Verbs are 'action words'! The verb is the element that conveys information on what the subject does or is and what actions he/she/it accomplishes or undergoes.

The subjunctive is a very refined and highly respectful way of expressing our opinions and talking to people. For this reason, we say that it "creates a conjunction", it unites sentences and people.

The "congiuntivo" is used in conjunction with verbs that express:

• a personal opinion
• a feeling or emotion
• desire, will or uncertainty
• sentences introduced by "prima che (before), senza che (without)..."

(I think that, I believe that, I'm afraid that, I hope that, I'm not sure that, I prefer that, I'm happy that, I wish that, I want that... you come to the movie.)

(I'll call you before you go to the movie.)

In the above mentioned cases the subject of the main verb must be different from the one expressed by the "congiuntivo": "io spero che tu venga al cinema" (I hope that you come to the movie.)

When the subject is the same the infinitive is used instead: "io spero di venire al cinema con te" (I hope to come to the movie with you.)

The "congiuntivo" is also required with particular expressions such as:

• impersonal forms (è necessario che, bisogna che, è importante che... tu venga al cinema - it's necessary that, it's important that... you come to the movie)
• comparative clauses (è il film più interessante che abbia visto - it is the most interesting movie that I saw),
• sentences introduced by "affinché - perché (so that), tranne che (a part that), a meno che (unless), sebbene - malgrado - nonostante (altough), purché - a patto che (provided that), come se (as if)..."
• sentences introduced by the adjectives or pronouns "qualsiasi - qualunque (any), chiunque (whoever), dovunque (anywhere)..."
• sentences introduced by the adjectives or pronouns "niente che - nulla che (nothing that), nessuno che (nobody that), l'unico/a che - il solo/a che (the only one that)...

The "congiuntivo presente" of regular verbs is formed by replacing the ending of the infinitive with the endings of the "congiuntivo presente".

Most irregular verbs that change stem in the present conjugation change stem in the "congiuntivo".

In order to help you memorize some of them, we created seven categories:

The "congiuntivo passato" is a "compound tense" (like the "passato prossimo") because it is formed with one of the auxiliary verbs ("essere" or "avere") plus the past participle of a verb. Whether it requires "essere" or "avere", depends on the verb.

If the verb is a transitive verb, it requires the auxiliary "avere". If the verb is intransitive (like most verbs that express movement or stateof being) or if the verb is reflexive, it requires the auxiliary "essere".

Transitive verbs may be followed by an object to complete their meaning "leggo la lettera" (I read the letter) I read what? I read the letter.

The "congiuntivo passato" of transitive verbs is formed with the "congiuntivo presente" of "AVERE" + the past participle of the verb.

Intransitive verbs don't need an object to complete their meaning.

The "congiuntivo passato" of most intransitive verbs is formed with the "congiuntivo presente" of "ESSERE" + the past participle of the verb (if you are not sure whether a verb requires "essere" or "avere" check the dictionary.) With "essere", the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject of the verb.

Remember:

• "dormire"(to sleep), "rispondere" (to answer), "viaggiare" (to travel), "vivere" (to live) though intransitive require the auxiliary "avere" ("ho dormito, ho risposto, ho viaggiato, ho vissuto...")
• verbs that express movement, like "venire" (to come), "andare" (to go), "uscire" (to go out)... require the auxiliary "essere"
• verbs that express state of being, like "essere" (to be), "stare" (to stay), "rimanere" (to remain), "nascere" (to be born)... require the auxiliary "essere"
• reflexive verbs require the verb "essere"
• the verb "piacere" requires the auxiliary "essere"
• for the position of the pronouns with compound tenses, please refer to the pronouns section

The "congiuntivo imperfetto" of regular verbs is formed by replacing the ending of the infinitive with the endings of the "congiuntivo imperfetto".

Most irregular verbs that change stem in the present conjugation change stem in the "congiuntivo".

In order to help you memorize some of them, we created two categories:

The "trapassato congiuntivo" is a "compound tense" (like the "passato prossimo") because it is formed with one of the auxiliary verbs ("essere" or "avere") plus the past participle of a verb. Whether it requires "essere" or "avere", depends on the verb.

If the verb is a transitive verb, it requires the auxiliary "avere".

If the verb is intransitive (like most verbs that express movement or state of being) or if the verb is reflexive, it requires the auxiliary "essere".

Transitive verbs may be followed by an object to complete their meaning "leggo la lettera" (I read the letter) I read what? I read the letter.

The "trapassato congiuntivo" of transitive verbs is formed with the "congiuntivo imperfetto" of "AVERE" + the past participle of the verb.

Intransitive verbs don't need an object to complete their meaning. The "congiuntivo trapassato" of most intransitive verbs is formed with the "congiuntivo imperfetto" of "ESSERE" + the past participle of the verb (if you are not sure whether a verb requires "essere" or "avere" check the dictionary.) With "essere", the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject of the verb.

Remember:

• "dormire"(to sleep), "rispondere" (to answer), "viaggiare" (to travel), "vivere" (to live) though intransitive require the auxiliary "avere" ("ho dormito, ho risposto, ho viaggiato, ho vissuto...")
• verbs that express movement, like "venire" (to come), "andare" (to go), "uscire" (to go out)... require the auxiliary "essere"
• verbs that express state of being, like "essere" (to be), "stare" (to stay), "rimanere" (to remain), "nascere" (to be born)... require the auxiliary "essere"
• reflexive verbs require the verb "essere"
• the verb "piacere" requires the auxiliary "essere"
• for the position of the pronouns with compound tenses, please refer to the pronouns section

Reflexive verbs are called reflexive because the action of the subject "is reflected" (falls back) on the subject.

They are always used with the reflexive pronouns "mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si"; for the rest, they are conjugated like any other verb in -are, -ere, -ire.

All the compound tenses are formed with the auxiliary "essere" and they agree with the subject:

Remember:

• The reflexive pronouns precede the indicative and subjunctive forms of the verb ("mi lavo, mi sono lavato/a, mi laverò, mi lavai...")
• With the infinitive, (dropping its last vowel), the "gerundio" and "participio", the reflexive pronouns follow the verb ("(lavarmi, lavandomi, lavatomi...")

The passive conjugation is formed with the auxialiary "essere". It is the same for all three conjugations (verbs ending with "are", "ere", "ire".)

For more information regarding the passive construction click on Advanced Constructions: active and passive .

Verbs are divided into two categories: "transitive" and "intransitive".

Transitive verbs express an action that "transits, (moves, shifts), from the subject to the object":

Transitive verbs may also be used without the object:

Transitive verbs have also the passive form: "Il libro è letto dalla mamma." (The book is read by the mother.)

The compound tenses of transitive verbs are formed with the auxiliary "AVERE" + the past participleof the verb: Leggere (to read)

Intransitive verbs express an action that does not "transit or move away from the subject". Intransitive verbs don't have a direct object complement:

Intransitive verbs may have an INdirect complement:

Intransitive verbs do not have the passive form.

The compound tenses of MOST (not all) intransitive verbs are formed with the auxiliary "ESSERE" + the past participle of the verb. With the auxiliary "essere", the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject of the verb; e.g. "nascere" (to be born):

PLEASE NOTE : some verbs (like "cominciare, finire, cambiare, correre, salire") can be transitive or intransitive and their meaning changes accordingly; e.g.:

Remember:

• "dormire"(to sleep), "rispondere" (to answer), "viaggiare" (to travel), "vivere" (to live), and many other verbs, though intransitive require the auxiliary "avere" (ho dormito, ho risposto, ho viaggiato, ho vissuto...)
• verbs that express movement, like "venire" (to come), "andare" (to go), "uscire" (to go out)... require the auxiliary "essere"
• verbs that express states of being, like "essere" (to be), "stare" (to stay), "rimanere" (to remain), "nascere" (to be born)... require the auxiliary "essere"
• reflexive verbs require the verb "essere"
• the verb "piacere" requires the auxiliary "essere"
• for the position of the pronouns with compound tenses, please refer to the pronouns section

If you are not sure whether a verb is transitive or intransitive or if it requires "essere" or "avere": CHECK THE DICTIONARY!

For a verb conjugator click here