Subjunctive in Other Contexts

Beyond wishes, emotions, doubts, and impersonal expressions, the subjunctive also appears after certain conjunctions, relative clauses, and indefinite pronouns. These are sometimes called "structural" subjunctive triggers because the grammar itself demands them, regardless of meaning.

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Conjunctions That Require the Subjunctive

Several Italian conjunctions always take the subjunctive in the clause that follows them. Here are the most important ones:

Concession (although / even though)

Italian	English	Example
benché	although	Benché piova, esco.
sebbene	although	Sebbene sia stanco, continuo a lavorare.
nonostante che	despite the fact that	Nonostante che faccia freddo, va al mare.
malgrado che	in spite of the fact that	Malgrado che non stia bene, lavora.

Benché sia tardi, non ho sonno. — Although it's late, I'm not sleepy. Sebbene piova, andiamo al parco. — Even though it's raining, we're going to the park.

Important: Anche se (even if) takes the indicative, not the subjunctive:

Anche se piove, esco. — Even if it rains, I'm going out. (indicative)

Purpose (so that / in order that)

Italian	English	Example
affinché	so that	Ti aiuto affinché tu capisca.
perché (= affinché)	so that	Parlo lentamente perché tu capisca.

Studio molto affinché i miei genitori siano orgogliosi. — I study a lot so that my parents will be proud. Te lo ripeto perché tu ricordi. — I'm repeating it so you remember.

Note: Perché meaning "because" takes the indicative; perché meaning "so that" takes the subjunctive. Context makes the difference.

Time (before)

Italian	English	Example
prima che	before	Partiamo prima che piova.

Chiamami prima che esca. — Call me before he leaves. Finisco il lavoro prima che arrivi il capo. — I'll finish the work before the boss arrives.

Note: Dopo che (after) takes the indicative because the action has already happened.

Condition / Exception

Italian	English	Example
a meno che (non)	unless	Vengo, a meno che non piova.
a condizione che	on condition that	Ti aiuto a condizione che tu faccia la tua parte.
purché	provided that	Puoi uscire, purché finisca i compiti.
senza che	without	È partito senza che io lo sapessi.

Verrò alla festa a meno che non debba lavorare. — I'll come to the party unless I have to work. Ti presto la macchina a condizione che tu guidi con attenzione. — I'll lend you the car provided you drive carefully. Purché studi, puoi guardare la TV. — As long as you study, you can watch TV.

Note on "a meno che non": The non is not a negation — it is an expletive (pleonastic) non. The sentence is still positive in meaning.

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Relative Clauses with the Subjunctive

The subjunctive appears in relative clauses when you are describing something that is hypothetical, desired, or not yet identified:

Looking for something not yet found

Cerco una persona che parli inglese. — I'm looking for a person who speaks English. (any such person; haven't found one yet)

Compare with the indicative for someone already identified:

Conosco una persona che parla inglese. — I know a person who speaks English. (specific, real person)