Breakdown of Nonostante il ghiaccio sia pericoloso, andranno avanti.
essere
to be
pericoloso
dangerous
andare
to go / to be fine / to work out
avanti
forward, ahead (avanti! = come in!)
nonostante
despite / although (in spite of)
il ghiaccio
ice
Questions & Answers about Nonostante il ghiaccio sia pericoloso, andranno avanti.
Why is the subjunctive sia used here instead of the normal present tense è?
The conjunction nonostante (even though / despite) introduces a clause of concession. In Italian, this type of conjunction requires the subjunctive mood. Since the ice is currently dangerous, we use the present subjunctive sia.
Could I swap nonostante for sebbene or benché in this sentence?
Can you use nonostante directly with a noun, like "despite the ice", without a verb?
Yes! Nonostante is very versatile. You can use it as a preposition followed directly by a noun, like nonostante il ghiaccio (despite the ice). In this sentence, however, it is used as a conjunction introducing a full clause with a verb, which is why it triggers the subjunctive.
The main verb andranno is in the future tense, but sia is in the present. Is it normal to mix tenses like this?
Absolutely. The main action of going forward is happening in the future, so we use the future tense andranno. The condition of the ice being dangerous is true right now, so the present subjunctive sia fits perfectly.
What does avanti add to the verb andranno?
Avanti means forward or ahead. When paired with andare (to go), the phrase andare avanti translates to going forward, proceeding, or keeping going.
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