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The second-type conditional sentence (possibility)
If something is possible or imaginary: se + imperfect subjunctive → present conditional (se avessi tempo, verrei).
First page · imagining and dreaming
If it were possible
: The second-type conditional is used when the condition is possible but unlikely, or entirely imaginary in the present. You dream, you imagine: «Se vincessi alla lotteria, comprerei una casa».
La formula da ricordare
The structure is fixed: in the condition, after se, the imperfect subjunctive is used; in the consequence the present conditional is used. Se + imperfect subjunctive → present conditional.
Congiuntivo imperfetto
The imperfect subjunctive is formed with the endings -assi/-esti/-issi: parlare → parlassi, prendere → prendessi, dormire → dormissi. The verb essere is irregular: fossi, fossi, fosse, fossimo, foste, fossero.
se parlassise avessise fossise potessi
| irregolare | regolari | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Persona | essere | parlare | prendere |
| che io | fossi | parlassi | prendessi |
| che tu | fossi | parlassi | prendessi |
| che lui / lei | fosse | parlasse | prendesse |
| che noi | fossimo | parlassimo | prendessimo |
| che voi | foste | parlaste | prendeste |
| che loro | fossero | parlassero | prendessero |
Be careful not to confuse the types: the first type (real) uses se + present indicative → present/future (Se ho tempo, vengo); the second type (possible) uses se + imperfect subjunctive → present conditional (Se avessi tempo, verrei). The degree of reality changes.
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