Learn Italian: È fondamentale che nessuno perda la calma. - It is essential that nobody loses their calm.

È fondamentale che nessuno perda la calma.

It is essential that nobody loses their calm.

Breakdown of È fondamentale che nessuno perda la calma.

that (conjunction introducing a clause)

Questions & Answers about È fondamentale che nessuno perda la calma.

Why does this sentence use the subjunctive verb perda instead of the normal present tense perde?

The phrase È fondamentale che (It is essential that) is an impersonal expression. In Italian, when an impersonal expression shows necessity, opinion, or emotion and is followed by che, it triggers the subjunctive mood for the verb in the second half of the sentence.

Wait, perda ends in an "-a". Since nessuno (nobody) acts like "he/she", shouldn't an "-ere" verb end in "-e"?

In the normal present tense (indicative), yes! The verb perdere (to lose) would be lui/lei perde. However, in the present subjunctive, all regular -ere and -ire verbs take an -a ending for the singular forms (io, tu, lui/lei). So che nessuno perda is the correct subjunctive form.

Doesn't nessuno usually require a non in the sentence, as a double negative?

It depends on where nessuno is placed! When it comes after the verb, you must use a double negative with non before the verb (like Non vedo nessuno). But when nessuno is the subject and comes before the verb, as it does here, you drop the non entirely.

Why does the Italian say la calma (the calm) instead of a possessive word for "their calm"?