Literal Translation of “Should” and “Would”
- Italiano4you

- Jun 19, 2024
- 1 min read
Intermediate learners often translate English modal verbs directly.
For example:
❌ Io dovrei andare se avevo tempo.But the conditional and imperfect must agree properly:
✅ Dovrei andare se avessi tempo.
This is the periodo ipotetico (hypothetical structure).
Why It’s Advanced
English conditional structures are simpler in daily speech.Italian requires agreement between:
Conditional in the main clause
Imperfect subjunctive in the subordinate clause
Structure:
Condizionale + congiuntivo imperfetto
Andrei se potessi.
Comprerei la casa se avessi soldi.
Grammar Hint
If the condition is unlikely or hypothetical, you need the imperfect subjunctive.
This structure instantly makes your Italian sound advanced.
If you want to finally feel confident with hypotheticals, we break them down step by step in lessons.
👉 Book your Italian lesson and gain control over complex sentences.





Comments