Breakdown of Magari avessimo un'opportunità infinita!
un
a / an (masculine)
avere
to have
magari
if only / I wish
l'opportunità
the opportunity
Questions & Answers about Magari avessimo un'opportunità infinita!
Doesn't magari usually mean "maybe"? Why is it translated as "if only" here?
You're right that magari often means "maybe" or "perhaps" when used with a standard (indicative) verb. However, when you pair it with the imperfect subjunctive—like avessimo in this sentence—it changes meaning to express a strong, unfulfilled wish: "If only...!" or "I wish...!"
Why do we use the imperfect subjunctive (avessimo) for a wish about the present?
In Italian, to express a wish that isn't currently true (like having an infinite opportunity right now), you use the imperfect subjunctive. It's actually very similar to English, where we use a past tense for present wishes: "If only we had" rather than "If only we have".
Why is there an apostrophe in un'opportunità?
Opportunità is a feminine noun that starts with a vowel. The feminine indefinite article una drops its final -a and adds an apostrophe before a vowel to make pronunciation smoother. Keep in mind as a refresher that the masculine article un does not use an apostrophe before a vowel!
What does the accent mark on the end of opportunità signify?