Learn Italian: Dubito che i soldi siano il vero movente. - I doubt that the money is the real motive.

Dubito che i soldi siano il vero movente.

I doubt that the money is the real motive.

Breakdown of Dubito che i soldi siano il vero movente.

essere

to be

vero

true / right? (tag question)

i soldi

the money

che

that (conjunction introducing a clause)

Questions & Answers about Dubito che i soldi siano il vero movente.

Why do we use the subjunctive siano instead of the indicative sono here?

The verb dubitare (to doubt) expresses uncertainty. In Italian, when the main clause uses a verb of doubt, belief, or opinion followed by che, the verb in the dependent clause must be in the subjunctive mood. That is why we use the present subjunctive siano instead of the present indicative sono.

Since the English translation says 'the money is', why is the Italian verb siano in the plural form?

In Italian, the most common word for 'money' is the plural noun i soldi. The verb must agree with this plural subject, so we use the plural form siano (they are), even though English treats money as a singular mass noun.

How can the verb siano be plural when the phrase it connects to, il vero movente, is singular?

The verb always agrees with the grammatical subject of its clause, which is the plural i soldi. The singular phrase il vero movente simply describes what the money is. Even if this descriptive noun is singular, the main subject still dictates the verb conjugation.

Could I place the adjective after the noun and say il movente vero?

You can, but it changes the nuance slightly. Placing vero before the noun means 'real' or 'actual', which fits perfectly here. Placing it after the noun emphasizes that the motive is 'true' (as opposed to a lie).