Breakdown of Se ostacolassimo i topi, li scacceremmo dal giardino.
il giardino
the garden
se
if
li
them (masculine direct object)
dal
from the; to/at the (da + il)
Questions & Answers about Se ostacolassimo i topi, li scacceremmo dal giardino.
The current lesson is about using a pleonastic non after verbs of hindering, like ostacolare. Why isn't there a non in this sentence?
Why is ostacolassimo in the subjunctive mood here?
This sentence is a Type 2 conditional, which expresses a hypothetical or unlikely situation in the present or future. In Italian, the se (if) clause in these sentences must use the imperfect subjunctive, while the resulting action in the main clause uses the conditional mood (scacceremmo).
Could we attach the pronoun to the verb and say scacceremmoli instead of li scacceremmo?
No, the direct object pronoun li (them) must come before the conjugated verb scacceremmo. You only attach pronouns to the end of the verb if it is in the infinitive, gerund, participle, or imperative (command) form.
Why do we use dal here instead of another preposition to mean 'from the' garden?