What is the difference between the Italian and Spanish use of the sunjunctive mood?

Question

And does anyone know of a reference that details this exactly - I would love to know where they differ (more so than where there are similar as I already speak Italian).

I always get confused between the two and would love you know the correct use of both!

Answer 1

They are pretty different. Almost all Italian phrases using the subjunctive start with the word che and the personal pronoun (io, tu, egli, etc.), while that's not the same for the Spanish subjunctive.

On Wikipedia you could find an useful comparison of both subjunctive forms.

Answer 2

The use of subjunctive in italian and in spanish is a bit different..i'm italian and study spanish, and i could say that italian people find some difficulties with this mood...

-for exemple in spanish you use subjunctive with expressions like "NO  creo que...,NO pienso que", while in italian you use subjunctive with "credo che,penso che... (credo che tu SIA bella)," but also with "non credo che,non penso che... (non credo che SIA giusto)".

-In spanish you use subjunctive with prohibitons or orders, in italian you use imperative...

-in Spanish you use subjunctive with "que" for "deseos o exhortaciones" (que DESCANSES!)

-In Spanish you use subjuctive with adverbs like "quizás, tal vez"; in italian this doesn't happen with advebs like "forse,probabilmente"(but you use subjunctive with the expression "può essere che..."(Può essere che lui domani VENGA)

-In spanish you use subjunctive with the "Temporales"(cuando, ante de que,...) which refears to actions or situation which aren't realized yet (me llamarà en quanto LLEGUE; in italian: mi chiamerà quando ARRIVA /ARRIVERà)

these are some differencies between italian and spanish..i think there are a lot more, but these are the more important I think... :)

-the final clause are the same in italian and spanish, when there is identity of subject you use the infinitive, in other cases you use subjunctive ( irè a su casa PARA SABER como està /andrò a casa sua PER SAPERE come sta; hablo alto PARA QUE me OIGA/parlo ad alta voce PERCHè mi SENTA)

-also in the if clauses the use is the same (Si lo HUBIERA SABIDO habría ido/se lo AVESSI SAPUTO sarei andato)

these are the cases that I remember in which they are similar...

I hope this will help you...sorry for my English...