Pensavo che potessi essere in grado di aiutarmi.

Sentence Discussions Italian
#1
English Translation

I think you might be able to help me.

I thought you might be able to help me.

After “penso” “potessi” would be wrong, wouldn’t it?

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#2

You are right, tenses aren’t really matching here.

If you want to use “penso” then you should write it as “Penso che potresti essere in grado di aiutarmi”.

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#3

And would this be ok, “Stavo pensando che potresti essere in grado di aiutarmi” as the thinking was in the “past”?

1 Like
#4

Yes, that works too.

All these sentences boil down to “I think you can help me, but I am giving you the opportunity to say no”.

The longer the sentence, the more polite/indirect the request becomes!

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