B1 Italian GrammarSubjunctive II (Konjunktiv II)
Master the Italian conditional mood for expressing hypothetical situations, wishes, and polite requests. Learn to form and use the condizionale presente and passato, understand se-clauses, and express politeness in Italian conversation.
1Forming the Conditional Present
The condizionale presente is formed by adding conditional endings to the future stem. For -are verbs: drop -e, add -ei, -esti, -ebbe, -emmo, -este, -ebbero. For -ere/-ire: same endings. Irregular futures have the same stems in conditional.
Conditional Formation
| Infinitive | Stem | Conditional |
|---|---|---|
| parlare | parler- | parlerei |
| prendere | prender- | prenderei |
| dormire | dormir- | dormirei |
| essere | sar- | sarei |
Examples
Vorrei un caffè, per favore.
I would like a coffee, please.
polite request with volere
Sarebbe bello vederti.
It would be nice to see you.
essere in conditional
Potrebbe aiutarmi?
Could you help me?
polite question with potere
Verremmo volentieri.
We would gladly come.
venire irregular stem
2Conditional Sentences (Periodo Ipotetico)
Italian has three types of conditional sentences. Type 2 (hypothetical present): se + imperfetto congiuntivo → condizionale presente. Type 3 (hypothetical past): se + trapassato congiuntivo → condizionale passato. The subjunctive is required in the se-clause.
Conditional Sentence Types
| Type | Se-Clause | Main Clause |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (real) | se + presente | presente/futuro |
| 2 (unreal present) | se + imperfetto cong. | condizionale presente |
| 3 (unreal past) | se + trapassato cong. | condizionale passato |
Examples
Se fossi ricco, viaggerei ovunque.
If I were rich, I would travel everywhere.
type 2: impf congiuntivo + cond
Se avessi saputo, avrei aiutato.
If I had known, I would have helped.
type 3: trapas cong + cond passato
Se venisse, saremmo contenti.
If he/she came, we would be happy.
hypothetical present
Cosa faresti se vincessi alla lotteria?
What would you do if you won the lottery?
hypothetical question
3Conditional Past
The condizionale passato expresses what would have happened. Form it with conditional of avere/essere + past participle. Use it for past hypotheticals, regrets, and unfulfilled intentions. It pairs with trapassato congiuntivo in se-clauses.
Conditional Past Formation
| Subject | With avere | With essere |
|---|---|---|
| io | avrei parlato | sarei andato/a |
| tu | avresti parlato | saresti andato/a |
| lui/lei | avrebbe parlato | sarebbe andato/a |
| noi | avremmo parlato | saremmo andati/e |
Examples
Avrei voluto vederti.
I would have wanted to see you.
unfulfilled wish
Sarebbe venuta se possibile.
She would have come if possible.
conditional past with essere
Avremmo dovuto partire prima.
We should have left earlier.
dovere in conditional past
Non l'avrebbe mai fatto.
He would never have done it.
negative conditional past
4Polite Expressions and Wishes
The conditional makes requests more polite in Italian. Use it with volere, potere, dovere for courteous speech. Magari + imperfetto/trapassato expresses strong wishes. The conditional also expresses future in the past and reported information.
Polite Conditional Uses
| Direct | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|
| Voglio... | Vorrei... | I would like... |
| Può...? | Potrebbe...? | Could you...? |
| Devi... | Dovresti... | You should... |
| È possibile | Sarebbe possibile | Would it be possible |
Examples
Potrebbe ripetere, per favore?
Could you repeat, please?
polite request
Vorrei prenotare un tavolo.
I would like to book a table.
polite wish
Dovresti chiamare tua madre.
You should call your mother.
polite advice
Magari potessi andare!
If only I could go!
strong wish with magari