Breakdown of Se avessimo cambiato l'intreccio, in ogni caso il romanzo non funzionerebbe.
non
not
avere
to have
se
if
il romanzo
the novel
cambiare
to change
funzionare
to work / to function (machines, devices)
l'intreccio
the plot (m)
in ogni caso
in any case
Questions & Answers about Se avessimo cambiato l'intreccio, in ogni caso il romanzo non funzionerebbe.
Why is in ogni caso placed right after the comma, and could it go at the end of the sentence?
In ogni caso is a discourse marker used here to dismiss the hypothetical condition and state the bottom line. Placing it at the start of the main clause creates a strong, emphatic pivot. You could place it at the very end (...il romanzo non funzionerebbe in ogni caso), but it would sound slightly less assertive.
Could we use comunque instead of in ogni caso here?
Why does this sentence mix the past subjunctive (avessimo cambiato) with the present conditional (funzionerebbe)?
This is a mixed conditional. We use the past subjunctive for a hypothetical action in the past (If we had changed...), but the present conditional because the consequence applies to the present (...it still wouldn't work right now). If the failure was also purely in the past, you would use the past conditional: non avrebbe funzionato.
What is the difference between l'intreccio and la trama?
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