Breakdown of Non credevamo che fosse tornato il sereno così presto.
non
not
tornare
to return
presto
early / soon / quickly, hurry
così
so, like this
credere
to believe
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
il sereno
clear sky
Questions & Answers about Non credevamo che fosse tornato il sereno così presto.
Why use the Pluperfect Subjunctive (fosse tornato) here instead of the Imperfect Subjunctive?
The main verb credevamo is in a past tense, which triggers a past subjunctive. Because the clear sky returning happened before their past doubt about it, we must use the Pluperfect Subjunctive to show this 'past before the past' timeline.
Why is the auxiliary verb fosse (from essere) used here instead of avesse?
Tornare (to return) is a verb of movement. In Italian compound tenses, verbs of movement typically take essere as their auxiliary (helping) verb. Therefore, we use the imperfect subjunctive of essere (fosse) paired with the past participle tornato.
Why is the subject il sereno placed after the verb fosse tornato?
I learned sereno as an adjective meaning 'calm'. How does it mean 'clear sky' here?
You are right that sereno is typically an adjective. However, by adding the definite article il, it turns into a noun (il sereno). In the context of weather, this noun specifically refers to the clear sky or fair weather returning after a storm.
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