Have you ever spoken Italian and felt a bit like… a robot? “Io mangio. Io bevo. Io studio. Io dormo.” [I eat. I drink. I study. I sleep.] Short sentences, disconnected, one after another, like the wagons of a little train. If you want your Italian to finally sound fluid, natural and like a real native speaker’s, there’s a category of magic little words that you absolutely must know. They are small, often one or two syllables long, but they hold up the entire speech: they are the congiunzioni [conjunctions]. In this article we’ll see them all, both coordinating and subordinating, and you’ll also discover which of them hide within themselves the much-feared congiuntivo.
The Definitive Guide to Italian Congiunzioni
The word “congiunzione” comes from the verb congiungere, which means “to unite”, “to connect”. And in fact congiunzioni serve exactly this purpose: they are those invariable words — meaning they never change form — that connect two words or two sentences to each other. A very simple example:
- “Mangio la pizza. Bevo la birra.” [I eat the pizza. I drink the beer.] → two separate sentences, a bit stiff.
- “Mangio la pizza E bevo la birra.” [I eat the pizza and drink the beer.] → one single sentence, much more fluid.
See? Congiunzioni are like the glue of the Italian language. Without them, everything crumbles. Now, congiunzioni are divided into two big families:
- COORDINANTI [coordinating] congiunzioni, which connect two elements of the same level, that is, two elements “on equal footing”.
- SUBORDINANTI [subordinating] congiunzioni, which instead connect two sentences by putting one at the service of the other: a main sentence and a secondary sentence that depends on it.
Coordinanti Congiunzioni
The coordinanti unite two words or two sentences that have the same importance: neither commands the other, they are colleagues. There are various types. Let’s see them one by one.
1. Copulative
They serve to add, to sum up. The main ones: e, anche, pure, inoltre, né, neanche, nemmeno, neppure.
- Ho comprato il pane E il latte. [I bought bread and milk.]
- Non è venuto Marco e NEMMENO Luca. [Marco didn’t come and neither did Luca.]
- Non mangio la carne NÉ il pesce. [I don’t eat meat nor fish.]
Grammar curiosity: the “né” is a double negative… but it’s correct! In many languages the double negative is forbidden. In Italian no: with “né… né” the double negative is even mandatory. You say “Non mangio né carne né pesce”. If you remove the “non”, the sentence sounds wrong!
Curiosity — The “d eufonica”: when “e” is placed before another word that also begins with “e”, it often becomes “ed”, to make the sound smoother. It’s called precisely “d eufonica”, from the Greek euphonía, “pleasant sound”. So you’ll say “Italia ED Europa”, not “Italia e Europa”. The same goes for “a”, which before another “a” becomes “ad”: “L’ho detto AD Anna”. The modern rule recommends using this “d” especially before the same vowel; however, some fixed expressions like “ad esempio” remain common.
2. Disgiuntive
They indicate an alternative, a choice, an exclusion. The main ones: o, oppure, altrimenti.
- Preferisci il tè O il caffè? [Do you prefer tea or coffee?]
- Sbrigati, ALTRIMENTI perderemo il treno! [Hurry up, otherwise we’ll miss the train!]
3. Avversative
They express a contrast, an opposition. The main ones: ma, però, tuttavia, anzi, eppure, bensì.
- Vorrei uscire, MA piove. [I’d like to go out, but it’s raining.]
- Non sono arrabbiata, ANZI, sono felicissima! [I’m not angry, on the contrary, I’m super happy!] (“anzi” completely reverses the sense: it means “on the contrary”.)
- Studio tanto, EPPURE non ricordo niente! [I study a lot, yet I don’t remember anything!]
The favorite conjunction of those who don’t feel like doing things is, without a doubt, “però”: “Vorrei studiare l’italiano… PERÒ oggi fa troppo caldo. PERÒ domani ho da fare. PERÒ magari la settimana prossima…” [I’d like to study Italian… but today it’s too hot. But tomorrow I have things to do. But maybe next week…].
4. Dichiarative (or Esplicative)
They introduce an explanation, a clarification. The main ones: cioè, infatti, ossia, vale a dire.
- Torno tra un attimo, CIOÈ tra cinque minuti. [I’ll be back in a moment, that is in five minutes.]
- Aveva ragione: INFATTI è andata proprio come diceva lui. [He was right: in fact it went exactly as he said.]
5. Conclusive
They introduce a conclusion or a consequence. The main ones: quindi, dunque, perciò, pertanto, allora.
- Piove, QUINDI prendo l’ombrello. [It’s raining, so I take the umbrella.]
- “Penso, DUNQUE sono.” [I think, therefore I am.] (the famous phrase by the philosopher Descartes!)
6. Correlative
They always go in pairs, they “call each other” from a distance. The main ones: sia… sia, o… o, né… né, non solo… ma anche.
- SIA io SIA mia sorella parliamo italiano. [Both I and my sister speak Italian.]
- NON SOLO è bello, MA ANCHE simpatico. [Not only is he handsome, but also nice.]
Summary Table of Coordinanti Congiunzioni
| Type | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Copulative | To add, to sum up | e, anche, pure, inoltre, né, neanche |
| Disgiuntive | To indicate an alternative | o, oppure, altrimenti |
| Avversative | To express a contrast | ma, però, tuttavia, anzi, eppure, bensì |
| Dichiarative | To introduce an explanation | cioè, infatti, ossia, vale a dire |
| Conclusive | To introduce a conclusion | quindi, dunque, perciò, pertanto, allora |
| Correlative | To go in pairs | sia… sia, o… o, né… né, non solo… ma anche |
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Now comes the slightly more challenging part. The subordinanti congiunzioni connect two sentences, but not “on equal footing”: one of the two (the subordinate) depends on the other (the main). The subordinate, on its own, usually has no complete meaning. Example:
- “Sono felice PERCHÉ ho superato l’esame.” [I’m happy because I passed the exam.]
- “Sono felice” [I’m happy] → main sentence, stands on its own.
- “perché ho superato l’esame” [because I passed the exam] → subordinate sentence: alone it hangs there, incomplete.
Subordinanti also have many types, according to the meaning they add. Let’s see the most important ones.
1. Causali
They indicate the CAUSE, the reason. The main ones: perché, poiché, siccome, dato che, visto che, dal momento che, giacché.
- Non esco PERCHÉ sono stanca. [I’m not going out because I’m tired.]
- SICCOME piove, resto a casa. [Since it’s raining, I stay home.]
Very useful curiosity: “siccome” is almost always placed at the beginning of the sentence, while “perché” usually goes in the middle. So you’ll say “Siccome piove, resto a casa” or “Resto a casa perché piove”, but NOT “Resto a casa siccome piove”.
2. Finali
They indicate the PURPOSE, the goal (for what end?). The main ones: affinché, perché. They require the congiuntivo!
- Ti scrivo tutto AFFINCHÉ tu non dimentichi. [I write everything down so that you don’t forget.]
- Parla piano PERCHÉ tutti possano capire. [Speak slowly so that everyone can understand.]
The double face of “perché”: did you notice that “perché” appeared twice, among the causals AND among the finals? It’s not a mistake! “Perché” is a clever conjunction, which does two jobs:
- When it’s CAUSAL (answers “for what reason?”), it wants the indicativo: “Studio perché mi PIACE.” [I study because I like it.]
- When it’s FINAL (answers “for what purpose?”), it wants the congiuntivo: “Te lo spiego perché tu CAPISCA.” [I explain it to you so that you understand.]
A single “perché”, two meanings and even two different verbal moods!
3. Temporali
They indicate TIME. The main ones: quando, mentre, appena, non appena, prima che, dopo che, finché, ogni volta che.
- MENTRE cucino, ascolto la musica. [While I cook, I listen to music.]
- Ti chiamo APPENA arrivo. [I’ll call you as soon as I arrive.]
- Sbrigati PRIMA CHE il negozio chiuda. [Hurry up before the shop closes.] (+ congiuntivo!)
4. Concessive
They indicate a CONCESSION, that is, an obstacle that however does not stop the action (despite something). The main ones: benché, sebbene, nonostante, malgrado, anche se, per quanto.
- ANCHE SE piove, esco lo stesso. [Even if it’s raining, I go out anyway.] (+ indicativo)
- SEBBENE piova, esco lo stesso. [Although it’s raining, I go out anyway.] (+ congiuntivo!)
Watch out for this tricky pair! “Anche se” and “sebbene / benché” mean almost the same thing. BUT: “anche se” wants the indicativo, while “sebbene”, “benché”, “nonostante”, “malgrado” want the congiuntivo. Classic mistake to avoid!
5. Condizionali
They indicate a CONDITION (only under a certain condition something happens). The main ones: se, qualora, purché, a patto che, a condizione che, nel caso in cui. To learn more, you can check out the guide on the periodo ipotetico italiano.
- SE studi, imparerai. [If you study, you’ll learn.]
- Ti presto la macchina PURCHÉ tu guidi piano. [I’ll lend you the car provided that you drive slowly.] (+ congiuntivo!)
6. Consecutive
They indicate a CONSEQUENCE. The main ones: così… che, tanto… che, cosicché, al punto che, in modo che.
- Ero COSÌ stanca CHE mi sono addormentata sul divano. [I was so tired that I fell asleep on the couch.]
- Ha mangiato TANTO CHE è quasi scoppiato [He ate so much that he almost burst] (as a manner of speaking, of course!).
7. Modali e Comparative
They indicate the manner or the comparison.
- Modal (come, come se): Fai COME ti ho detto. [Do as I told you.] / Si comporta COME SE fosse il capo. [He behaves as if he were the boss.] (+ congiuntivo!)
- Comparative (più… che, meno… di, (così)… come, (tanto)… quanto): È più simpatico CHE intelligente. [He’s more nice than smart.]
8. Dichiarative
The queen of them all, che (and sometimes come). The conjunction “che” is probably the most used one of all: you’ll find it truly everywhere.
- Penso CHE tu abbia ragione. [I think that you’re right.] (+ congiuntivo!)
- So CHE sei bravo. [I know that you’re good.] (+ indicativo)
9. Eccettuative / Esclusive
The main ones: a meno che (non), tranne che, salvo che, senza che.
- Vengo alla festa, A MENO CHE NON piova. [I’ll come to the party, unless it rains.] (+ congiuntivo!)
Curious curiosity: in “a meno che NON piova”, that “non” is not a real negation: it’s “pleonastic”, meaning decorative. The sentence means “I’ll come, except in the case it rains”. It seems strange, but that’s how it is!
Summary Table of Subordinanti Congiunzioni
| Type | Function | Verbal mood |
|---|---|---|
| Causali | Indicate the cause | Indicativo |
| Finali | Indicate the purpose | Congiuntivo |
| Temporali | Indicate the time | Indicativo (or congiuntivo with “prima che”) |
| Concessive | Indicate a concession | Congiuntivo (indicativo with “anche se”) |
| Condizionali | Indicate a condition | Congiuntivo (indicativo with “se”) |
| Consecutive | Indicate a consequence | Indicativo |
| Modali / Comparative | Indicate manner or comparison | Indicativo (congiuntivo with “come se”) |
| Dichiarative | Introduce a declaration | Indicativo or congiuntivo |
| Eccettuative | Indicate an exception | Congiuntivo |
Which Congiunzioni Want the Congiuntivo? The Life-Saving Summary
For many students the real nightmare isn’t the conjunction itself, but the fact that some congiunzioni force you to use the congiuntivo. Here’s a mini-summary to always keep at hand. They require the congiuntivo especially:
- The finali: affinché (and perché when it’s final).
- The concessive: benché, sebbene, nonostante, malgrado, per quanto.
- The condizionali like: purché, qualora, a patto che, a condizione che, nel caso in cui.
- Some particular ones: prima che, a meno che (non), senza che, come se.
Small trick (with a warning!): many of these end in “-ché” — affinché, benché, purché — and want the congiuntivo. But watch out: it’s not a 100% magic rule! Also poiché and giacché end in “-ché”, but they are causal and want the indicativo. So the “-ché” is a good warning sign, but then always reason about the meaning.
Three Classic Mistakes to Avoid
1. “Perché” ≠ “Perciò”
“Perché” introduces the cause (Studio perché voglio imparare [I study because I want to learn]); “perciò” introduces the consequence (Voglio imparare, perciò studio [I want to learn, so I study]). They are not interchangeable!
2. “Anche Se” + Congiuntivo? No!
“Anche se” wants the indicativo: “anche se PIOVE“, not “anche se piova”. If you really want the congiuntivo, change the conjunction and use sebbene or benché.
3. “Siccome” at the End of the Sentence? No!
“Siccome” loves to be at the beginning: “Siccome ho fame, mangio” [Since I’m hungry, I eat], not “mangio siccome ho fame”. If you want to put the cause afterwards, use “perché”.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Difference Between Coordinanti and Subordinanti Congiunzioni?
The coordinanti connect two elements (words or sentences) that are on the same plane, “on equal footing”: neither of the two depends on the other. Example: “Studio e lavoro” [I study and I work] — both studying and working are independent actions. The subordinanti, instead, create a hierarchy: one sentence (the subordinate) depends on the other (the main). Example: “Studio perché voglio imparare” [I study because I want to learn] — the sentence “perché voglio imparare” on its own has no complete meaning: it’s at the service of the main one. In practice, coordinanti put verbs “in line” like colleagues, subordinanti create a boss-employee relationship.
How Do I Know When “Perché” Wants the Indicativo or the Congiuntivo?
You need to understand if “perché” answers the question “for what reason?” or the question “for what purpose?”. If it answers “for what reason?” it’s causal and wants the indicativo: “Studio perché mi piace“ (for what reason do I study? Because I like it). If it answers “for what purpose?” it’s final and wants the congiuntivo: “Te lo spiego perché tu capisca“ (for what purpose do I explain it? So that you understand). A small trick: if you can replace “perché” with “affinché”, then it’s final and wants the congiuntivo.
Why in Italian Is It Mandatory to Say “Non… Né… Né”?
Because in Italian, unlike other languages like English, the double negative is the norm. When you use “né… né” you must obligatorily also put “non” before the verb: “Non mangio né carne né pesce”. In English you’d say “I don’t eat meat OR fish” (a single negation), but in Italian the structure requires two (or more) negative elements. The same goes for “nessuno”, “niente”, “mai”: “Non vedo nessuno“, “Non ho niente da dire”, “Non vado mai in palestra”.
What Is the “D Eufonica” and When Is It Used?
The “d eufonica” is that “d” that is added to “e”, “a” (and sometimes “o”) to make pronunciation smoother before a word starting with the same vowel. The name comes from the Greek euphonía, “pleasant sound”. Examples: “Italia ed Europa” (not “e Europa”), “L’ho detto ad Anna” (not “a Anna”). The modern rule recommends using it only before the same vowel: so “ed Europa” yes, but “e Italia” is preferable to “ed Italia”. However, some fixed expressions like “ad esempio” remain common.
What Does It Mean That the “Non” in “A Meno Che Non” Is Pleonastic?
Pleonastic means “added without real meaning”, “decorative”. In the case of “a meno che non piova”, that “non” doesn’t actually negate: the sentence means “I’ll come, except in the case it rains”, not “I’ll come, except in the case it doesn’t rain”. It’s a typical use of the Italian language that confuses many foreigners. Some modern speakers tend to omit that “non” (“vengo, a meno che piova”), but the traditional form with “non” is still considered the most correct and widespread.
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