Scelte, consigli e possibilità
Chapter Overview and Objectives
The archive called Chiara back: the position is hers if she wants it, but the hours overlap with a seminar she needs for her degree. Marco has been offered an extension of his internship, which would mean postponing a trip he had already planned with Elena. Elena, watching both of her friends weigh a decision, finds herself thinking through a choice of her own about a part-time tutoring job. Chapter 13 moves from describing what has already happened toward weighing what could happen: comparing options, giving advice with appropriate nuance, and imagining outcomes that have not occurred yet. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Compare two or more options and justify a preference.
- Give advice with appropriate softness or directness depending on the relationship.
- Use the condizionale presente productively beyond polite requests, for advice, possibility, and soft assertion.
- Recognize and produce, in controlled high-frequency frames, the hypothetical pattern se + congiuntivo imperfetto + condizionale.
- Discuss advantages and disadvantages using comparative structures.
- Review clitic pronouns in the context of advice-giving.
Communication Scenario
Chiara got the call: the library wants her, starting in two weeks, three afternoons a week — exactly when her required seminar meets. She could ask the archive for a different schedule, or she could ask her advisor about switching seminar sections, but she is not sure which request is more reasonable. Marco's supervisor has asked him to stay on through August, which is generous and useful for his degree, but it would mean missing the trip he and Elena planned back in Chapter 1. Elena, half-listening to both problems, starts wondering aloud whether she should take a tutoring job herself, if she can find one that does not conflict with her thesis work. Nobody in the group has an easy answer, but between the three of them, they are good at thinking a problem through out loud.
- You will read and listen to Elena, Marco, and Chiara compare options and give each other advice.
- You will then complete your own task: comparing two options in your own life and writing a short piece of advice for someone facing a similar choice.
Where This Chapter Fits
Chapter 13 continues Unit III, Argomentare e mediare, carrying the professional and academic register from Chapter 12 into decision-making. It does not introduce a new mood from scratch: the condizionale presente has been available since Volume II for polite requests and was consolidated for professional softening in Chapter 12. Here it is developed further, for advice, possibility, and soft assertion about hypothetical outcomes. A single controlled hypothetical frame — se plus congiuntivo imperfetto plus condizionale — is introduced for the first time, but only in a small set of high-frequency patterns tied to advice and choice. Comparative structures from earlier volumes are reviewed and applied to real trade-offs, and clitic pronouns already familiar from Chapters 1, 9, and 12 recur naturally in advice-giving contexts.
Coming Into This Chapter
You closed Chapter 12 able to describe a project or qualification, soften a professional request with the conditional, and recognize passive-like phrasing in job postings.
In This Chapter
You will use that same conditional form to give advice and weigh possibilities, and you will take your first controlled step into hypothetical meaning: imagining what would happen under a condition that is not (yet) true.
Looking Forward
Chapter 14, Mediazione e registro, moves from personal advice into mediating information across audiences and registers, consolidating reported speech and register transformation.
Core Vocabulary
These productive items support comparing options, giving advice, and discussing possibility.
| Italian | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| la scelta, decidere | the choice, to decide | fem. / verb |
| il consiglio, consigliare | the (piece of) advice, to advise | masc. / verb |
| il vantaggio, lo svantaggio | the advantage, the disadvantage | masc. |
| il rischio, rischiare | the risk, to risk | masc. / verb |
| la possibilità, l'opzione | the possibility, the option | fem. |
| conviene (+ infinito) | it's worth it, it's advisable (to) | impersonal verb |
| al posto tuo/suo | in your/his/her place | advice formula |
| da un lato... dall'altro | on one hand... on the other | comparative connector, recycled from Ch. 1 |
| rinunciare a, rimandare | to give up (on), to postpone | verb + a / verb |
| pesare i pro e i contro | to weigh the pros and cons | fixed expression |
| se fossi in te/lei | if I were you/her | hypothetical advice formula |
| a lungo termine, nell'immediato | in the long term, in the immediate term | time-frame adverbials |
Receptive only: qualora (should it be the case that — formal conditional connector) and a meno che (non) (unless, triggers the congiuntivo) appear in the reading passage for recognition and are not required for production.
Pronunciation Focus
Advice softened with the conditional should not fall as sharply at the end of the sentence as a command does. Compare the flat, closed fall of Chiedi un altro orario. (a command) with the gentler curve of Al posto tuo, chiederei un altro orario. (advice) — the pitch rises slightly on chiederei and settles more slowly, signaling a suggestion rather than an instruction.
13.1 Stress in conditional endings
The stress in condizionale presente forms falls on the ending, not the stem: chiedeREI, potREBBE, converREBBE, rinunceREBBE. English-speaking learners often misplace stress toward the earlier syllables of the stem; practice these forms slowly before using them in the rhythm of a full sentence.
13.2 Rhythm in hypothetical sentences
A hypothetical sentence such as Se fossi in te, non rinuncerei al viaggio. has two rhythmic halves, divided at the comma. Give the se clause its own breath group, pause briefly, and then deliver the consequence clause at a slightly lower pitch, as a considered conclusion rather than a new statement.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
You have used the condizionale presente since Volume II for polite requests and, in Chapter 12, for professional softening. This chapter develops the same form for a new function: giving advice and describing possibility. Compare Dovresti parlare con il tuo relatore. (You should talk to your advisor.) with a flat command like Parla con il tuo relatore. The conditional turns a directive into a suggestion the listener is free to weigh. Al posto tuo, chiederei di cambiare l'orario del seminario. (In your place, I would ask to change the seminar schedule.) works the same way: the speaker offers a perspective rather than an order. No new verb form is introduced; what is new is using the conditional deliberately to advise rather than only to request or soften.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| direct-ish advice | Dovresti chiedere un altro orario. |
| advice framed as perspective | Al posto tuo, non rinuncerei al viaggio. |
| impersonal recommendation | Conviene parlarne subito con il relatore. |
| weighing pros and cons | Da un lato potresti perdere il viaggio, dall'altro faresti un'esperienza importante. |
When you imagine a condition that is not (yet) true and its likely result, Italian uses a specific pattern: se plus the congiuntivo imperfetto in the condition clause, and the condizionale presente in the result clause. Se fossi in te, chiederei di cambiare l'orario. (If I were you, I would ask to change the schedule.) Se Chiara accettasse il lavoro, dovrebbe rinunciare al seminario del martedì. (If Chiara accepted the job, she would have to give up Tuesday's seminar.) This chapter limits productive use to a small set of high-frequency frames built on essere (fossi, fosse), avere (avessi, avesse), and a few regular first-conjugation verbs relevant to this chapter's topics, such as accettasse and rinunciasse. You are not yet asked to build this pattern freely with any verb; that fuller control develops later in the series.
Comparative structures from earlier volumes support real decision-making here: Il lavoro in archivio è più interessante del tutoraggio, ma richiede più ore. (The archive job is more interesting than tutoring, but it requires more hours.) Combine comparatives with da un lato... dall'altro to organize a two-sided comparison clearly before reaching a recommendation.
Review from earlier chapters remains active throughout: direct, indirect, and combined clitic pronouns (Chapters 1, 9, and 12), relative clauses for describing options and their conditions (Chapter 8, Chapter 12), and the congiuntivo presente after opinion and necessity triggers (Chapters 3 and 11) all recur naturally here and should not be treated as new material.
Model Dialogue: Due orari che si scontrano
Setting: Chiara, Marco, and Elena meet at a café near campus to help Chiara decide what to do about the scheduling conflict.
Domande di comprensione — Comprehension questions:
- What is Chiara's scheduling problem?
- What does Marco advise her to do first?
- What would Elena do if Chiara really had to choose?
Guided Practice
Esercizio 1 — Complete with the correct condizionale presente form:
- Al posto tuo, io ______ (parlare) subito con il tuo relatore.
- ______ (Dovere, tu) chiedere un altro orario prima di rinunciare.
- Loro ______ (potere) darti una risposta entro venerdì.
- Non ______ (sapere, tu) mai la risposta se non chiedi.
Esercizio 2 — Complete each hypothetical sentence with the correct congiuntivo imperfetto or condizionale form:
- Se io ______ (essere) in te, non rinuncerei al viaggio.
- Se Chiara ______ (accettare) il lavoro, dovrebbe cambiare seminario.
- Se tu le ______ (chiedere) consiglio, lei ti aiuterebbe volentieri.
Esercizio 3 — Compare the two options below using da un lato... dall'altro and at least one comparative form: il lavoro in archivio (più ore, più interessante) / il tutoraggio (meno ore, più flessibile)
Esercizio 4 — Rewrite each command as softened advice using the conditional:
- Parla con l'archivio! → ______
- Non rinunciare al seminario! → ______
Listening Practice
Ask an instructor, study partner, or fluent Italian speaker to read the passage below aloud, at a natural pace, twice.
If no speakers are available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read it aloud yourself, slowly at first, then at a more natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Italian speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
Messaggio vocale di Marco a Elena — Marco's voice message to Elena:
Ciao Elena, ho parlato con il mio supervisore: mi ha proposto di rimanere fino ad agosto per finire il progetto sui dati dei visitatori. Da un lato è un'occasione importante per il mio curriculum, dall'altro so che dovremmo rimandare il viaggio che avevamo organizzato. Non voglio decidere senza sentire cosa ne pensi tu. Se tu fossi al posto mio, accetteresti? So che qualora decidessi di rimanere, potremmo comunque organizzare un viaggio più corto a settembre. Fammi sapere cosa pensi appena puoi.
Compito di ascolto — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What has Marco's supervisor proposed? | ______ |
| What would Marco and Elena have to postpone if he accepts? | ______ |
| What alternative does Marco suggest if he decides to stay? | ______ |
Speaking Practice
Pratica controllata — Controlled practice: soften the command
Take four direct commands (Accetta il lavoro., Parla con il relatore., etc.) and restate each one as advice using the conditional, with and without al posto tuo.
Compito comunicativo — Communicative task: weighing two options
With a partner, describe two real or invented options you are considering (two jobs, two courses, two apartments). Use da un lato... dall'altro and at least one comparative form, then ask your partner for advice.
Portfolio orale — Oral portfolio: if I were you
Listen to a partner's dilemma (or invent one) and respond with at least one hypothetical sentence using se fossi in te or se fossi al posto suo.
Reading Practice
Read the advice-column excerpt below, adapted for this level.
Domande di comprensione — Comprehension questions:
- What two options is the letter-writer weighing?
- What advantage does each option offer, according to the writer?
- What has the writer already decided, and under what condition might that change?
Writing Workshop
Write your own comparison and advice text.
Compito di scrittura — Writing task: Write eight to ten sentences comparing two real or invented options you (or a friend) are facing, and give advice about which to choose. Use at least one comparative structure, at least one advice pattern with the conditional, and at least one hypothetical sentence with se + congiuntivo imperfetto + condizionale.
- Present the choice. Briefly state the two options and why a decision is needed.
- Compare them. Use da un lato... dall'altro and a comparative form.
- Give advice. Use a conditional advice pattern such as Dovresti or Al posto tuo.
- Add a hypothetical. Use one controlled se + congiuntivo imperfetto + condizionale sentence.
- Close with a recommendation. State clearly which option you would choose and why.
Lista di controllo — Editing checklist:
- At least one comparative structure supports the comparison.
- At least one conditional advice pattern is used appropriately.
- At least one hypothetical sentence follows the se + congiuntivo imperfetto + condizionale pattern correctly.
- The recommendation at the end is clear and consistent with the comparison given.
- Accents, apostrophes, and punctuation are checked throughout.
Culture and Communication
Among close friends, Italian speakers often give advice more directly than English speakers might expect, especially when asked for an opinion — a friend may say plainly Io al posto tuo non lo farei rather than hedging extensively. This directness generally reflects closeness and investment in the outcome rather than a lack of tact.
Rubriche di consigli (advice columns) remain a familiar feature of Italian magazines, newspapers, and their online equivalents, where readers write in about personal dilemmas and receive a published response — a useful, level-appropriate genre for practicing comparison, advice, and hypothetical language.
Common Mistakes
Error: Se io ero in te, non rinuncerei al viaggio.
Correction: Se io fossi in te, non rinuncerei al viaggio. The condition clause of this hypothetical pattern requires the congiuntivo imperfetto, not the imperfetto indicativo.
Error: Se Chiara accettasse il lavoro, dovrà cambiare seminario.
Correction: Se Chiara accettasse il lavoro, dovrebbe cambiare seminario. Once the condition clause uses the congiuntivo imperfetto, the result clause takes the condizionale presente, not the future.
Error: Chiedi un altro orario! used where a softer suggestion was intended.
Correction: Al posto tuo, chiederei un altro orario. Reserve the bare imperative for situations that genuinely call for a direct instruction; use the conditional when offering a suggestion the listener is free to weigh.
Chapter Summary
This chapter carried Elena, Marco, and Chiara from describing their professional lives into weighing real decisions. You developed the condizionale presente for advice and possibility beyond polite requests, took a first controlled step into hypothetical meaning with se + congiuntivo imperfetto + condizionale in a small set of high-frequency frames, and used comparative structures to weigh real trade-offs. No complete hypothetical-period taxonomy was required.
Chapter Review
Parte A — Comprensione (Comprehension)
1. Return to the model dialogue and answer in English:
- What does Marco suggest Chiara do before assuming she must choose?
- What would Elena do in Chiara's place, if a choice were unavoidable?
Parte B — Grammatica (Grammar)
1. Complete: Al posto tuo, io ______ (parlare) subito con il tuo relatore.
2. Complete the hypothetical: Se io ______ (essere) in te, non rinuncerei al viaggio.
3. Identify and correct the error: Se Chiara accettasse il lavoro, dovrà cambiare seminario.
Parte C — Lettura (Reading)
1. Return to the reading passage and answer:
- What two options is the letter-writer weighing?
- What has the writer provisionally decided?
Parte D — Scrittura (Writing)
1. Write the comparison-and-advice text following the writing workshop steps above.
Parte E — Parlato (Speaking)
1. With a partner or recorded solo, complete the oral portfolio task described in the speaking practice section.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 13 Performance Task — Scelte, consigli e possibilità
Un consiglio per un amico — Advice for a Friend
Complete the following connected tasks in order. This task draws on conditional advice patterns, comparative structures, and the controlled hypothetical frame authorized in this chapter.
- Listen to Marco's voice message and complete the listening table.
- Read the advice-column excerpt and answer the comprehension questions.
- Speak by completing the "if I were you" oral portfolio task.
- Write a comparison-and-advice text of eight to ten sentences about a real or invented choice.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Comparison | The learner compares two options clearly, using da un lato... dall'altro and at least one comparative form. |
| Advice | The learner gives advice using at least one conditional advice pattern. |
| Hypothetical structure | The learner correctly produces at least one se + congiuntivo imperfetto + condizionale sentence within the scheduled high-frequency frames. |
| Clarity of recommendation | The final recommendation is clear and consistent with the comparison offered. |
| Reading recognition | The learner correctly identifies the writer's provisional decision and its condition in the reading passage. |
| Mechanics | Accents, apostrophes, and punctuation are applied accurately. |
This task authorizes no complete hypothetical-period taxonomy; developed conditional advice patterns, comparative structures applied to real trade-offs, and a small set of controlled se + congiuntivo imperfetto + condizionale frames are the new instructional targets in this chapter.
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Chiara's job at the archive overlaps with her required seminar, both scheduled for the same afternoons.
- Marco suggests she talk to the archive first, since they might be willing to offer a different schedule.
- Elena says that, in Chiara's place, she would not give up the seminar, though she notes this is only her opinion.
Guided Practice
Esercizio 1: (1) parlerei (2) Dovresti (3) potrebbero (4) sapresti
Esercizio 2: (1) fossi (2) accettasse (3) chiedessi
Esercizio 3 (sample answer): Da un lato il lavoro in archivio richiede più ore ed è più interessante; dall'altro il tutoraggio richiede meno ore ed è più flessibile.
Esercizio 4 (sample answers): (1) Al posto tuo, parlerei con l'archivio. (2) Al posto tuo, non rinuncerei al seminario.
Listening
- Marco's supervisor has proposed that he stay on through August to finish the visitor-data project.
- Marco and Elena would have to postpone the trip they had already organized.
- If Marco decides to stay, he suggests they could organize a shorter trip in September instead.
Reading — Comprehension
- The writer is weighing a paid internship against a semester of study abroad.
- Each advantage is stated by the writer: the internship offers immediate experience and a small salary, while study abroad offers a rare, hard-to-repeat opportunity.
- The writer has provisionally decided to choose study abroad, unless someone convinces them otherwise.
Chapter Review — Parte B
- parlerei
- fossi
- The result clause should use the condizionale presente (dovrebbe), not the future (dovrà), because the condition clause uses the congiuntivo imperfetto.
Looking Ahead
Cosa sai fare ora — What you can do now
You can now compare two or more options and justify a preference; give advice with appropriate softness using the conditional; produce controlled hypothetical sentences with se + congiuntivo imperfetto + condizionale; and discuss advantages and disadvantages using comparative structures.