The agreement of tenses is a series of rules that establish and organize the tenses to use in the sentences we construct. According to the verb of the main sentences, the verb of the secondary sentences can be anterior(past), contemporary(present), or posterior(future).
2. The agreement of tenses In the subjunctive mood.
A). If the verb of the main sentences is in the present the verb of the secondary sentences can be anterior (past subjunctive), contemporary (present subjunctive), or posterior (future simple, present subjunctive).
| main sentences | secondary sentences |
| –present indicative Penso | –anterior(past subjunctive) che Lisa sia partita. –contemporary(present subjunctive) che Lisa parta. –posterior(future simple, present subjunctive) che Lisa partirà. che Lisa parta. |
B). If the verb of the main sentences is in the past, the verb of the secondary sentences can be anterior (subjunctive past perfect), contemporary (imperfect subjunctive), or posterior (past conditional).
| main sentences | secondary sentences |
| -present indicative Penso | -anterior(subjunctive past perfect) che Lisa fosse partita. -contemporary(imperfect subjunctive) che Lisa partisse. -posterior(past conditional) che Lisa sarebbe partita. |
C). If the verb of the main sentences is in the present conditional, the verb of the secondary sentences can be anterior (subjunctive past perfect), contemporary (imperfect subjunctive), or posterior (imperfect subjunctive).
| main sentences | secondary sentences |
| -present conditional Vorrei | –anterior(subjunctive past perfect) che Giulio mi avesse telefonato. –contemporary(imperfect subjunctive) che Giulio mi telefonasse. –posterior(imperfect subjunctive) che Giulio mi telefonasse. |