Learn Hardcore Italian: Sebbene il sentiero sia scivoloso, cammino lentamente in giardino. - Although the path is slippery, I walk slowly in the garden.

The conjunction sebbene (“although”) triggers the subjunctive mood in Italian. The subjunctive form of essere (“to be”) is sia, so you say sebbene il sentiero sia scivoloso rather than è.

Can I use benché instead of sebbene?

Yes. Benché and sebbene are interchangeable conjunctions of concession and both require the subjunctive. Benché il sentiero sia scivoloso, cammino lentamente in giardino is perfectly correct and slightly more literary.

Could I use anche se instead? Would I still use the subjunctive?

You can say anche se (“even if/although”), but it normally takes the indicative: Anche se il sentiero è scivoloso, cammino lentamente in giardino. Subjunctive with anche se is rare in modern usage.

Why is there a comma after scivoloso? Is it mandatory?

When a subordinate clause begins the sentence, you separate it from the main clause with a comma. Here Sebbene il sentiero sia scivoloso, is the subordinate concessive clause, so the comma before cammino lentamente in giardino is required.

Why does scivoloso follow sentiero? In English we say “slippery path.”

In Italian most descriptive adjectives come after the noun. Placing them before is possible but can add emphasis or a poetic tone. The neutral, common order is il sentiero scivoloso.

Why is there no article in in giardino (instead of nel giardino)?

Italian drops the article in many fixed locative expressions—in giardino, a scuola, a casa—to speak of a general place or activity. Nel giardino would specify that garden in a more defined context (e.g. “in the garden behind the house”).

Why is the subject pronoun io missing before cammino?

Italian often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending shows who is acting. Cammino ends in -o, clearly indicating first person singular (“I walk”), so io is unnecessary.

Could I say vado lentamente instead of cammino lentamente?

You could, and it would be understood (“I go slowly”), but cammino specifically means “I walk.” If your focus is on walking (not just going), cammino is more precise.

Is lentamente the only way to say “slowly”? Could I use piano instead?

Yes. Piano functions as an adverb in speech, so cammino piano is very common. Lentamente is more formal or emphatic.

Can I invert the clauses and say Cammino lentamente in giardino, sebbene il sentiero sia scivoloso?

Absolutely. You can place the main clause first and follow with the concessive clause, but you still need the comma:
Cammino lentamente in giardino, sebbene il sentiero sia scivoloso.