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Imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive

The endings of the imperfect subjunctive are the same for all verbs. They are —ssi, —ssi, —sse, —ssimo, —ste, —ssero. In all regular and most irregular verbs, these endings are added to the infinitive after dropping the final –re.

parlare              avere             finire            potere

parlassi             avessi            finissi           potessi

parlassi             avessi            finissi           potessi

parlasse            avesse           finisse          potesse

parlassimo       avessimo       finissimo     potessimo

parlaste            aveste            finiste           poteste

parlassero        avessero        finissero      potessero

In a few irregular verbs the stem is irregular. The most important ones are listed below.

essere            fare               dire                stare

fossi             facessi           dicessi            stessi

fossi             facessi           dicessi            stessi

fosse            facesse          dicesse           stesse

fossimo       facessimo      dicessimo      stessimo

foste            faceste           diceste           steste

fossero        facessero       dicessero      stessero

The pluperfect subjunctive consists of the imperfect subjunctive of the auxiliary (avere or essere) plus the past participle of the main verb (avessi parlato, fossi partito, etc.)

The literal meaning of the imperfect subjunctive is “might” plus the meaning of the verb (ch’egli fosse — “that he might be”); and that of the pluperfect subjunctive is “might have” plus the meaning of the past participle of the main verb (che io avessi trovato — “that I might have found”; che tu fossi partito — “that you might have left”). Note that the words “might” and “might have,” while implied, are usually not made explicit in the translation:

Credevo ch’egli fosse partito. — I thought (believed) he had left.

In general, the imperfect subjunctive and the pluperfect subjunctive are used, like the present subjunctive and the present perfect subjunctive, in subordinate clauses introduced by che after expressions of doubt, emotion, uncertainty, etc.

The main difference between these four tenses is one of sequence of tenses. A main verb in the present, future, or imperative takes a verb in the present or present perfect subjunctive in the subordinate clause. A main verb in a past tense or in the conditional takes a verb in the imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive in the subordinate clause. A main verb in the present perfect may, however, take either the present or the imperfect subjunctive in the dependent clause, depending on the meaning.

Examine, for example:

Sono contento ch’egli lo faccia. — I am glad (that) he is doing it (will do it).

Sono contenta ch’egli l’abbia fatto. — I am glad (that) he did it.

Credevo ch’egli giocasse. — I thought (that) he was playing.

Credevo ch’egli avesse giocato. — I thought (that) he had played.

Ho ordinato ch’egli parta. — I have ordered him to leave. (=now)

Ho ordinato ch’egli partisse. — I ordered him to leave. (=then)

VOCABULARY A

VOCABULARY B

VOCABULARY C