Learn Italian: Il raggio del segnale è più grande di quanto pensassi. - The signal's range is greater than I thought.

When comparing an adjective (like grande) to a full clause or verb phrase (like "what I thought"), Italian uses di quanto or di quello che. You can't just use di or che directly before a conjugated verb in this kind of comparative sentence. It translates literally to "bigger than how much."

Why is pensassi in the imperfect subjunctive?

Comparative clauses introduced by di quanto or di quello che require the subjunctive mood because they contrast reality with a subjective expectation. The imperfect tense (pensassi) is used because your assumption happened in the past, before you realized the actual size of the range.

Is it common to hear the indicative pensavo instead of pensassi?

Yes, in very informal spoken Italian, you might occasionally hear native speakers use the imperfect indicative (di quanto pensavo). However, the subjunctive is the grammatically correct choice and is strictly expected at the B2 level and in any written or formal context.

How could we express this same idea using the complex preposition al di là, from our current lesson?