Auxiliary verbs used in reflexive forms

When using reflexive forms with compound tenses, also transitive verbs (which would generally require verb avere) use verb essere.

sentire = to feel (sensitivity) sentirsi = to feel (state of health or mood), or to keep in touch, to hear each other ho sentito caldo = I heard a noise mi sono sentito male = felt sick

You can easily notice how the first example uses verb avere (ho sentito), while the second sentence uses essere (sono sentito) because introduced by reflexive pronoun mi. Other examples:

prendere = to take prendersi = to have (food, drinks) or to catch (a disease) avevano preso un martello = they had taken a hammer si erano presi la polmonite = they had caught pneumonia credere = to believe credersi = to think to be avevate creduto alle sue parole = you had believed his words vi eravate credute ricche = you (feminine plural) had thought you were rich

Notice how also in these cases past participle behaves according to the general rule, by which participle is gender- and number-insensitive when following verb avere, while it has to match the subject's gender and number when following verb essere. Since intransitive verbs cannot have a direct object, it is not possible to mistake an intransitive verb for a reflexive form (in which the subject and the object are the same person). In any case, the latter would always introduce essere by using a reflexive pronoun.

i nostri amici erano usciti = our friends had gone out i nostri amici si erano sentiti = our friends had heard each other i nostri amici erano tornati = our friends had returned i nostri amici si erano allontanati = our friends had gone away

Sentence nos.1 and 3 use essere because the main verb is intransitive, while sentences nos.2 and 4 use essere because they are reflexive forms (notice the relevant pronoun si).

9.1 SUBJUNCTIVE BASIC CONCEPTS AND PRESENT TENSE

i-9-2.htmli -9-2.html

Subjunctive tenses are not easy to master for English speakers, simply because it is difficult to tell when these tenses are required. Subjunctive does not exist in English, with the only exception of the past tense used for the 1st singular person (if I were you). Italian subjunctive has four tenses:

• PRESENTE (present)

• IMPERFETTO (past) these are simple tenses, with their own inflections;

• PASSATO (pefect)

• TRAPASSATO (pluperfect) these are compound tenses, respectively made of present subjunctive + past participle, and past subjunctive + past participle.

Subjunctive expresses several concepts; therefore, it is not left as a free choice, but has to be used when required:

• uncertainty, doubt, possibility

he doubts that you are here it is better that she returns I'm not sure that he can make it

• whishing, hoping, thought

I thought that they might come we hope that you may leave they didn't imagine that he would leave

• demanding

I order that you come back he wants you to go (in Italian this would be "he wants that you go")

• joy, sorrow, surprise, fear

I'm happy that you phoned me they regret that you could not come I'm surprised that she is there

• denying

I deny that this is true they denied that they were there he denied that they might have come

One element in common for all these categories is that subjunctive is always used in subordinate clauses, introduced by a conjunction (more often that). In Italian, conjunction that is translated che. When a subordinate clause expressing any of the above mentioned concepts is introduced by che, a subjunctive tense is needed. This conjunction has also a number of compounds, which may introduce similar clauses, each of which requiring subjunctive:

affinché = so that I will return so that you may leave benché = although he left for Paris, although he had no money perché = in order that or in order for (notice that perché may also mean why and because) I came back in order for you to see me purché = provided that you can enter, provided that you wear a tie a meno che = unless we will leave, unless it rains prima che = before look at this before he comes sebbene = although (same as benché) although he was ill, he came here nonostante = despite or notwithstanding (same as benché) the day was dull, despite the sunshine

Do you think subjunctive is complicated? Don't worry, it's not only your impression: some Italians too find the use of these tenses difficult to master. For this reason, some people simply do not use subjunctive. For the same reason, the correct use of these tenses is considered the real passport of fluent Italian speakers. To use an indicative tense (or any other tense) when subjunctive is required, would not cause a misunderstanding of the sentence, but it would surely sound wrong. Paragraphs from 9.1 to 9.4 will discuss the basic use of subjunctive, while more difficult or particular cases will be dealt with at a further stage. Tables will show three verbs, each belonging to a different conjugation: lavare = (1st, to wash), prèndere (2nd, to take), and aprire (3rd, to open). Although the use of subjunctive is difficult, compared to indicative tenses a semplification is that all singular persons have the same inflection.