SPECIAL USE OF THE italian conditional of dovere/volere/potere + infinito
“Dovere, volere, potere” are called “verbi servili”, (verb that ‘serve’ – modal verbs) because they are followed by an infinitive.
They can also be used alone (especially “volere” e.g. “voglio una torta” = I want a cake) but, as modal verbs, they are used with another verb in the infinitive tense (e.g. “voglio viaggiare” = I want to travel). The verb “sapere” is also a modal verb.
In this special construction, when they are used in the conditional form, they can be confusing for English speaking students because they do not have a literal translation. Check the following examples:
Oggi io potrei andare al cinema ma tu non puoi. (I could go to the movies but you cannot.)
Oggi io vorrei andare al cinema ma tu non vuoi. (I would like to go to the movies but you do not want.)
Oggi io dovrei studiare, ma invece andrò al cinema! (I should study but instead I will go to the movies.)
They can be used also in the past conditional:
Io avrei potuto diventare una persona importante! (I could have become an important person!)
Io avrei voluto diventare una persona importante! (I would have liked to become an important person!)
Io avrei dovuto studiare per diventare una persona importante! (I should have studied in order to become an important person!)
IMPERSONAL CONSTRUCTION
When the subject of a sentence is generic and not specified (people, one, they…) the Italian language uses the impersonal construction.
It is formed with “si” plus the third singular person of the verb:
In Italia si cena alle otto (in Italy people have dinner at 8)
Qui non si fuma (no smoking here)
Si deve studiare per ottenere la laurea (one has to study to obtain one’s degree)
When the verb is reflexive the particle “ci” precedes “si”:
Per andare ad una festa ci si veste bene (to go to a party, people get well dressed)
Quando il treno ritarda ci si innervosisce (when the train is late, one becomes nervous)
If an adjective follows the verb, the adjective is in the plural masculine form:
Quando si è stanchi, ci si sente nervosi (when one is tired, one feels nervous)
A tavola si mangia seduti (at the table, one eats sitting)
Note: There is a costruction which is similar to the impersonal construction but is slightly different; it is called “passive si” construction.
The impersonal construction requires the third singular person of the verb:
in questo ristorante si mangia bene (people eat well in this restaurant)
The “passive si” construction requires the third singular or plural person of the verb according to the number of the object:
in questo ristorante si mangia la pizza (people eat pizza in this restaurant or pizza is eaten in this restaurant) In this case “pizza” is singular and the verb is singular.
in questo ristorante si mangiano pesce e patatine (in this restaurant people eat fish and chips or fish and chips are eaten in this restaurant) In this case “pesce e patatine” is plural and the verb is plural.
To recognize the difference between the impersonal construction and “si passivante”, it may help you to know that in the passive construction you switch the subject.
The meaning of the sentence is the same but the construction is different.
Example
ACTIVE SENTENCE (THE SUBJECT IS PEOPLE): la gente mangia pizza in questo ristorante = people eat pizza in this restaurant
PASSIVE SENTENCE (THE SUBJECT IS PIZZA): la pizza è cotta bene in questo ristorante = pizza is well cooked in this restaurant
SI PASSIVANTE: in questo ristorante si mangia la pizza = in this restaurant one eats pizza
ATTIVA: la gente mangia pesce e patatine in questo ristorante = people eat fish and chips in this restaurant
PASSIVA: il pesce e le patatine sono preparati molto bene in questo ristorante = fish and chips are prepared very well in this restaurant
SI PASSIVANTE: in questo ristorante si mangiano pesce e patatine = in this restaurant one eats fish and chips
In the impersonal construction (e.g. “qui non si fuma”) you cannot switch the subject.
RECIPROCAL CONSTRUCTION
The particle “ci” (for “we”), “vi” (for “you” plural) and “si” (for “they”) are used to form the “reciprocal construction”:
Telefoniamoci domani (let’s call each other tomorrow)
Loro non si parlano (they don’t talk to each other)
Scrivetevi! (write to each other!)
NOTE In a reciprocal construction, compound tenses require the verb “essere”:
Non si sono più sentiti (they haven’t talked to each other anymore)
SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION: “stare per” + infinito
This construction is formed with “stare per + infinitive”:
Sto per partire (I’m about to leave)
Loro stanno per uscire (they are about to go out)
SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION: “stare” + gerundio
This construction is formed with “stare + gerundio”:
Sto mangiando (I’m eating)
Stai studiando? (are you studying?)