Learn Italian: C'è un pub qui che abbia un biliardo? - Is there a pub here that has a billiards table?

C'è un pub qui che abbia un biliardo?

Is there a pub here that has a billiards table?

Breakdown of C'è un pub qui che abbia un biliardo?

Questions & Answers about C'è un pub qui che abbia un biliardo?

Why is abbia in the subjunctive here instead of the normal present tense ha?

We use the subjunctive in a relative clause (starting with che) when we are looking for or asking about something that might not exist. Because the speaker does not know if a pub with a pool table is actually in the area, abbia expresses that uncertainty.

Would it be wrong to say che ha un biliardo?

In everyday spoken Italian, many native speakers would actually say che ha, and you would be perfectly understood. However, using the subjunctive che abbia is the grammatically correct way to show you are searching for an unconfirmed thing, which is exactly what this lesson focuses on!

Why use un biliardo instead of translating the word table literally like un tavolo da biliardo?

While un tavolo da biliardo is perfectly correct for a pool table, Italians often just say un biliardo to mean the table itself. It is a common, natural shortcut when talking about pub games.

Does the position of qui matter? Could I say C'è qui un pub?

C'è un pub qui is the most natural word order. Putting qui right after C'è sounds a bit clumsy. You usually establish what you are asking about (un pub) before stating the location (qui).