Breakdown of Qualsiasi regola tu scelga, deve essere universale.
essere
to be
tu
you (singular)
dovere
must
la regola
rule
scegliere
to choose
qualsiasi
any
universale
universal
Questions & Answers about Qualsiasi regola tu scelga, deve essere universale.
Why is scelga in the subjunctive here instead of the normal present tense?
Words like qualsiasi (whichever), qualunque (whatever), and chiunque (whoever) trigger the subjunctive when they introduce a dependent clause. They express a condition of uncertainty or endless possibilities, meaning no matter which rule you choose, the outcome is the same. Therefore, the verb scegliere takes its subjunctive form scelga.
Could I use qualunque instead of qualsiasi in this sentence?
Yes, in this context they are completely interchangeable. You could say Qualunque regola tu scelga and it would mean exactly the same thing. Both words act as adjectives modifying regola and both trigger the subjunctive.
Why did they include the pronoun tu? Don't we usually drop subject pronouns in Italian?
In the present subjunctive, the verb forms for io, tu, and lui/lei/Lei are often completely identical. For the verb scegliere, they are all scelga. Adding tu here removes any ambiguity so the listener knows immediately that you are the one doing the choosing.
Who or what is the subject of deve in the second half of the sentence?
Learn Qualsiasi regola tu scelga, deve essere universale and more in Italian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free