Breakdown of Magari potessimo diventare invisibili per sempre!
sempre
always
per
for / in order to / because of
potere
can, to be able to
diventare
to become
magari
if only / I wish
invisibile
invisible
Questions & Answers about Magari potessimo diventare invisibili per sempre!
Doesn't magari usually mean "maybe"? Why does it mean "if only" here?
It certainly does! When magari is used with the normal indicative mood, it means "maybe" or "perhaps". However, when you pair it with the imperfect subjunctive (like potessimo), it turns into an exclamation of desire, meaning "if only" or "I wish".
Why is the verb potere conjugated in the imperfect subjunctive (potessimo)?
In Italian, to express a wish that is unlikely, impossible, or just a strong daydream about the present or future, we use the optative subjunctive. This is formed by combining magari with the imperfect subjunctive. Here, potessimo shows that we are wishing for something (becoming invisible) that is purely a fantasy.
Why does invisibile become the plural invisibili here?
Adjectives must agree with the subject they describe. Even though the subject pronoun noi (we) is dropped, the verb ending in -ssimo tells us the subject is plural. Therefore, the adjective changes from the singular invisibile to the plural invisibili.
Why do we say per sempre instead of just sempre?
While sempre on its own means "always" (as in a recurring action), the fixed prepositional phrase per sempre specifically means "forever" or "for good". It translates literally to "for always".
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