Italian conditional (If) or the hypothetical period (il periodo ipotetico), used to make hypotheses, consists of two sentences: one expresses the condition and the other expresses the consequence.
The sentence expressing the condition is usually introduced by the conjunction [se (if)].
- Se l’affitto non è troppo alto prendo questo alloggio.
- If the rent isn’t too high, I’ll take this place.
- Andremo in montagna se farà bello.
- We’ll go to the mountains if it’s nice.
- Paolo andrebbe alla festa se lo invitassero.
- Paolo would go to the party if they invited him.
- Paolo sarebbe andato alla festa se lo avessero invitato.
- Paolo would have gone to the party if they had invited him.
As seen in the examples, the sentence introduced by se can be the first or second of the hypothetical sentence.
Generally, if you want to express a greater possibility that the event will occur, in the hypothetical period, you use the indicative, as in the first two sentences. If, on the other hand, you want to express a lesser possibility or the impossibility of the event occurring, the hypothetical period is made with the conditional and the subjunctive, as in the last two examples.
1. Italian Conditional: The hypothetical period of reality.
Usually, to express a greater possibility (or the certainty) that something will happen, the indicative present, simple future, future perfect, or present perfect are used in sentences introduced by se:
| The condition (Main sentence) | The consequence (Dependent sentence) | |
| SE | Present indicative Future indicative Future perfect Present perfect | Present indicative Future indicative Imperfect |
- Se vieni con noi ti diverti.
- If you come with us you have fun.
- Se farai come dice il medico, guarirai in poco tempo.
- If you do as the doctor says, you will recover in no time.
- Se avrete seguito le sue indicazioni, arriverete sicuramente a destinazione.
- If you have followed his instructions, you will surely arrive at your destination.
- Se hai preparato da mangiare per cinque, possiamo anche mangiare in sei.
- If you’ve prepared food for five, we can even eat six.
2. Italian Conditional: The hypothetical period of possibility.
When you want to express a lower possibility that an event will occur, you usually use the present conditional and the imperfect subjunctive.
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the sentence introduced by “se“, to express the condition, and the conditional is used to express the consequence:
| The condition (Main sentence) | The consequence (Dependent sentence) | |
| SE | imperfect subjunctive. | present conditional |
- Se Marina arrivasse tardi andrei a prenderla.
- If Marina arrives late, I’ll go get her.
- Non avresti problemi di parcheggio se prendessi l’autobus.
- You wouldn’t have parking problems if you took the bus.
- Se tu rimanessi senza soldi te ne potrei dare io.
- If you run out of money I could give you some.
- Vi inviteremmo a cena se foste liberi domani sera.
- We would invite you to dinner if you were free tomorrow night.
3. Italian Conditional: The hypothetical period of impossibility.
When the past conditional and the past subjunctive are used, however, the condition has not occurred and therefore the fact has not occurred:
| The condition (Main sentence) | The consequence (Dependent sentence) | |
| SE | present conditional past conditional the imperfect(spoken language) | the imperfect subjunctive the subjunctive past perfect the imperfect(spoken language) |
- Se tu avessi controllato il documento avresti visto subito l’errore.
- If you had checked the document you would have seen the error right away.
- Saremmo arrivati in tempo se non avessimo perso l’autobus.
- We would have arrived on time if we hadn’t missed the bus.
- Avreste potuto dire la vostra opinione se foste venuti alla riunione.
- You could have said your opinion if you had come to the meeting.
- Se avessi mangiato i funghi sarei stato male anche io.
- If I had eaten the mushrooms I would have been sick too.
In spoken Italian the structure (se + the subjunctive past perfect + the past conditional) is frequently replaced by (se + the imperfect indicative + the imperfect indicative) is more used.
- Se avevo abbastanza soldi, andavo in vacanza alle Maldive.
- If I had enough money, I’d go on vacation to the Maldives.
- Se venivi a teatro ieri sera, dopo lo spettacolo ti invitavo a bere qualcosa.
- If you came to the theater last night, after the show I would invite you for a drink.
- Se lo sapevo, non ci venivo!
- If I knew, I wasn’t coming!
- Se glielo chiedevi, te la dava lui una mano!
- If you asked him, he’d give you a hand!