Breakdown of Anche se razioniamo il cibo, temo che finisca.
il cibo
the food
finire
to finish
anche se
even though
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
temere
to fear
razionare
to ration
Questions & Answers about Anche se razioniamo il cibo, temo che finisca.
Why is razioniamo in the indicative instead of the subjunctive?
Because here anche se means "even though" and states a real, ongoing fact: we are currently rationing the food. If you used the subjunctive (anche se razionassimo), it would mean "even if we were to ration," presenting it as a hypothetical situation rather than a certainty.
Why does the second part use the subjunctive (finisca)?
The verb temere (to fear) expresses an emotion or personal feeling. In Italian, verbs of emotion or fear followed by che require the subjunctive in the dependent clause, hence finisca instead of the indicative finisce.
What is the subject of finisca here?
The implicit subject is il cibo (the food). Even though it is introduced in the first clause, the context makes it clear that it carries over to the second half: "I fear that [the food] may run out."
Could I use avere paura che instead of temere che?
Yes, absolutely. Ho paura che finisca means exactly the same thing. Temere is simply a slightly more formal, single-word verb for "to be afraid" or "to fear." Both require the subjunctive.
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