Explicit or implicit
An explicit clause has a conjunction and a finite verb: se ci pensi, anche se è giovane. An implicit construction makes do with an infinitive, a gerund or no verb at all. It is shorter, sounds more polished and leaves the subject open. The explicit clause, in return, is less ambiguous.
Four patterns and their spelled-out form
| Pattern | Implicit | Explicit |
|---|---|---|
| a + infinitive: condition | A pensarci bene, hai ragione. | Se ci pensi bene, hai ragione. |
| pur + gerund: concession | Pur essendo giovane, ha molta esperienza. | Anche se è giovane, ha molta esperienza. |
| pur di + infinitive: at any cost | Pur di non cucinare, ordina sempre la pizza. | Ordina sempre la pizza, basta che non debba cucinare. |
| no verb | Nel dubbio, taci. | Se hai dei dubbi, taci. |
a + infinitive: the shortened condition
A plus an infinitive at the start of a sentence means “if you …”, with a general you or the speaker as subject. With a conditional in the main clause it works for the past too: A saperlo means “had I known”.
A condition in three words
A sentire lui, è tutta colpa nostra.
To hear him tell it, it's all our fault.
A guardarlo, non si direbbe che ha sessant'anni.
Looking at him, you'd never guess he's sixty.
A saperlo, sarei venuto prima.
Had I known, I'd have come earlier.
Comment formulas at the start of a sentence
A dirla tutta, il progetto non mi ha mai convinto.
To be quite honest, I was never convinced by the project.
A farla breve, abbiamo perso il treno.
To cut a long story short, we missed the train.
pur or pur di
One small di turns the logic around. pur + gerund concedes something: “although”. Its subject is usually that of the main clause. pur di + infinitive names a goal you would put up with anything for: “just to …”, “as long as …”.
Concession or goal at any cost
pur + gerund: although
Pur essendo giovane, ha molta esperienza.
Although she's young, she has a lot of experience.
Pur sapendo che era tardi, ha voluto finire.
Even though he knew it was late, he wanted to finish.
pur di + infinitive: just to
Farebbe di tutto pur di non tornare in ufficio.
He'd do anything to avoid going back to the office.
Pur di avere i biglietti, ha fatto la fila tutta la notte.
Just to get the tickets, she queued all night.
No verb at all
The shortest form drops the verb entirely. A preposition with a noun, or una volta with a place, carries the condition or the time. It sounds like a maxim, an instruction or a report.
Condition and time without a verb
Nel dubbio, taci.
When in doubt, keep quiet.
In caso di ritardo, avvisate la segreteria.
In case of delay, please inform the office.
In mancanza di prove, l'imputato è stato assolto.
For lack of evidence, the defendant was acquitted.
Una volta a casa, scrivimi.
Once you're home, text me.
