I giovani e la politica

What you will learn

You will learn to understand texts about politics and youth, and express your opinion about voting using the subjunctive mood.

What you need to know.

Vocabulary

Here is a basic vocabulary list. Keep adding to this all year.

Grammar

Il congiuntivo (presente e passato)

The congiuntivo (subjunctive) is a new verb mood used to express opinions (credo che…penso che…mi pare che… mi sembra che…), doubt (dubito che…immagino che…non so se….non sono sicuro che…), emotions (ho paura che… temo che –I fear that…sono felice che…non vedo l’ora che… spero che…) or desires (voglio che…desidero che…pretendo che…).

There are always two different phrases (mini sentences) in a subjunctive sentence, each with their own verb:

Phrase 1:

subejct+ opinion/doubt/emotion/desire (expressed in present tense indicative verb) + che

Phrase 2:

subject + present tense subjunctive verb

Examples:

(io) Penso che i giovani australiani siano disinteressati alla politica –I think that young Australians are not interested in politics

I politici temono che i giovani non capiscano i problemi che affligono il nostro Paese –Politicians are scared that young people don’t understand the problems that afflict our country.

Take notes as you watch the video explanation below.

Still confused? Watch this

Expressions that require “il congiuntivo”

There are also some expressions that always require the subjunctive. Examples include nonostante; senza che; prima che; e` necessario che  and many more. Click here to see a comprehensive list of expressions that require the congiuntivo.

Conjugations

Follow the pattern below to conjugate verbs in the “congiuntivo presente”

Screen Shot 2014-03-05 at 9.23.30 am

Verbi irregolari nel congiuntivo

Ecco un link per i verbi irregolari. Note that many of the verbs that are irregular in the present tense are also irregular in the congiuntivo and generally take the same stem.

Eg. Fare: Present tense indicative =faccio; present tense subjunctive =faccia

Il congiuntivo passato (the past subjunctive)

Whenever you would normally use the passato prossimo in the indicative mood, use the  congiuntivo passato in the subjunctive mood. Instead of ho-hai-ha-abbiamo-avete-hanno and sono-sei-e`-siamo-siete-sono, use the following in front of the past particple:

avere: abbia, abbia, abbia, abbiamo, abbiate, abbiano

essere: sia, sia, sia, siamo, siate, siano

Eg 1. So che la crisi economica globale e`iniziata nel 2007   – I know that the Global Financial Crisis started in 2007

If you wish to express opinion/doubt/emotion/desire, simply replace the indicative e` with the subjunctive sia:

Mi sembra che la crisi economica mondiale sia iniziata nel 2007  – I think that Global Financial Crisis started in 2007

Eg 2. Giselle ha votato per i laboristi all’ultima elezione–Giselle voted for labour in the last elections

replace the indicative ha with the subjunctive abbia:

Credo che Giselle abbia votato per i laboristi all’ultima elezione–I  believe Giselle voted for labour in the last elections

Useful language

We will extract the useful language from these responses, and the texts in the reading skills tasks.

 

Your to do list.

 

Have a better idea for a task? Go ahead and do it, as long as it meets that same purpose and that it can be documented.

TASK                                                                                                       PURPOSE

1.
  • TIPS:Find all the relevant words from the handouts and resources for the topics below.  Also search language learning websites and brainstorm words you believe will be useful. Remember to add the words that appear in the “what you need to know” section of this unit.
 To build an extensive vocabulary list for the entire class to share, use as a reference list and personalise.
2.
  • MEMORISE all the vocabulary and expressions from the unit and practise your words with your peer tutor  asking him/her to correct your pronunciation.
  • TIPS: make your own quizlet set.  Find other useful vocab learning websites and apps, record your voice repeating the words, do “look say cover write check”, compete with your friends in your own quiz show-style game.
 To drill and memorise all relevant vocabulary. To learn the correct pronunciation of words.
3.
  •  PRACTISE conjugating verbs in the congiuntivo presente, congiuntivo passato and congiuntivo imperfetto via this online conjugating site. Check your answers and continue until you get 100% for all three tenses.
  • NEED MORE PRACTICE? Try these other online conjugating sites:
  • molto bene verb conjugations
  • Conjuguemos
 To drill and test your understanding of subjunctive verbs in the context of sentences
4.
  • PRACTISE conjugating verbs in the congiuntivo within the context of a sentence via these 8 online exercises (scroll down to “congiuntivo presente e passato”).
  • NEED MORE PRACTICE or PREFER TRADITIONAL HANDOUTS? Complete this Subjunctive booklet and check your answers
 To put the elements of the sentence together and express simple ideas about your free time. To practise conjugating verbs on the spot  and perfect your pronunciation
5.
  • CLASS TIME: Leggiamo insieme questo testo intitolato “I giovani e la politica”, e il testo intitolato “Riflessioni e opinioni personali sul diritto al voto”, evidenziando parole e frasi utili per l’esame orale e scritto.  
 To check your understanding of this topic’s vocabulary & expressions, to pick up new vocabulary and structures, and to develop your comprehension skills for the HSC exam. Seeing the language in an authentic context and gaining confidence from understanding an authentic Italian text, rather than one simplified for language learners
6.
  • CLASS TIME -HSC skills: leggi il seguente Testo  (pagina 6) tratto dall’esame di HSC Continuers 2012.  Controlla le risposte (pagina 5)
 To develop your reading comprehension skills for the HSC exam, to see language in context & to learn further vocabulary
 7.
  • Peer tutor task :  ask him/her to answer, in Italian, ”
    • Sei contento che fra poco avrai il diritto al voto?
    • Ti interessa la politica?
    • I giovani sono capaci secondo te, di votare sul serio?
    • I giovani australiani si interessano di politica?
    • Secondo te, il voto e` un diritto o un dovere?
  • SHARE  your peer tutor’s answer with the class by placing it here
  • ALTERNATIVES: if your peer-tutor takes too long to reply, find some good answers from online forums by typing the question into google.it or try to connect with a native speaker on language learning websites such as busuu.

 

 To see different ways of answering the question to enrich your vocab and discover new expressions. To have answers from native speakers to use as a model when planning your response and studying for the HSC oral exam writing tasks
8.
  • CLASS TIME – HSC Speaking Skills: Prepare an answer to these questions, using language from our reading tasks (especially the HSC 2012 task) ,from our peer tutor responses and these frasi utili:
    • Sei contento che fra poco avrai il diritto al voto?
    • Ti interessa la politica?
    • I giovani sono capaci secondo te, di votare sul serio?
    • I giovani australiani si interessano di politica?
    • Secondo te, il voto e` un diritto o un dovere?
  •  say it to your peer tutor. Ask them to provide you with feedback and then add your answer to your collection of oral responses for the HSC exam.
 To put all the language together from the online unit and from the peer tutor responses to create a response that you can use for the HSC oral examt all the language together, lea
9.
  • CLASS TIME – HSC listening skills: Ascolta prof che legge le conversazioni dall’esame di Continuers 2003, rispondi alle domande, controlla le risposte e infine sulla trascrizione (nelle ultime pagine dell’esame) evidenzia le parole che non conosci e aggiungile alla lista di vocaboli da imparare .
 To improve your aural understanding of the Italian language and to practise listening skills for the HSC examination.