unit thirteen - present subjunctive

LATIN IISubjunctive Mood I

Indicative vs. Subjunctive

• So far we have been using the So far we have been using the indicative mood. It is the mood of fact indicative mood. It is the mood of fact and actualityand actuality.

• The subjunctive mood is one of The subjunctive mood is one of possibility, hypothetical, conditional, possibility, hypothetical, conditional, conjecture.conjecture.

Subnjunctive in English

• Generally, the subjunctive mood is Generally, the subjunctive mood is translated with words like should, translated with words like should, could, would, might, may in English but could, would, might, may in English but the Romans are very specific about its the Romans are very specific about its use.use.

Latin Subjunctive

• Rather than over compare the Latin Rather than over compare the Latin subjunctive to English, it is best to subjunctive to English, it is best to learn where the Romans prefer the learn where the Romans prefer the subjunctive use. This is an area where subjunctive use. This is an area where Latin and English differ in mood usage.Latin and English differ in mood usage.

Latin Subjunctive: tenses

• The subjunctive mood has 4 tenses in The subjunctive mood has 4 tenses in the active and passive voices: the active and passive voices: – Present Present – Imperfect Imperfect – Perfect Perfect – PluperfectPluperfect

Latin Subjunctive: tenses

• There is no future or future perfect There is no future or future perfect subjunctive since the mood itself is subjunctive since the mood itself is futuristic.futuristic.

Present Subjunctive

• The present subjunctive is formed by The present subjunctive is formed by changing the connecting vowels that changing the connecting vowels that are used in the indicative. are used in the indicative. – -are verbs use an --are verbs use an -ee, , – long -ere verbs use -long -ere verbs use -eaea, , – short -ere verbs use an -short -ere verbs use an -aa, and , and – 3rd -io and -ire verbs use an -3rd -io and -ire verbs use an -iaia. . Here is an easy way to remember them…Here is an easy way to remember them…

Present Subjunctive

• RULE FOR VOWEL CHANGES IN RULE FOR VOWEL CHANGES IN PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVEPRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

• ClCleem stm steaeams clms claams in Mms in Miaiami. mi. • WWee f feaear r aa l liaiar frr friaiar.r.

– 11stst conjugation conjugation vowel changes to - vowel changes to -ee--– 22ndnd conjugation = - conjugation = -eaea--– 33rdrd conjugation = - conjugation = -aa--– 33rdrd -io & 4 -io & 4thth conjugations = - conjugations = -iaia--

Present Subjunctive - amo

• amo, amare (1amo, amare (1stst conjugation) conjugation) – amemamem– amesames– ametamet– amemusamemus– ametisametis– amentament

Present Subjunctive - moneo

• moneo, monēremoneo, monēre (2nd conjugation)– moneammoneam– moneasmoneas– moneatmoneat– moneamusmoneamus– moneatismoneatis– moneantmoneant

Present Subjunctive - rego

• rego, regere (3rego, regere (3rdrd conjugation) conjugation)– regamregam– regasregas– regatregat– regamusregamus– regatisregatis– regantregant

Present Subjunctive - audio

• audio, audire (4audio, audire (4thth conjugation) conjugation)– audiamaudiam– audiasaudias– audiataudiat– audiamusaudiamus– audiatisaudiatis– audiantaudiant

Present Subjunctive - sum

• Present subjunctive of Present subjunctive of sumsum – SIMSIM– SISSIS– SITSIT– SIMUSSIMUS– SITISSITIS– SINTSINT

Subjunctive – ut clauses

• A common use of the subjunctive in A common use of the subjunctive in Latin is the purpose clause. The Latin is the purpose clause. The purpose for “whatever you do purpose for “whatever you do something” is in the subjunctive. Look something” is in the subjunctive. Look for the Latin word UT to divide the for the Latin word UT to divide the sentence. See the following example.sentence. See the following example.


• Purpose ClausePurpose Clause – I eat I eat in order thatin order that I may live. I may live.– edo edo utut vivam. vivam.– An “ut” clause has its verb in the An “ut” clause has its verb in the

subjunctive; negative is “ne.”subjunctive; negative is “ne.”


• edo edo utut vivam. vivam. – I eat I eat toto live. live. – I eat I eat so thatso that I may live I may live – I eat I eat in order toin order to live. live.

• The purpose here is to live. You can be The purpose here is to live. You can be flexible in your English translation.flexible in your English translation.

Sequence of Tenses

• The sequence of tenses tells us about which verb tense to use in a complex Latin sentence. A “complex” Latin sentence is one with (a) a main verb and (b) a dependent (or subjunctive) verb.

• Which verb tense we use in a complex Latin sentence depends on whether the action of the main verb is completed or incomplete.

Sequence of Tenses

• Incomplete actionIncomplete action means that the means that the dependent verbdependent verb is going on at the same is going on at the same time as the time as the main verbmain verb or after the or after the main main verbverb..

• Completed actionCompleted action means that the means that the dependent verbdependent verb went on before the went on before the main verbmain verb..

• Everything we have done so far (Result and Purpose) shows incomplete action.

Sequence of Tenses(Make your own copy of this chart!)

primary sequence

Main Verb is… then the Subjunctive Verb

is…

then the Subjunctive Verb

is…

•Present•Future•Future Perfect

(if Main Verb is incomplete)

•Present

(if Main Verb is completed)

•Perfect

secondary sequence

•Imperfect •Perfect•Pluperfect

•Imperfect •Pluperfect

Sequence of Tenses

Here are some examples in English: Here are some examples in English:

– We are comingWe are coming so that so that we may help we may help you.you.

Incomplete actionIncomplete action means that the dependent means that the dependent verb (verb (we may helpwe may help) is going on at the same ) is going on at the same time as the main verb (time as the main verb (we are comingwe are coming) or ) or after the main verb.after the main verb.

Sequence of Tenses

• We are comingWe are coming so that so that we may helpwe may help you.you.

• PresentPresent + + PresentPresent = primary sequence = primary sequence (incomplete action). (incomplete action).

• Have a look at the chart again to check Have a look at the chart again to check it.it.


primary sequence


is…


is…

•Present (we are coming)

•Future•Future Perfect


•Present •(we may help)


•Perfect

secondary sequence

•Imperfect •Perfect•Pluperfect

•Imperfect •Pluperfect

Sequence of Tenses

Here is an other example in English: Here is an other example in English:

– We were comingWe were coming so that so that we might helpwe might help you. you.

This time the main verb (This time the main verb (we were comingwe were coming) is ) is secondary sequence because it happens in the secondary sequence because it happens in the past. The subjunctive verb (past. The subjunctive verb (we might helpwe might help) would ) would be in the imperfect tense since the action is be in the imperfect tense since the action is incomplete. See if you are reading the chart incomplete. See if you are reading the chart correctly.correctly.


primary sequence


is…


is…

•Present•Future•Future Perfect


•Present


•Perfect

secondary sequence

•Imperfect (we were coming) •Perfect•Pluperfect

•Imperfect•(we might help)

•Pluperfect

Sequence of Tenses

• If we understand how the chart works, If we understand how the chart works, we can assume that the Romans knew we can assume that the Romans knew what they were doing and move on what they were doing and move on from there!from there!

• Valete, Omnes!Valete, Omnes!

unit thirteen - present subjunctive

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