Breakdown of Conosciamo il cane, solo che a volte morde e graffia.
e
and
il cane
the dog
a
to / at
conoscere
to meet, to know
la volta
the time (occasion)
solo che
except that / the only thing is
graffiare
to scratch
mordere
to bite
Questions & Answers about Conosciamo il cane, solo che a volte morde e graffia.
Why does this sentence use the indicative for "morde e graffia" after "solo che" instead of the subjunctive?
Even though it ends with the word che, the phrase solo che acts like a conversational "but" or "except that" to introduce a concrete fact or a real obstacle. Because you are stating a reality (the dog actually bites) rather than expressing an opinion, doubt, or a hypothetical, it takes the normal indicative mood.
Could I just use "ma" (but) instead of "solo che" in this sentence?
Yes, you could simply say ma a volte morde (but sometimes he bites). However, solo che is extremely common in everyday spoken Italian. It translates closer to "the only thing is that" or "except that," which slightly softens the contrast. It sounds like you are casually adding a "catch" to an otherwise fine situation, rather than setting up a strict opposition.
Where else could I place the adverb phrase "a volte" in this sentence?
What are the infinitive forms of the verbs "morde" and "graffia"?
Morde comes from the regular second-conjugation verb mordere (to bite). Graffia comes from the regular first-conjugation verb graffiare (to scratch). They are both conjugated in the third-person singular present tense to match the subject, which is il cane (the dog).
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