Type 3 conditionals in Italian: How to form unrealizable or impossible hypotheticals?

In Italian, a Type 3 conditional (a.k.a Type 3 hypothetical) is a sentence that says something would have or could have happened if something else had taken place. In other words, these are sentences we use when speaking hypothetically about a situation that is impossible or was not realized, as in: “If I’d had money, I would have traveled around the world.”

In Italian, all sentences that give a condition (with se (meaning if)) and consequence are called periodo ipotetico (meaning hypothetical sentence). Just as in English, these sentences have two parts:

1. the “if clause,” expressing the condition

2. the main clause expressing the consequence

In this post, we’ll go over how to construct and use our Type 3 periodo ipoteticoto express a condition that did NOT happen.

Let’s do a final recap of the three types of periodo ipotetico. If you’ve read our posts, Type 1 conditionals in Italian and Type 2 conditionals in Italian should look familiar, but let's see them again, shall we?

In this post, we’ll focus on the third group, the type 3 (impossible) hypotheticals. Let’s get to our final destination!

In Italian, we use Type 3 hypotheticals (or periodo ipotetico dell’irrealtà) when the condition is impossible, or was not realized. This usually implies that the consequence also did not take place.

For Type 3 constructions, you use the congiuntivo trapassato (past perfect subjunctive) with se, and use the past or present conditional for the consequence:

For example:

• past perfect subjunctivepresent conditional

  Se Monica fosse andata in ferie, si sentirebbe meglio.

  Translation: If Monica had gone on vacation, she would feel better.
• past perfect subjunctivepast conditional

  Se avessi saputo che non eri in casa non sarei venuta.

  Translation: If I had known you were not home, I would not have come.

These examples clearly indicate that your condition is impossible because your hypothesis is in the past, and…unless you are a wizard, you cannot change the past… or can you????

Now, let’s see when to use the present vs. past conditional:

• When meeting the condition would have theoretically changed something in the present or future → use the present conditional

  CONDITION (unrealized / impossible)	CONSEQUENCE (theoretical present or future)
  se + congiuntivo trapassato Translation: if + past perfect subjunctive	condizionale presente Translation: present conditional

  For example:

  past perfect subjunctivepresent conditional

  Se avessimo chiamato i nostri genitori ora sarebbero più tranquilli.

  Translation: If we had called our parents, they would be more relaxed.

  Here we indicate that the person did NOT call their parents (the condition was not realized in the past), so the parents are not relaxed (at the present time).

• When meeting the condition would have theoretically changed something in the past → use the past conditional

  CONDITION (unrealized / impossible)	CONSEQUENCE (theoretical past)
  se + congiuntivo trapassato Translation: if + past perfect subjunctive	condizionale passato Translation: past conditional

  For example:

  past perfect subjunctivepast conditional

  Se fossi arrivato in anticipo ti avrei chiamato.

  Translation: If I had arrived earlier I would have called you.

  The condition was not fulfilled in the past (I did not arrive earlier), but if it had been fulfilled, then the result would have affected the past.

An Italian periodo ipotetico is made of two parts:

1. the “if” clause (dependent) indicating the condition, and

2. the “main” clause, indicating the consequence.

In Italian there are three types of periodo ipotetico depending if the condition is:

1. Real

2. Possible/Unlikely

3. Impossible

Type 3 (impossible) is used to express a condition that did NOT happen and its consequence(s) are not realized in the present/future, or in the past. Here’s how to do it:

Ready to practice Type 3 hypotheticals in Italian? Let's go!