Learn Italian: Magari l'espressione è arcaica, quindi il revisore non la capisce. - Maybe the expression is archaic, so the reviewer does not understand it.

Magari l'espressione è arcaica, quindi il revisore non la capisce.

Maybe the expression is archaic, so the reviewer does not understand it.

Breakdown of Magari l'espressione è arcaica, quindi il revisore non la capisce.

her/it (direct object)

Questions & Answers about Magari l'espressione è arcaica, quindi il revisore non la capisce.

Why is è in the indicative mood here? Doesn't magari usually trigger the subjunctive?

You're right that magari takes the subjunctive when it expresses a wish or desire (meaning "If only!"). However, when it is used as an adverb of probability to simply mean "maybe" or "perhaps"—as it is in this sentence—it takes the indicative mood. In this context, it behaves exactly like forse.

Could I just use forse instead of magari at the beginning of this sentence?

Yes, absolutely. When expressing probability, magari, forse, and probabilmente can all be used interchangeably and all take the indicative mood. Using magari to mean "maybe" is very natural and highly common in conversational Italian.

What does the la in non la capisce refer to, and why is it placed there?

The la is a direct object pronoun meaning "it", and it refers back to l'espressione. In Italian, object pronouns must be placed immediately before the conjugated verb, so it goes right before capisce (and after the negative particle non).

Is there a reliable way to remember that espressione is feminine, which makes the adjective arcaica?