Imperfect Subjunctive in Italian

Overview

The congiuntivo imperfetto (imperfect subjunctive) is a key B2-level verb form that opens the door to expressing hypothetical situations, wishes, and polite requests in Italian. While the present subjunctive handles current doubts and desires, the imperfect subjunctive moves these into the realm of the unreal, the unlikely, or the past — "If I were rich...", "I wish he knew...", "as if it were easy..."

This tense is formed with distinctive endings: -assi, -essi, -issi depending on the verb conjugation. It appears most famously in periodo ipotetico della possibilità (type 2 conditionals) paired with the present conditional, but also after expressions of wish, doubt, or emotion when the main verb is in a past tense. Mastering the imperfect subjunctive is essential for sounding natural and nuanced in Italian, especially in written and formal communication.

Several high-frequency verbs are irregular in this tense — most notably essere (fossi, fossi, fosse, fossimo, foste, fossero), dare, and stare. Learning these irregular forms early will pay dividends across many conversational and literary contexts.

How It Works

Regular Conjugation

The imperfect subjunctive is built on the original Latin stem, which surfaces in the characteristic vowel of each conjugation class:

Person	-ARE (parlare)	-ERE (credere)	-IRE (dormire)
io	parlassi	credessi	dormissi
tu	parlassi	credessi	dormissi
lui/lei	parlasse	credesse	dormisse
noi	parlassimo	credessimo	dormissimo
voi	parlaste	credeste	dormiste
loro	parlassero	credessero	dormissero

Note that the io and tu forms are identical — context or subject pronouns disambiguate.

Key Irregular Verbs

Verb	io	tu	lui/lei	noi	voi	loro
essere	fossi	fossi	fosse	fossimo	foste	fossero
dare	dessi	dessi	desse	dessimo	deste	dessero
stare	stessi	stessi	stesse	stessimo	steste	stessero
fare	facessi	facessi	facesse	facessimo	faceste	facessero
dire	dicessi	dicessi	dicesse	dicessimo	diceste	dicessero
bere	bevessi	bevessi	bevesse	bevessimo	beveste	bevessero

When to Use It

Context	Structure	Example
Type 2 conditional	Se + impf. subj., conditional	Se parlassi italiano, viaggerei di più.
Past wish/doubt	Verb in past + che + impf. subj.	Volevo che tu venissi.
"As if"	Come se + impf. subj.	Parla come se sapesse tutto.
Polite wish	Magari/volesse il cielo + impf. subj.	Magari piovesse!
After impersonal past	Era necessario che + impf. subj.	Era necessario che studiassimo.

Examples in Context

Italian	English	Note
Se avessi più tempo, leggerei di più.	If I had more time, I would read more.	Type 2 conditional
Volevo che tu mi chiamassi.	I wanted you to call me.	Past wish
Pensavo che fosse più facile.	I thought it was easier.	Past belief
Parlava come se conoscesse tutti.	He spoke as if he knew everyone.	"Come se" + impf. subj.
Magari potessi viaggiare!	If only I could travel!	Exclamatory wish
Era importante che lo sapessimo.	It was important that we knew.	Impersonal past expression
Se fossi in te, accetterei.	If I were you, I would accept.	Classic hypothetical
Non sapevo che tu abitassi qui.	I didn't know you lived here.	Past unawareness
Credevo che lui avesse ragione.	I believed he was right.	Past opinion
Se piovesse, resteremmo a casa.	If it rained, we would stay home.	Hypothetical possibility
Bisognava che partissero subito.	They needed to leave immediately.	Past necessity
Sembrava che non capisse nulla.	It seemed like he understood nothing.	Past impression

Common Mistakes

Confusing Indicative Imperfect with Subjunctive Imperfect

• Wrong: Se avevo più soldi, compravo una casa.
• Right: Se avessi più soldi, comprerei una casa.
• Why: In standard Italian, type 2 conditionals require the imperfect subjunctive, not the indicative imperfect. The indicative version is common in casual speech but considered incorrect in writing.

Using Present Subjunctive Instead of Imperfect

• Wrong: Volevo che tu venga.
• Right: Volevo che tu venissi.
• Why: When the main verb is in the past, the subordinate clause needs the imperfect subjunctive to maintain tense alignment (consecutio temporum).

Forgetting Irregular Forms of Essere

• Wrong: Se io ero ricco...
• Right: Se io fossi ricco...
• Why: Essere is highly irregular. The imperfect subjunctive forms (fossi, fosse, etc.) must be memorized — they cannot be derived from the infinitive.

Mixing Up -assi and -essi Endings

• Wrong: Se parlessi meglio...
• Right: Se parlassi meglio...
• Why: Each conjugation class has its own vowel: -ARE verbs take -a- (parlassi), -ERE verbs take -e- (credessi), -IRE verbs take -i- (dormissi).

Usage Notes

The imperfect subjunctive is firmly part of educated standard Italian, both written and spoken. However, in informal spoken Italian — especially in central and northern regions — you will frequently hear the indicative imperfect used in place of the subjunctive in conditional sentences (Se avevo tempo, venivo). While widely understood, this substitution is considered non-standard and should be avoided in formal writing, exams, and professional contexts.

In southern Italian speech, the imperfect subjunctive tends to be better preserved in everyday conversation. Literary and journalistic Italian consistently use the imperfect subjunctive, and mastering it is essential for reading novels, newspapers, and academic texts.

Practice Tips

1. Drill the irregular forms first: Essere, dare, stare, and fare appear constantly. Write out their full conjugations until they become automatic — these four verbs will cover a huge portion of real-world usage.
2. Transform present subjunctive sentences: Take sentences you already know with the present subjunctive and shift the main verb to a past tense, then adjust the subordinate verb to the imperfect subjunctive. This builds the tense-alignment reflex.
3. Create "Se fossi..." daydreams: Regularly imagine hypothetical scenarios — "Se fossi un animale, sarei un gatto" — to practice embedding the imperfect subjunctive in natural, personal contexts.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Present Subjunctive — the foundation for understanding subjunctive mood
• Next steps: Pluperfect Subjunctive — combines imperfect subjunctive of avere/essere with past participle
• Next steps: Possible Conditional — the type 2 conditional that pairs with this tense