A subjunctive that stands alone
The congiuntivo normally depends on a main clause: penso che, spero che. In set phrases it stands alone and expresses a wish, a concession or a reservation. English has the same thing in the remains of its own subjunctive: “God forbid”, “Long live …”, “Come what may”.
The formula and its English match
Un altro inverno così? Dio ce ne scampi!
Another winter like that? God forbid!
Viva gli sposi!
Long live the bride and groom!
Ci arriviamo, costi quel che costi.
We'll get there, whatever it takes.
Wishes and warding off
The present subjunctive blesses, wishes for and wards off things that may still happen. The imperfect subjunctive wishes for something that is hardly within reach.
Possible or out of reach
Present: blessing and warding off
Che Dio ti benedica.
God bless you.
Io in pensione a sessant'anni? Non sia mai!
Me, retiring at sixty? Heaven forbid!
Imperfect: the distant wish
Volesse il cielo che smettesse di piovere.
Would to heaven it stopped raining.
Un aumento a tutti? Fosse vero!
A pay rise for everyone? If only!
Volesse il cielo sounds elevated or solemn. In everyday speech, Dio ce ne scampi and Non sia mai almost always come with a wink.
Conceding: no matter how
A second group says “no matter how things turn out”. Most of these phrases are fixed. The pattern che … o no or che … o che …, however, you can fill freely.
Fixed phrases of concession
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sia come sia | Be that as it may |
| Comunque sia | Anyway, whatever the case |
| Vada come vada | Come what may |
| Cascasse il mondo | Even if the world ends |
| Piaccia o non piaccia | Like it or not |
The open pattern
Che tu ci creda o no, ho visto un lupo in città.
Believe it or not, I saw a wolf in town.
Che piova o che ci sia il sole, sabato si parte.
Rain or shine, we're leaving on Saturday.
Domenica vado allo stadio, cascasse il mondo.
On Sunday I'm going to the match, come hell or high water.
Reservation: as far as I know
With che io sappia and che io ricordi you limit a statement to what you know. The phrase usually sits at the start or the end of the sentence.
Che io sappia, la riunione è confermata.
As far as I know, the meeting is confirmed.
Non ci siamo mai incontrati, che io ricordi.
We've never met, as far as I remember.
