Breakdown of Credo che il contadino usi il concime.
usare
to use
credere
to believe
il contadino
the farmer
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
il concime
the fertilizer
Questions & Answers about Credo che il contadino usi il concime.
Why is the verb usi here instead of usa?
The phrase credo che (I believe that) expresses an opinion, which triggers the subjunctive mood. For regular -are verbs like usare (to use), the present subjunctive ending for the lui/lei (he/she) form is -i, making it usi.
Wait, doesn't the normal tu form of usare also end in -i?
Yes! Tu usi is 'you use' in the normal present tense. But in the present subjunctive, the io, tu, and lui/lei forms are all exactly the same: usi. We know it is the lui form here because the subject, il contadino, is explicitly stated. This is why Italian speakers often include subject pronouns in the subjunctive!
Why does the Italian sentence say il concime instead of just concime?
In English, we drop the article when talking about a general substance, like saying 'uses fertilizer.' Italian almost always keeps the definite article for general concepts and materials, so you must say il concime (literally 'the fertilizer').
Do all verbs of thinking require this subjunctive form?
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