Breakdown of Se solo non fosse un tormento aspettare invano!
essere
to be
un
a / an (masculine)
non
not
aspettare
to wait / to wait for
se
if
solo
only
il tormento
the torment
invano
in vain
Questions & Answers about Se solo non fosse un tormento aspettare invano!
Why do we use the imperfect subjunctive fosse instead of the present subjunctive?
The phrase se solo (if only) introduces an optative subjunctive, which expresses a wish. When we wish for a situation to be different right now in the present, we use the imperfect subjunctive. We use fosse because the reality is that waiting is currently a torment.
What is the grammatical subject of fosse in this sentence?
The subject is the infinitive verb aspettare (to wait). In Italian, an infinitive often acts as a noun, similar to an English gerund ("waiting"). Because the subject is an infinitive, the verb essere takes the third-person singular form (fosse). The literal structure is "If only to wait in vain were not a torment!"
Could I use speriamo che instead of se solo to express this?
Not without changing the meaning and grammar. Speriamo che (let's hope that) is used for realistic hopes and triggers the present subjunctive (speriamo che non sia un tormento - let's hope it isn't a torment). Se solo is used for hypothetical wishes or regrets about things that are already untrue, which is why it requires the imperfect subjunctive.
How would I say "If only it hadn't been a torment to wait in vain" to express a regret about the past?
To express a regret about a past event that can no longer be changed, you use the past perfect subjunctive (the trapassato congiuntivo). The sentence would become: Se solo non fosse stato un tormento aspettare invano!
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