Reporting without confirming
In the news the conditional often appears without any condition. Here it does not mean would. It signals: this is being claimed, not confirmed. English does the same job with words like reportedly, allegedly or is said to.
Fact or report
Indicative: confirmed
Il ministro ha rassegnato le dimissioni.
The minister has resigned.
Conditional: unconfirmed
Il ministro avrebbe rassegnato le dimissioni.
The minister has reportedly resigned.
Which conditional for which time
The time of the reported event decides the form. What holds now or is still to come takes the condizionale presente. What has already happened takes the condizionale passato.
Two forms
| Reported event | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| present or future | condizionale presente | Il nuovo modello costerebbe meno di 20.000 euro. |
| past | condizionale passato | Il sospettato sarebbe fuggito all'estero. |
From the news
L'azienda starebbe valutando una fusione.
The company is reportedly considering a merger.
Il cantante sarebbe ricoverato in ospedale da tre giorni.
The singer is said to have been in hospital for three days.
I due si sarebbero conosciuti sul set del film.
The two reportedly met on the film set.
Il sospettato sarebbe fuggito all'estero.
The suspect is believed to have fled abroad.
Naming the source
The source is often named as well. Typical openers are secondo, stando a, a quanto pare and a quanto si apprende. The conditional stays all the same: the source says who claims it, the verb says that you don't confirm it.
Secondo fonti vicine al governo, il ministro avrebbe già firmato il decreto.
According to sources close to the government, the minister has already signed the decree.
Stando a un sondaggio recente, un italiano su tre lavorerebbe anche nel weekend.
According to a recent poll, one Italian in three supposedly works at weekends too.
A quanto si apprende, l'incendio sarebbe partito da un cortocircuito.
According to initial reports, the fire was started by a short circuit.
In conversation
In everyday talk you use it to keep your distance from gossip. In questions the same form sounds sceptical or ironic: you doubt what is being presented to you as fact.
Secondo Luca, il ristorante sotto casa avrebbe chiuso.
According to Luca, the restaurant downstairs has supposedly closed.
E questo sarebbe il famoso tiramisù di tua nonna?
And this is supposed to be your grandmother's famous tiramisu?
