrue, Italian uses se + imperfect subjunctive, then the conditional: Se avessi tempo, viaggerei (If I had time, I’d travel).

The conditional never goes in the se clause: se avrei is a classic mistake. You’ll study the whole system, including the past, in the topic on the periodo ipotetico.

Common mistakes

• Vorrei che tu venga.Vorrei che tu venissi.A conditional main verb takes the imperfect subjunctive, not the present.
• Pensavo che sia a casa.Pensavo che fosse a casa.A past main verb takes the imperfect subjunctive.
• Se avrei tempo, viaggerei.Se avessi tempo, viaggerei.The se clause never takes the conditional.
• Parla come se sa tutto.Parla come se sapesse tutto.Come se takes the imperfect subjunctive, even after a present.
• Speravo che tu stassi meglio.Speravo che tu stessi meglio.Stare and dare use e: stessi, dessi.
• Volevo che mi dicesti la verità.Volevo che mi dicessi la verità.Dicesti is the passato remoto; the subjunctive has a double s.
• Magari è vero! (if only)Magari fosse vero!For a wish, magari takes the imperfect subjunctive; with the indicative it means maybe.

The full table

Imperfetto stem + -ssi. Io and tu share a form. Use it after a past or conditional main verb.

Past or conditional main verb + che → imperfect subjunctive: pensavo che fosse, vorrei che venissi.

Magari and se solo + imperfect subjunctive = if only.

Come se takes it even after a present: parla come se sapesse tutto.

Se avessi tempo, viaggerei: the se clause never takes the conditional.