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Additional uses of the subjunctive
In addition to its use in subordinate clauses, the subjunctive is used after impersonal expressions (followed by che) such as the ones below.
È meglio — It is better
Bisogna — It is necessary
È necessario — It is necessary
È giusto — It is right
È possibile — It is possible
È incredibile — It is incredible
The subjunctive is also used after such conjunctions as the following:
| As in the English:
“since,” “as,” “granted that,” “given that” |
benché dato che
quantunque posto che
sebbene caso mai (“in case”)
| As in the English “before” |
avanti che finché (“until,” referring to future)
| As in the English “unless” |
prima che eccetto che…non
purché (“provided that”) a meno che…non
| As in the English “so that”, “in order that” |
perché senza che (“without”)
acciocché
affinché
The subjunctive is sometimes used in a dependent clause following the relative superlative of an adjective or an equivalent expression such as il migliore (the best), il solo or l’unico (the only), il primo (the first), l’ultimo (the last), etc. The subjunctive is most likely to occur in sentences which involve a question of judgment or opinion, whether expressed or implied. The subjunctive is also used when there is doubt as to the existence or the attainability of a person or object sought.
VOCABULARY A
| accidente = incidente incident, |
adunarsi to assemble, to meet, to gather |
ciascuno each, each one |
colle (m.) hill |
| cura care |
destare to awaken, to arouse |
fanciulla young woman |
fonte (f.) source; spring |
| fuggire to flee |
infondere to infuse |
intreccio plot (of a play or event, story) |
miglio (pl., miglia) mile |
| non bisogna one must not | novella short story |
pochissimi/e very few | principe (m.) prince |
| quadro picture, painting |
razza race |
ritirarsi to retire |
schermo screen |
| tirare to draw, to pull |
VOCABULARY B
| allevare to bring up, to raise |
bosco wood, forest |
covare to sit on (eggs) |
nonostante notwithstanding, in spite of |
| raggiungimento attainment, achievement | ricorrere to resort (to), to have recourse (to) (irreg.) |
risuonare (also risonare) to resound, to echo |
rotondo round; sonorous, full (-toned) |
| scegliere to choose, to select (irreg.) |
sottoposto subjected | uovo (pl. f., uova) egg |