Breakdown of Pensavamo che il drago della leggenda avesse fame.
pensare
to think
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
il drago
the dragon
della
of the (di + la)
la leggenda
the legend
avere fame
to be hungry
Questions & Answers about Pensavamo che il drago della leggenda avesse fame.
Why do we use the imperfect subjunctive avesse here instead of the present subjunctive abbia?
The main verb, pensavamo, is in a past tense. When the main clause is in the past, the dependent clause must shift to the past too to match it (this is called the sequence of tenses). Because the dragon being hungry happened at the exact same time as we were thinking it, we use the imperfect subjunctive (avesse).
Would it be wrong to say Pensavamo che il drago aveva fame with the regular imperfect tense?
Yes, grammatically it is incorrect. The verb pensare (to think) expresses a subjective opinion or belief. When followed by che (that), it forces the next verb into the subjunctive mood. Using the indicative aveva sounds unnatural in this structure.
The English translation says the dragon was hungry. Why does the Italian use a form of avere (to have) instead of essere (to be)?
Why use the imperfect pensavamo rather than the passato prossimo abbiamo pensato for the main verb?
The imperfect pensavamo is used here because it describes an ongoing state of mind in the past, like a belief we held over a period of time. If you used abbiamo pensato, it would sound more like a sudden, single action or realization.
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