What are the most common Italian conjunctions?

The everyday ones are e (and), ma and però (but), o and oppure (or), quindi and allora (so), perché (because), quando (when), mentre (while), se (if), and anche se (even if). Learn these first: they cover most of what you need in conversation.

Which Italian conjunctions take the subjunctive?

Benché, sebbene, and nonostante (although), affinché and perché in the sense of so that, prima che (before), purché and a patto che (provided that), a meno che (unless), and senza che (without). All of them introduce a concession, a purpose, or an event that has not happened yet.

Does perché take the subjunctive?

Only when it means so that. Perché meaning because takes the indicative: Esco perché ho fame. Perché meaning so that takes the subjunctive: Te lo dico perché tu lo sappia. The mood of the verb tells you which meaning is intended.

What is the difference between ma and però?

Both mean but and are often interchangeable at the start of a clause. Ma is more frequent and always comes first in its clause. Però can also move inside the clause or go at the end: Io però non vengo. (I'm not coming, though.)

When does e become ed in Italian?

Before a word that starts with e, the conjunction e usually becomes ed to avoid two identical vowel sounds: io ed Elena, ed era tardi. Before other vowels, modern usage generally keeps plain e.

Italian grammar · Intermediate

Italian Conjunctions

Written by Parrot Italian Team, Italian Curriculum Editors · Reviewed October 2026

Italian conjunctions (le congiunzioni) link words and clauses. Coordinating conjunctions such as e, ma, o, and quindi join two parts of equal weight, while subordinating conjunctions such as perché, quando, and se attach a dependent clause. A group of subordinating conjunctions, including benché, sebbene, affinché, and prima che, always takes the subjunctive, something English does not mark at all.

Studio molto perché voglio parlare bene.

I study a lot because I want to speak well.

What it is

A conjunction connects two parts of a sentence. Italian conjunctions fall into two groups. Coordinating conjunctions (e, ma, o, però, quindi) join two parts of equal weight. Subordinating conjunctions (perché, quando, se, mentre, benché) introduce a clause that depends on the main one, and some of them decide the mood of the verb that follows.

Sono stanco, ma esco lo stesso. (I'm tired, but I'm going out anyway.) Esco, benché sia stanco. (I'm going out, although I'm tired.)

How to spot it

Find the word that joins two verbs. If each clause could stand alone as a sentence, the conjunction is coordinating. If the clause it starts cannot stand alone, it is subordinating, and you should check whether its verb is in the subjunctive.

Mangio e poi esco. (I eat and then I go out.)
Vuoi il tè o il caffè? (Do you want tea or coffee?)
Ti chiamo quando arrivo. (I'll call you when I arrive.)
Te lo dico affinché tu lo sappia. (I'm telling you so that you know.)

Before a word that starts with e, the conjunction e usually becomes ed: io ed Elena, ed era tardi.

Conjunctions Quick Reference

Common Italian conjunctions and the mood they take

Conjunction	English	Mood of the verb
e (ed)	and	indicative
ma, però	but	indicative
o, oppure	or	indicative
quindi, perciò, allora	so, therefore	indicative
né... né	neither... nor	indicative
perché	because	indicative
quando, mentre	when, while	indicative
se	if	indicative (subjunctive for unlikely conditions)
anche se	even if, even though	indicative
benché, sebbene, nonostante	although	subjunctive
affinché, perché	so that	subjunctive
prima che	before	subjunctive
a meno che	unless	subjunctive
purché, a patto che	provided that	subjunctive
senza che	without	subjunctive

Common Conjunctions Examples in Italian

Italian conjunctions in real sentences:

Coordinating Conjunctions

Parlo italiano e inglese.: I speak Italian and English.
È caro, ma è molto bello.: It's expensive, but it's very beautiful.
Ho fame, quindi preparo la cena.: I'm hungry, so I'm making dinner.

Coordinating conjunctions never change the mood of the verb. Both clauses keep their normal tense.

Subordinating With the Indicative

Resto a casa perché sono malato.: I'm staying home because I'm ill.
Mentre cucino, ascolto la radio.: While I cook, I listen to the radio.
Se piove, prendiamo la macchina.: If it rains, we'll take the car.

Perché, quando, mentre, se, and anche se describe facts or real conditions, so they take the indicative.

Subordinating With the Subjunctive

Benché sia tardi, lavoro ancora.: Although it's late, I'm still working.
Parlo piano affinché tu capisca.: I speak slowly so that you understand.
Torna prima che faccia buio.: Come back before it gets dark.
Sebbene abbia studiato, non ha superato l'esame.: Although he studied, he didn't pass the exam.

These conjunctions take the subjunctive whatever the main verb is, because they introduce a concession, a purpose, or something that has not happened yet.

How Italian Conjunctions Work

Two groups, one question to ask about each: does the clause after it need the subjunctive?

Coordinating Conjunctions Join Equals

E, ma, o, però, quindi, and né... né join two words, phrases, or clauses of the same type. Each clause keeps its own verb in the normal indicative.

Lavoro a Milano ma abito a Monza.

I work in Milan but I live in Monza.

Clause + conjunction + clause.

Subordinating Conjunctions Start a Dependent Clause

Quando, perché, se, mentre, and dopo che introduce a clause that needs the main clause to make sense. With these, the verb stays in the indicative, as it would in English.

Quando finisco, ti chiamo.

When I finish, I'll call you.

Real facts and conditions take the indicative.

Conjunctions That Take the Subjunctive

Benché, sebbene, nonostante, affinché, prima che, purché, a meno che, and senza che always take the subjunctive. In English the verb after although or before looks like any other verb, so this list simply has to be memorized.

Usciamo prima che cominci a piovere.

Let's go out before it starts to rain.

benché, sebbene, affinché, prima che + subjunctive.

Perché Changes Meaning With the Mood

With the indicative, perché means because. With the subjunctive, it means so that and works exactly like affinché.

Te lo spiego perché tu lo capisca.

I'm explaining it to you so that you understand it.

perché + indicative = because; perché + subjunctive = so that.

Same Subject: Preposition + Infinitive

When both clauses have the same subject, Italian replaces prima che, senza che, and affinché with prima di, senza, and per followed by an infinitive.

Mi lavo le mani prima di mangiare.

I wash my hands before I eat.

Same subject: prima di + infinitive.

Common Mistakes with Conjunctions

Incorrect: Benché è tardi, lavoro ancora. (Although it's late, I'm still working.)

Correct: Benché sia tardi, lavoro ancora. (Although it's late, I'm still working.)

Benché always takes the subjunctive, so è becomes sia. English gives no signal here, which is why the indicative slips in.

Incorrect: Mangio prima che esco. (I eat before I go out.)

Correct: Mangio prima di uscire. (I eat before I go out.)

When both verbs have the same subject, Italian uses prima di + infinitive. Prima che is only for a different subject, and then it needs the subjunctive.

Incorrect: Lo faccio anche se sia difficile. (I'm doing it even if it's difficult.)

Correct: Lo faccio anche se è difficile. (I'm doing it even if it's difficult.)

Anche se looks like benché in meaning, but it takes the indicative. Learners who have just learned the subjunctive rule often overapply it.

Incorrect: Bevo né tè né caffè. (I drink neither tea nor coffee.)

Correct: Non bevo né tè né caffè. (I drink neither tea nor coffee.)

When né... né comes after the verb, Italian also needs non before the verb. Two negatives reinforce each other in Italian.

Quick Check: Conjunctions

Complete each sentence with a conjunction or the correct verb form.

1. Join with but: È piccolo, ___ è comodo.

Answer: ma

Però is also correct.

2. Although: ___ sia stanca, esce con gli amici.

Answer: Benché

Sebbene works the same way.

3. Before, same subject: Chiamami ___ partire.

Answer: prima di

Same subject, so prima di + infinitive.

4. Before, different subject: Ti chiamo prima che tu ___ (partire).

Answer: parta

Prima che takes the present subjunctive.

5. Because: Non esco ___ piove.

Answer: perché

Perché meaning because takes the indicative.

Conjunctions FAQs

What are the most common Italian conjunctions?: The everyday ones are e (and), ma and però (but), o and oppure (or), quindi and allora (so), perché (because), quando (when), mentre (while), se (if), and anche se (even if). Learn these first: they cover most of what you need in conversation.
Which Italian conjunctions take the subjunctive?: Benché, sebbene, and nonostante (although), affinché and perché in the sense of so that, prima che (before), purché and a patto che (provided that), a meno che (unless), and senza che (without). All of them introduce a concession, a purpose, or an event that has not happened yet.
Does perché take the subjunctive?: Only when it means so that. Perché meaning because takes the indicative: Esco perché ho fame. Perché meaning so that takes the subjunctive: Te lo dico perché tu lo sappia. The mood of the verb tells you which meaning is intended.
What is the difference between ma and però?: Both mean but and are often interchangeable at the start of a clause. Ma is more frequent and always comes first in its clause. Però can also move inside the clause or go at the end: Io però non vengo. (I'm not coming, though.)
When does e become ed in Italian?: Before a word that starts with e, the conjunction e usually becomes ed to avoid two identical vowel sounds: io ed Elena, ed era tardi. Before other vowels, modern usage generally keeps plain e.