In caso means “in case” or “in the event that” in Italian. You use it in two ways: in caso di + noun (in caso di emergenza, in case of emergency) and in caso + subjunctive (in caso tu abbia bisogno, in case you need).
The Subjunctive Mood in Italian
The subjunctive mood in Italian, known as congiuntivo, is commonly used in dependent clauses that are introduced by certain conjunctions and expressions, specifically to express:
- a doubt
- a desire
- a necessity
- a possibility
It has four tenses: present subjunctive, past subjunctive, imperfect subjunctive, and past perfect subjunctive.
“In Caso” + Subjunctive
What Does “in Caso” Mean?
As simple as it is, in caso means “in case (that)”. It is used to introduce a condition or a hypothetical situation, which is the reason why it is often followed by the congiuntivo (subjunctive mood).
In caso fosse necessario comprare piùcibo, possiamo andare al supermercato.
In case it was necessary to buy more food, we could go to the supermarket.
Another form of in caso is nel caso in cui. They both mean the same thing and are used in the same way, that is, to introduce hypothetical situations or conditions.
The only slight difference is that nel caso in cui might sound a bit more formal and structured. It is like if you said “in the event that” or “in case that”.
“In Caso di” + Noun
When you talk about a situation with a noun instead of a verb, use in caso di. This is the most common form, and you will see it on signs and in instructions:
In caso di emergenza, chiama il 112.
In case of emergency, call 112.
In caso di pioggia, la festa si farà al chiuso.
In case of rain, the party will be held indoors.
In caso di dubbi, chiamami.
If you have any doubts, call me.
Other Ways to Say “in Case”
- nel caso che / nel caso in cui – in the event that (more formal)
- qualora – should, if (formal and written)
- casomai – just in case (often for a precaution)
They all take the subjunctive:
Prendo l’ombrello, casomai piova.
I’ll take an umbrella, just in case it rains.
Qualora abbiate bisogno di aiuto, non esitate a contattarci.
Should you need help, do not hesitate to contact us.
How to use “in Caso” + Subjunctive
We use the structure in caso + subjunctive to talk about a hypothetical situation or precautions. We can use this structure with all the types of subjunctive: presente, imperfetto,passato, and trapassato.
- Congiuntivo presente
This combination is used to express a hypothetical situation or a possibility in the present or future. It implies that something might happen, but it’s uncertain.
In caso tu sia stanco, puoi riposarti.
In case you are tired, you can rest.
Here, the main action is in the present or future, and the condition (being tired) is also in the present or future.
In caso tu voglia venire alla nostra festa, fammi sapere.
In (the likely) case you want to come to our party, let me know.
- Congiuntivo passato
This is used to express a hypothetical action that has already been completed or is relevant to the present but is still uncertain.
In caso tu sia andato via, avvisami.
In case you have gone away, let me know.
Here, it indicates a condition that may have already happened, but its impact or relevance is still considered.
Nel caso in cui tu abbia finito i compiti, puoi uscire.
In case you have finished your homework, you can go out.
- Congiuntivo imperfetto
This is used to express an unlikely or hypothetical situation, in the present or the future. It often pairs with the conditional mood in the main clause.
In caso lui fosse qui, lo saluterei.
In case he were here, I would greet him.
Here, we are expressing a condition that is unlikely or impossible in the present.
In caso tu volessi venire alla nostra festa, fammi sapere.
In (the not-so-likely) case you wanted to come to our party, let me know.
- Congiuntivo trapassato
This combination is used to express a hypothetical action that occurred further back in the past and is often paired with the past conditional in the main clause.
In caso tu fossi andato via, mi avresti lasciato solo.
In case you had gone away, you would have left me alone.
Here, it is used for hypothetical situations or actions that could have occurred in the past but didn’t or vice versa.
Nel caso in cui tu avessi finito i compiti, potresti uscire.
In case you had finished your homework, you could go out.
“Se” vs “in Caso”
Let me now introduce you to a topic that is often overlooked in most of the Italian books: the difference between se and in caso. They are both used in Italian to introduce conditional or hypothetical situations, but they have different usage contexts.
Se translates to “if” in English and is the most commonly used conjunction to introduce if-clauses in Italian. It can be used in both real (indicative mood) and hypothetical (subjunctive mood) contexts.
Of course, the mood and tense used after se depend on the type of condition being expressed:
- Real Condition (Indicative Mood):
Se piove, resto a casa.
If it rains, I stay at home.
- Hypothetical Condition (Subjunctive and Conditional Mood):
Se lui fosse qui, sarebbe felice.
If he were here, he would be happy.
- Unreal Past Condition (Subjunctive Mood):
Se lo avessi saputo, non sarei venuto.
If I had known it, I wouldn’t have come.
As we saw, in caso translates to “in case” and is used to introduce a precautionary condition or a possible situation that is more hypothetical. It is used with the subjunctive mood only because it expresses uncertainty.
In caso tu abbia freddo, prendi una coperta.
In case you are cold, take a blanket.
The Word “Caso” in Italian
Caso is a noun that means “case” or “chance”, and it appears in many everyday expressions:
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
| per caso | by chance, happen to | Hai per caso una penna? (Do you happen to have a pen?) |
| a caso | at random | Ho scelto a caso. (I chose at random.) |
| in ogni caso | in any case | In ogni caso, ti chiamo domani. (In any case, I’ll call you tomorrow.) |
| in tal caso | in that case | In tal caso, aspettiamo. (In that case, we’ll wait.) |
| in caso contrario | otherwise | Devi firmare qui. In caso contrario, il contratto non è valido. (You must sign here. Otherwise, the contract is not valid.) |
| non è il caso di | there is no need to | Non è il caso di preoccuparsi. (There is no need to worry.) |
More Conjunctions That Take the Subjunctive
In caso is one of many conjunctions followed by the subjunctive. Continue with prima che (before), nonostante (despite) and “even though” and “even if”.
