Breakdown of È importante che non perdiamo il corallo.
essere
to be
non
not
importante
important
perdere
to lose, to miss
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
il corallo
the coral
Questions & Answers about È importante che non perdiamo il corallo.
Why use perdiamo here, and is it in the subjunctive?
Yes, the phrase È importante che (It is important that) expresses an opinion or necessity, which always triggers the subjunctive. However, for the noi (we) form, the present subjunctive is exactly the same as the regular present tense: perdiamo.
What is the infinitive of perdiamo, and how do its other subjunctive endings work?
The verb is perdere (to lose), a regular -ere verb. To form the present subjunctive for -ere and -ire verbs, you drop the infinitive ending and add -a for the singular forms. So I, you, and he/she/it would all be perda. The loro (they) form adds -ano, making it perdano.
Since perdiamo looks exactly like the normal present tense, is there any situation where the noi form changes in the subjunctive?
No, for all regular verbs (whether -are, -ere, or -ire), the noi form in the present subjunctive is identical to the present indicative. You rely completely on trigger phrases like È importante che to know it is being used in the subjunctive mood.
Why do we include il before corallo when in English we might just say 'lose coral'?
Italian requires a definite article like il (the) when talking about broad categories, materials, or concepts in a general sense. So, referring to coral as a whole species, material, or environmental feature requires the article.
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