Question 1

Why is the imperfect subjunctive of fare spelled facesse and not based on the infinitive like regular verbs?

Accepted Answer

While regular verbs build their imperfect subjunctive from their modern infinitive (like parlare becoming parlasse), fare is an irregular stem-shortened verb. It builds its imperfect subjunctive from its original Latin infinitive, facere. So, you take facere, drop the -re, and add the regular endings: io facessi, tu facessi, lui/lei facesse.

Question 2

Why is the imperfect subjunctive (facesse) required in the se clause here?

Accepted Answer

This sentence is a Type 2 conditional, which talks about hypothetical or unlikely situations in the present or future. In Italian, this structure always pairs the present conditional in the main clause (sarebbero sicure, meaning would be safe) with the imperfect subjunctive in the if clause (se l'azienda non facesse, meaning if the company didn't make).

Question 3

Why does the adjective for safe end in -e (sicure)?

Accepted Answer

Adjectives must match the noun they describe in both gender and number. Obbligazioni (bonds) is a feminine plural noun, with the singular form being l'obbligazione. Therefore, the base adjective sicuro changes its ending to the feminine plural -e, becoming sicure.

Question 4

Could you also use the verb sbagliare instead of fare sbagli in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can absolutely say se l'azienda non sbagliasse, which means if the company did not make a mistake or if the company did not err. Both the phrase fare uno sbaglio (to make a mistake) and the single verb sbagliare are very common and natural ways to express this in Italian.

Le obbligazioni sarebbero sicure se l'azienda non facesse sbagli.

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