Breakdown of Dovresti chiedere che puliscano il corallo.
chiedere
to ask
pulire
to clean
dovere
must
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
il corallo
the coral
Questions & Answers about Dovresti chiedere che puliscano il corallo.
Why is the subjunctive used in this sentence?
The subjunctive is triggered by the phrase chiedere che (to request that / to ask that). Verbs expressing requests, desires, or demands followed by che require the subjunctive for the second verb because the action is just a wish or a request, not a guaranteed fact.
Wait, isn't -ano an ending for -are verbs? Why does pulire end in -ano here?
In the present subjunctive, the typical vowel endings swap! Regular -ere and -ire verbs take an -a in their singular forms and -ano in the loro (they) form. So, the normal present indicative puliscono (they clean) becomes the present subjunctive puliscano (that they clean).
How do I know to use the -isc- infix in the subjunctive form puliscano?
If an -ire verb uses the -isc- infix in the present indicative (like io pulisco, loro puliscono), it keeps that exact same pattern in the present subjunctive for the singular forms (io, tu, lui/lei) and the loro form. You just apply the subjunctive endings right after the -isc-.
Why does the sentence use dovresti instead of devi?
Dovresti is the present conditional form of dovere, translating to "you should" or "you ought to." It softens the statement into a piece of advice. If we used the present indicative devi, it would mean "you must" or "you have to," which would make it a much stronger demand.
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