How To Say Should, Would, Could In Italian

Tutorial Transcript

Hi everyone and welcome back to my channel! In today's video we'll discuss how to translate Should, Would, Could in Italian. In today's video we'll discuss how to translate Should, Would, Could in Italian. This video is going to be in Italian, I'll explain everything in Italian, but I'll have subtitles in Italian and in English. Let's begin. In English "should", "would", "could" are modal verbs, which are used to modulate the meaning of the verbs that follows. In Italian modal verbs do not exist, we have verbal moods. For example, if in English the modal verb "could" express possibility, in Italian we use the conditional mood to convey the same message. Let's analyse one modal verb at a time. Let's start with "could", which we have just mentioned. To translate "could", in Italian we need to conjugate the verb "potere" at the present or past conditional, followed by an infinitive verb we want to use. For example: "I could go out for a walk since I have half an hour free." Here I have used the verb "potere" in the present conditional, followed by the infinitive verb "uscire". "I could go out for a walk since I have half an hour free". In the past, the same sentence would be: "I could have gone out". "I could have gone out". Let's have a look at these examples. "I could have gone out for a walk, since I have half an hour free". I have used the verb "potere" conjugated in the present tense conditional and the infinitive verb "uscire", because that's the verb I need to construe the sentence. In the past the sentence would be "I could have gone out for a walk, since I had half an hour free". Here I have used the past conditional of the verb "potere" and the infinitive verb "uscire". As the auxiliary verb I have used "to be". Why? Because I have to decide which auxiliary to used based on the infinitive verb I use, because "uscire" is a verb of movement, I have to use the auxiliary verb "to be" to conjugate the past tense. I know it sounds strange, but we have to decide the auxiliary to use based on the infinitive verb we want to use. Here I have used "uscire" and I have to use "to be" as the auxiliary. In the last example, "I could have made a cake". Since the infinitive verb is "to make", which is a transitive verb e therefore wants "to have" as auxiliary, I have indeed used "to have" as the auxiliary verb, "I could have made". Here we can't consider the verb "potere" to decide which auxiliary to use, but we have to consider the infinitive verb. Keep it in mind when you use "potere", but also when you use "dovere" and "volere". Let's talk about "would". To translate "would" in Italian we have to use the conditional mood past or present of the a verb we want to use. Fore example: "Would you like to go to the beach?". I have used "piacere". at the present conditional. Would you like to go to the beach? The same sentence in the past: "Would you have liked to go to the beach?". Another example: "Would you do me a favour?" "To do" at the present tense conditional. Would you hold my jacket for a second? "To hold" at the present tense conditional. We simply have to conjugate the verb we want to use at the present or past tense conditional, based on what we want to express. In the first example I have used the verb "piacere" (would like to), which is a bit of an exception because we have to translate it "would like to". We have to use "piacere" at the present tense conditional, followed by the infinite of the verb we want to use. Same thing in the past, "would you have liked to go to the beach?". Pay attention to the auxiliary verb, because we have used "to go". "Would you have liked to go to the beach?". "Piacere" is an exception. More examples with just "andare". For example: "Would you go to the beach?" Here we have to follow the rule according to which "would" is translated in Italian with the conditional tenses of a verb we choose, present tense "you would go", or past tense, "you would have gone". Another example: "Would you do me a favour?" "to do" at the present tense conditional. "Would you hold my jacket?", "to hold" at the present tense conditional. In the past, "you would have done" and "you would have held", because they are both transitive verbs. And lastly, "should". To translate "should" in Italian we have to use "dovere" at the present or past conditional, followed by an infinitive verb. For example: "You should go, it's late!. Here, "dovere" is at the present tense conditional, followed by the infinitive verb "to go". "you should go". In the past, "you should have gone to the party". What do we understand? The sentence conveys a missed opportunity. The persone who is told this sentence hasn't gone to the party and missed a lot of fun. We have to make the agreement between the subject and the verb, because we have the auxiliary "to be", since we have used "to go" at the infinitive form. I have conjugated "dovere" at the past tense conditional, followed by the infinitive verb "to go". Let's have a look at these examples again. "You should go, it's late!". In the past, "you should have gone to the party". Pay attention to the auxiliary verb. When we have a compound past tense, we have to choose between "to be" and "to have" as the auxiliary verb. Since we have "to go" as the infinitive verb, we need to use "to be". Again, we have to decide the auxiliary verb based on the verb at the infinitive form, not on the verb "dovere". So "you should have gone" because "andare" is an intransitive verb of movement. "You should have made a cake". "to do" is a transitive verb, therefore I used "to have" as the auxiliary. This is it for this video. I have probably forgotten some information, I could do an additional video. We'll see. Or you can leave your questions in the comments below and I'll answer. Anyway, from this video we have understood that we need to think in the language we're speaking. We can't directly translate words, also because there is no direct translation of should, would, could in Italian. We have to use the conditional mood and verbs "potere" and "dovere". Thank you for watching this video. I'll see you in my next one. Bye!