La concordanza dei tempi al congiuntivo
La concordanza dei tempi al congiuntivo means “Which subjunctive tense to use depends on the main verb's tense”. Once you know all four subjunctive tenses, you have to pick the right one, and that choice is governed by the main verb (la concordanza dei tempi). Formation: principale al presente → subordinata: cong. presente (contemporaneità/posteriorità) o cong. passato (anteriorità) · principale al passato → subordinata: cong. imperfetto o cong. trapassato
Which subjunctive tense to use depends on the main verb's tense
B2Formation
principale al presente → subordinata: cong. presente (contemporaneità/posteriorità) o cong. passato (anteriorità) · principale al passato → subordinata: cong. imperfetto o cong. trapassato
Explanation
Once you know all four subjunctive tenses, you have to pick the right one, and that choice is governed by the main verb (la concordanza dei tempi). Two cases. (A) If the main verb is in the present or future, the subordinate uses the congiuntivo presente for something happening at the same time or later (penso che venga) and the congiuntivo passato for something already done (penso che sia venuto). (B) If the main verb is in a past tense (or the conditional), everything shifts back one step: the congiuntivo imperfetto for same-time/later (pensavo che venisse) and the congiuntivo trapassato for something earlier (pensavo che fosse venuto). In short: present main → presente/passato subjunctive; past main → imperfetto/trapassato subjunctive.
Examples
Note
This is the layer that trips up even advanced learners: getting the subjunctive form right (itg031/047) is only half the job — the tense must also match the main verb. The single most common error is keeping the present subjunctive after a past main verb (*credevo che venga instead of credevo che venisse).
FAQ
La concordanza dei tempi al congiuntivo — what does it mean and how is it used?
Which subjunctive tense to use depends on the main verb's tense. Once you know all four subjunctive tenses, you have to pick the right one, and that choice is governed by the main verb (la concordanza dei tempi). Two cases. (A) If the main verb is in the present or future, the subordinate uses the congiuntivo presente for something happening at the same time or later (penso che venga) and the congiuntivo passato for something already done (penso che sia venuto). (B) If the main verb is in a past tense (or the conditional), everything shifts back one step: the congiuntivo imperfetto for same-time/later (pensavo che venisse) and the congiuntivo trapassato for something earlier (pensavo che fosse venuto). In short: present main → presente/passato subjunctive; past main → imperfetto/trapassato subjunctive.
La concordanza dei tempi al congiuntivo — how do you form it?
principale al presente → subordinata: cong. presente (contemporaneità/posteriorità) o cong. passato (anteriorità) · principale al passato → subordinata: cong. imperfetto o cong. trapassato
La concordanza dei tempi al congiuntivo — any usage notes?
This is the layer that trips up even advanced learners: getting the subjunctive form right (itg031/047) is only half the job — the tense must also match the main verb. The single most common error is keeping the present subjunctive after a past main verb (*credevo che venga instead of credevo che venisse).