Tense agreement between the conditional and subjunctive
- When the main clause contains a verb in the conditional and the subordinate clause contains an action that took place before the action referred to in the main clause, the verbs agree as follows:
| MAIN CLAUSE | SUBORDINATE CLAUSE |
|---|---|
| Present conditional (io penserei, I would think) Past conditional (io avrei pensato, I would have thought) | Imperfect subjunctive (che arrivasse, that he had arrived) / Past subjunctive (che sia arrivato, that he has arrived) Past perfect subjunctive (che fosse arrivato, that he had arrived) |
Io penserei (alle 18) che sia arrivato (alle 16).
I would guess (now, at 6 o'clock) that he arrived (at 4 o'clock).
Io avrei pensato (ieri sera) che fosse arrivato (ieri mattina).
I would have thought (yesterday evening) that he had arrived (yesterday morning).
Note: in this case, when the verb in the main clause expresses will or desire (volere, to want, desiderare, to desire, preferire, to prefer, etc.) and is conjugated in the present or past conditional, we use the past perfect subjunctive in the subordinate clause.
Mi piacerebbe che tu avessi terminato gli studi.
I would like you to have finished your studies (literally, “I would like that you had finished your studies”).
Vorrei che lei ti avesse detto tutta la verità.
I wish she had told you the whole truth (literally, “I would want that she had told you the whole truth”).
- When the main clause contains a verb in the conditional and the subordinate clause contains an action that occurs after the action referred to in the main clause, the verb tenses agree as follows:
| MAIN CLAUSE | SUBORDINATE CLAUSE |
|---|---|
| Present conditional (io penserei, I imagine / I should think)
Past conditional (io avrei pensato, I would have thought) | Past conditional (che saresti arrivato, that you will have arrived / that you would arrive)
Past conditional (che saresti arrivato, that you will have arrived / that you would arrive) |
Io penserei (ora, alle 18) che saresti arrivato (alle 22).
I imagine (now, at 6 o'clock) that you will have arrived (by 10 o'clock), literally “… that you would have arrived”.
Io avrei pensato (ieri) che saresti arrivato (domani).
I would have thought (yesterday) that you would arrive (tomorrow), literally “… that you would have arrived”.
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