Questions & Answers about Credo sia innocente.
Why is there no che between Credo and sia?
In Italian, you can optionally drop the conjunction che (that) before a subjunctive verb when it follows verbs of thinking, hoping, or fearing, like credo. Saying Credo che sia innocente is also perfectly correct, but dropping the che makes it sound a bit more elegant and native.
Since sia can be used for 'I', 'you', or 'he/she', how do we know who is innocent?
Context usually makes it clear! Because sia is the first, second, and third-person singular subjunctive of essere, this could technically mean 'I think you are innocent' or 'I think she is innocent.' However, it won't mean 'I think I am innocent' because when the subject of both verbs is the same, Italian uses di plus the infinitive: Credo di essere innocente. To clarify a third party, you could add the pronoun and the conjunction: Credo che lui sia innocente.
Why use the subjunctive sia here instead of the indicative è?
Verbs expressing personal opinion, doubt, or belief, like credere (to believe/think), trigger the subjunctive mood in the following clause because they express a subjective thought rather than an objective reality.
Learn Credo sia innocente and more in Italian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free