In Italian, the subjunctive mood expresses subjectivity, uncertainty, and personal perspectives. You will frequently use it in dependent clauses—introduced by the word che (that)—following verbs of opinion, belief, or doubt. Let's play detective and analyze some clues.
Opinions and Beliefs
When you state what you think or believe, you express a personal perspective rather than a universal fact. Use verbs like pensare (to think) and credere (to believe) followed by che and the subjunctive.
| I think that this is an important clue. | Penso che questo sia un indizio importante. |
| Do you believe that the inspector has a new clue? | Credi che l'ispettore abbia un nuovo indizio? |
Imagination and Doubt
Theories and uncertainties aren't hard facts. Verbs like immaginare (to imagine) and dubitare (to doubt) also trigger the subjunctive.
| I imagine that the suspect is lying. | Immagino che il sospettato menta. |
| I doubt that the inspector will solve the mystery soon. | Dubito che l'ispettore risolva il mistero presto. |
Suspicions and Suppositions
As an investigation deepens, you'll need verbs like sospettare (to suspect) and supporre (to suppose). Because they deal with the unknown, they require the subjunctive as well.
| We suppose that the murderer has an alibi. | Supponiamo che l'assassino abbia un alibi. |
| The police suspect that you are stealing the money. | La polizia sospetta che tu rubi i soldi. |
Notice how che connects the two parts of each sentence. The main clause states the opinion or doubt (like la polizia sospetta), and the dependent clause uses the subjunctive for the uncertain action (che tu rubi i soldi).
