italiano · B2 · grammar · 4 minutes
Indicative or subjunctive?
Change mood when an asserted person or fact becomes doubted, denied, desired, or unidentified.
Understand the choice
The known expert belongs to asserted reality. The person being sought is not identified, so the relative clause describes a desired criterion rather than a fact.
Core rule: Indicative presents an identified/asserted fact; subjunctive can follow negation/doubt or an indefinite, desired, or possibly nonexistent antecedent.
Notice it in context
Conosco un esperto che può aiutarci, ma cerco qualcuno che possa venire domani.
I know an expert who can help us, but I am looking for someone who can come tomorrow.
Può describes known esperto; possa describes desired qualcuno.
Penso che abbia ragione, ma non credo che abbia tutti i dati.
I think he is right, but I do not believe he has all the data.
Italian often uses subjunctive after opinion verbs even affirmative, especially formal usage.
Esiste una soluzione che sia meno costosa?
Is there a solution that is less expensive?
The question seeks an uncertain solution, favoring sia.
What to remember
- Informal speech increasingly uses indicative after penso che, with regional variation.
- Mood can communicate stance, so more than one choice may be possible with a nuance shift.
Common trap: Do not reduce the contrast to a rigid true/false rule.