We talked mainly about the verb immaginare in part 1 of this lesson, and now we'll focus on supporre. 

In our first example, supporre is easily interchangeable with immaginare, both in Italian and in English.

Buongiorno a Lei, signora Baudino. Cercava me, suppongo. Prego. -Grazie, sì.

Good morning to you, Missus Baudino. You were looking for me, I suppose. Please come in. -Yes, thank you.

Captions 5-7, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 5

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In the next example, on the other hand, supporre is a bit more nuanced and we have translated it with "to assume." We're not really imagining here, we are making an assumption based on evidence, or reasoning. However, the speaker could easily have used immaginare if he had been trying to conjure up the past. The important thing to keep in mind is that "to assume" is one way to translate supporre." Another Italian verb could work here, too: ipotizzare (to hypothesize). It's used quite frequently in ordinary conversation. 

Per questo motivo, possiamo supporre che proprio in questo momento, i conservatori abbiano chiamato il loro miglior pittore ad eseguire sulla parete dell'Arengario, eh, quella Resurrezione che diverrà il simbolo identitario della città.

For this reason, we can assume that right at this moment, the conservators had called their finest painter to execute, on the wall of the Arengario, uh, that Resurrection which will become the iconic symbol of the city.

Captions 49-53, La pittura più bella del mondo La Resurrezione di Piero della Francesca - Part 13

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In this next example, supporre doesn't seem to be interchangeable with immaginare, because we're talking about a supposition based on something concrete.

Questo perché la testimonianza della tua amica Camilla, ti fa supporre che la signora Predolin sia una vittima innocente.

This is because the account of your friend Camilla causes  you to assume that Missus Predolin is an innocent victim.

Captions 105-106, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 13

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We translated it with "to assume," but it could also be "to presume," another possible translation of immaginare.

In English, we can use the imperative of "to suppose" as in: "Suppose I were to ask you on a date. Would you say yes?" In Italian, we'd likely use the first person plural: Supponiamo (let's suppose).

Adesso supponiamo che stai passeggiando per strada e un passante ti chiede: "Mi scusi, mi potrebbe dire, per favore, che ore sono?".

Now, let's suppose you're walking down the street and a passerby asks you: "Excuse me, could you please tell me what time it is?"

Captions 28-30, Marika spiega 18 Modi di dire Sì senza dire Sì

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We hope that you have a greater understanding of the verbs immaginare and supporre and when (and how) they are used.

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Here are some examples of the expression Che c'entra (what does that have to do with it)?  along with related expressions and alternate translations. 

Note that in Italian, che c'entra can be posed and structured as question, but it's not always the case, especially in the middle of a sentence. It often connects to the rest of a sentence with a comma, such as in this first example. In English, it's clearer with a question mark. Sometimes che c'entra means the same as non c'entra niente. 

Che c'entra, io sono il fratello.

What does that have to do with it? I'm her brother.

Caption 13, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 6

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Here, cosa is used in place of che, but it means the same thing. Learn more in this lesson. 

Ma questo cosa c'entra con la domanda che Le ho fatto?

But this, what does it have to do with the question I asked you?

Caption 72, Non è mai troppo tardi EP1 - Part 6

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Here, rather than "it" being the implied subject of the sentence, as in the previous examples, the subject is "that delinquent." We might also translate it as, "How is that delinquent involved in this story?" 

Perché, cosa c'entra quel delinquente?

Why? What does that delinquent have to do with anything?

Caption 29, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 3

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Here, che c'entra is a way of saying, "So what?"

Ah ma', ma te [romanesco: mamma, ma ti] sei vista? Ma che c'entra, è una maschera di bellezza.

Hey, Mom, but have you looked at yourself? But so what? It's a beauty mask.

Captions 16-17, La Ladra EP. 10 - Un ignobile ricatto - Part 4

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Here are some examples of different conjugations of this expression:

In this example, there is no question at all. And there is no che!

Magari c'entra con quella bambina.

Maybe it has something to do with that little girl.

Caption 60, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 9

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Here is an example of an affirmation in the negative first person singular.

Io con quella pistola non c'entro niente, ve lo giuro.

I have nothing to do with that handgun, I swear.

Caption 91, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 13

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And here is a question in the first person singular followed by an affirmation in the second person singular.  

E che c'entro io? -E be', c'entri.

And what do I have to do with it? -Well, you do have something to do with it.

Captions 12-13, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3 EP2 - Un nuovo medico in famiglia - Part 17

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Here is the same question, but the answer is said differently, with another question. 

Ma io che c'entro? -Ma come che c'entri, Giorgio?

But what do I have to do with that? -But what do you mean, what do you have to do with it, Giorgio?

Captions 33-34, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP 2 - Part 5

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These examples use the imperfetto. 

Figurati se non c'entrava lei.

No way she wasn't involved.

Caption 13, Provaci ancora prof! S2E4 L'amica americana - Part 25

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Ma che c'entravo io con quello che faceva mio padre?

But what did I have to do with what my father did?

Caption 38, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP2 Rabbia - Part 6

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We hope this little overview has given you a better understanding of this common Italian turn of phrase!

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