[details=“English Translation”]I didn’t know you had a sister.[/details] I want to use “avessi” here and so do Google Translate and Deepl. Is 'avevi" the correct tense, incorrect, or can either be used?
As explained to me just recently “avevi” would be correct here because you are talking about yourself and what YOU actually know. So “avessi” would be incorrect.
I guess I will never master the subjunctive completely.
My feeling is that sometimes the grammar rules take precedence over the situation and/or the intention of the speaker - I remember our discussion here about Italians making compliments in the subjunctive .
But sometimes it is the other way round. I also would have expected “non sapere, che = subjunctive”. but here “logic” seems to top the grammar rule.
It makes it difficult, because in the end I want to speak by gut feeling and need “triggers” telling me, when to use the subjunctive.
I would also use “avevi” as the sorella situation is ongoing.
Yes - it’s quite baffling for English speakers. This rule made sense for me because you don’t doubt what you know. You wouldn’t say “I might not know if you have a sister.”
Treccani:
In dipendenza da verbi che esprimono giudizio o percezione (e sapere esprime, si potrebbe dire, un po’ tutt’e due queste dinamiche), va adoperato l’indicativo: “io sapevo che lui lavorava”; se invece il verbo è preceduto dalla negazione (secondo esempio) è possibile adoperare sia il congiuntivo (lavorasse) sia l’indicativo (lavorava).
Tradition prefers the congiuntivo but modern usage frequently defaults back to the indicativo. Exactly the same is going on in French.