Learn Italian: Non che il direttore si opponga a noi, ma ha affidato troppe mansioni. - Not that the director objects to us, but he has assigned too many duties.

Non che il direttore si opponga a noi, ma ha affidato troppe mansioni.

Not that the director objects to us, but he has assigned too many duties.

Breakdown of Non che il direttore si opponga a noi, ma ha affidato troppe mansioni.

too, too much, too many

Questions & Answers about Non che il direttore si opponga a noi, ma ha affidato troppe mansioni.

Why do we use the subjunctive for si opponga but the indicative for ha affidato?

This is the core of the non che... ma structure. Non che introduces a hypothetical or rejected reason, which requires the subjunctive mood (si opponga). Ma then introduces a factual statement or the actual reason, which takes the normal indicative mood (ha affidato).

What is the infinitive of si opponga and why does it end in -a?

The verb is opporsi (to oppose or object), which is based on the irregular verb porre. Because it conjugates like a regular second-conjugation verb in the subjunctive, its present subjunctive forms for singular subjects all end in -a. Therefore, il direttore takes si opponga.

Could we say ci si opponga instead of si opponga a noi?

You could, but using a noi is much clearer here. While ci can mean to us, the pronoun combination ci si is also exactly how you form the impersonal structure (meaning one opposes or people oppose). Using the separated a noi removes that ambiguity and adds a slight emphasis to us.

Why is troppe used instead of troppo?