Italian · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 5 of 12
Hopes and wishes
Sogni e desideri
Talk about hopes, wishes and dreams in Italian with the condizionale presente, mi piacerebbe, dovresti, polite requests and spero che.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Say what you would like to do
- Form the condizionale presente
- Give advice and make polite requests
- Say what you hope with spero che and spero di
Listen
In Udine, Camilla talks to her father Alberto, who will retire next month. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Camilla
Allora, papà, manca solo un mese alla pensione. Come ti senti?
So, Dad, just one month to go until you retire. How do you feel?
Alberto
Bene, ma è strano. Lavoro in banca da quarant'anni.
Fine, but it's strange. I've worked at the bank for forty years.
Camilla
E cosa farai con tutto quel tempo libero?
And what will you do with all that free time?
Alberto
Mi piacerebbe viaggiare. Andrei in Argentina, in Australia… E vorrei imparare a suonare la chitarra.
I'd like to travel. I'd go to Argentina, to Australia… And I'd like to learn to play the guitar.
Camilla
La chitarra? Non lo sapevo.
The guitar? I didn't know that.
Alberto
Da ragazzo suonavo in un gruppo con degli amici. Poi ho smesso, perché non avevo più tempo.
When I was young, I played in a band with some friends. Then I stopped, because I didn't have time any more.
Camilla
E la mamma cosa ne pensa? Anche lei vorrebbe viaggiare?
And what does Mum think about it? Would she like to travel too?
Alberto
Lei preferirebbe stare qui, vicino a te e ai bambini. Spero che accetti almeno un viaggio all'anno.
She'd rather stay here, near you and the children. I hope she'll agree to at least one trip a year.
Camilla
Secondo me dovresti proporle un viaggio di pochi giorni, per cominciare. Magari a Vienna: non è lontana.
I think you should suggest a trip of a few days to her, to start with. Maybe to Vienna: it isn't far.
Alberto
Buona idea. E tu, Camilla? Hai un sogno?
Good idea. And you, Camilla? Do you have a dream?
Camilla
Io vorrei una casa più grande, con un giardino per i bambini. Spero di trovarne una presto.
I'd like a bigger house, with a garden for the children. I hope to find one soon.
Alberto
Lo spero anch'io. E se avete bisogno di aiuto, adesso avrò molto tempo.
I hope so too. And if you need any help, I'll have plenty of time now.
Understand
The condizionale presente: I would
The says what would happen: (I'd go to Argentina). You already know and . To form it, take the stem of the future and add -ei, -esti, -ebbe, -emmo, -este, -ebbero. As in the future, -are verbs change the a to e: → .
Verbs with an irregular future stem keep it: → , → , → , → , → , → , → , → . Careful with : the conditional has a double m (, we would go), the future only one (, we will go).
| Person | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| / / | |||
Wishes, advice and polite requests
Use the conditional for wishes: (I'd like to travel), . means “I'd rather”. For advice, use in the conditional: (You should suggest a trip to her).
The conditional also makes requests softer and more polite:
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Could you help me? | |
| Would you give me a hand? | |
| Would you mind closing the window? | |
| Would you mind saying that again? (Lei) | |
| You should sleep more. |
I hope: spero che, spero di
(to hope) works like the phrases of feeling in chapter 4. If someone else does the action, use + congiuntivo: (I hope Mum agrees). If you do it yourself, use + infinitive: (I hope to find a house).
For a hope about the past, use the congiuntivo passato: (I hope you slept well). To answer, say (I hope so) or (I hope not). On its own, means “If only!”
- Spero che tu stia bene.I hope you're well.
- Spero di vederti presto.I hope to see you soon.
- Speriamo che non piova.Let's hope it doesn't rain.
More in the grammar: The conditional: would and would have · The congiuntivo: the Italian subjunctive
New words
- mancareto be left, to be missing · = there's a month to go until retirement
- la pensioneretirement; pension · feminine; = to retire
- stranostrange, odd · feminine:
- mi piacerebbeI'd like, I'd love to · the conditional of ; with more than one thing:
- imparareto learn · = to learn to play
- suonareto play (an instrument) · ; for sports and games, use
- smettere dito stop (doing something) · = I stopped
- preferireto prefer · like : ; = I'd rather
- almenoat least
- proporreto suggest, to propose · irregular: …; = to suggest to her
- magarimaybe; if only · = If only!
- il sognodream · masculine
- il giardinogarden · masculine
- l'aiutohelp · masculine; = to help
Practise
1.How do you say “I would go”?
2.Complete with the conditional of .
I'd like to learn to play the guitar.
3.Give a friend advice. Complete with the conditional of (tu).
You should sleep more.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I hope Mum agrees.
5.Which sentence means “We would travel more”?
6.Match the Italian with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Mi piacerebbe viaggiare di più.
I'd like to travel more.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.