Subjunctive (Review)

Latin has three moods: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive. As you learned in Unit 1, the indicative expresses a fact and the imperative expresses a direct command.

In this Unit we will continue to learn about the subjunctive. The subjunctive expresses a verbal idea that is hypothetical, ideal, or conditional. There are four tenses of the subjunctive.  You have already learned two in Unit 7 (Present and Imperfect).  In this Unit you will learn the remaining two: Perfect and Pluperfect.

Perfect and Pluperfect subjunctives belong to the perfect system of Latin verbs, using the third and fourth principal parts. Like their indicative counterparts, Perfect active subjunctives are built on the Perfect active stem (the third principal part minus the “-i”). Perfect passive subjunctives use the 4th principal part (Perfect passive participle) plus the appropriate subjunctive form of sum, esse, fui, futurum.

As you learned in Unit 7, the translation of the subjunctive depends upon the particular construction in which it appears. In this unit you will learn about two more subjunctive constructions: Cum Clauses and Conditional Statements.

Perfect Subjunctive

The Perfect active subjunctive is formed by inserting “-eri-” between the perfect active stem and the personal endings. Note that, except for the first person singular, these forms are identical in spelling with the Future Perfect indicative. You will know the difference between the two forms based on their use in a sentence.

The Perfect passive subjunctive is formed from the Perfect Passive Participle (agreeing with the subject in case, number, and gender) and the Present subjunctive of sum, esse, fui, futurum.

The Perfect Subjunctive of Deponent verbs will be formed in the same way as the passive forms above. 

Pluperfect Subjunctive

The Pluperfect active subjunctive is formed by adding active personal endings to the Perfect active infinitive (the third principal part stem + isse). 

The Pluperfect passive subjunctive is formed from the Perfect passive participle (agreeing with the subject in case, number, and gender) and the Imperfect subjunctive of sum, esse, fui, futurum.

The Pluperfect Subjunctive of Deponent verbs will be formed in the same way as the passive forms above. 

Conditional Statements

Conditional statements (or conditions) are sentences with two clauses. The first clause proposes a condition, “if . . .”; the second clause gives the conclusion, “then . . .” The “if” clause is called the protasis (“the thing arranged first”) and the “then” main clause called the apodosis (“the thing given after”).   Look at this example in English:  

If we study, then we learn.

Conditional statements, or “if . . .then” statements, are common in Latin, just as in English.  In Latin conditions, the protasis is introduced by si (if) or nisi (if not), or a compound of si such as etiam sī, etsī, tametsī, tamenetsī (all of which mean “even if”). There is no Latin word used for “then” in the apodosis.  Here is our example in Latin: 

Si studemus, discimus

Conditional statements can be divided into two major types: indicative (factual) conditions and subjunctive (imagined) conditions.  The subjunctive conditions are sometimes called unreal or hypothetical conditions.  Conditional statements can happen in three different times: present time, past time, or future time.   Thus, there are a total of six types of conditions: three indicative conditions (present, past, and future) and three subjunctive conditions (present, past, and future).

Indicative conditional statements all use indicative verbs since they show real outcomes.  If X happens, then Y happens too; there is no ambiguity.  Look at these examples in English.

*Note that in English, we prefer to say “If we study (Present tense), we will learn,” although both verbs refer to future action. 

In Latin, the same examples would be written as follows: 

Traditionally conditions have specific names (in bold above) which you may be asked to learn.  

Subjunctive conditional statements use subjunctive verbs since they show hypothetical, imagined, or potential outcomes. If X should happen, then Y would happen too.  The protasis (“if” clause) is possible but not a fact, so the apodosis (“then” clause) is hypothetical too.  Look at these examples in English.

The three subjunctive conditions also have separate names which you may be asked to learn.   

*Note that future time conditions are Future More Vivid (indicative) and Future Less Vivid (subjunctive).  Since future events cannot be considered fact, they are either more likely to happen (more vivid) or less likely to happen (less vivid).

Here is a chart that shows all six conditions in Latin with their English translations.

It is also possible to have mixed conditions in which two different tenses are used.  As long as you learn these rules for how conditional statements work, you will have no trouble with mixed conditions when you see them.

Cum Clauses

Like purpose and result clauses, a Cum Clause is a subordinate clause with a subjunctive  verb that begins with the conjunction cum.  You already learned in the Verba of Unit 3, when conjunction cum is used with an indicative verb, it introduces a temporal clause and is translated “when” or “after.” 

Now you will learn a different use of the Cum Clause with a subjunctive verb that can express three different relationships between the subordinate clause and the main clause.  In English, these constructions are translated differently, depending on the relationship of the action of the main verb and the verbal action in the Cum Clause. 

Circumstantial Cum Clauses – when
     The Cum Clauses provides a general circumstance (not a precise time)

Causal Cum Clause – since, because
     The Cum Clauses provides an explanation or cause 

Concessive (also called Adversative) Cum Clause – although
    The Cum Clause provides an idea that is incompatible with the main clause

Take a look at these English examples of Circumstantial, Causal, and Adversative Clauses.

Circumstantial: When Apollonius departed for Greece, Aelia studied philosophy alone.

Causal: Since Apollonius departed for Greece, Aelia studied philosophy alone.

Concessive: Although Apollonius departed for Greece, nevertheless Aelia studied philosophy.

Notice that the Concessive Cum Clause shows that the action of the main verb happens despite the action of the Cum Clause.

Let’s look at the same sentences in Latin

Circumstantial: Cum Apollonius ad Graeciam discessisset, Aelia sola philosophiae studebat.

Causal: Cum Apollonius ad Graeciam discessisset, Aelia sola philosophiae studebat.

Concessive: Cum Apollonius ad Graeciam discessisset, tamen Aelia philosophiae studebat.

While these sentences look the same or very similar, you will know which translation of cum (when, since, although) fits best from the context.  If the main clause has tamen, you can usually use “although.”

Sequence of Tenses of Subjunctive Verbs in Dependent Clauses  

You have already learned about the Sequence of Tenses when you learned Indirect Statement in Unit 6.  Dependent subjunctive clauses use the same sequence of tenses, although without the Future tense.  The tense of the verb in the dependent clauses gives time relative to the lead verb in the sentence.

This system of the Sequence of Tenses is used for Cum Clauses, Purpose Clauses, and Result Clauses.   

Cum Clauses - Circumstantial
Primary sequence: Cum linguae Latinae studeant, multas linguas facile discunt.
                                 When they study Latin, they learn many languages easily. (same time)

Secondary sequence: Cum linguae Latinae studerent, multas linguas facile didicerunt.
                                     When they studied Latin, they learned many languages easily.(same time)

Cum Clauses - Causal
Primary sequence: Cum linguae Latinae studuerint, multas linguas facile discunt.
                                  Since they studied Latin, they learn many languages easily. (prior)

Secondary sequence: Cum linguae Latinae studuissent, multas linguas facile discebant.
                                     Since they had studied Latin, they learned many languages easily. (prior)

Cum Clauses - Concessive

Primary sequence: Cum linguae Latinae studuerint, tamen multas linguas non discunt.
                                 Although they studied Latin, nevertheless they do not learn many languages easily. (prior)

Secondary sequence: Cum linguae Latinae studuissent, tamen multas linguas non didicerunt.
                                   Although they had studied Latin, nevertheless they did not learn many languages easily. (prior)

You have already learned about Purpose and Result Clauses in Unit 7, but you only used them in the Primary Sequence. Now look at these examples of Purpose and Result Clauses in Primary and Secondary Sequence.  

Purpose Clauses

Primary Sequence: Linguae latinae student ut multas linguas facile discant.
                                 They study Latin in order to learn many languages easily.

Secondary Sequence: Linguae latinae studebant ut multas linguas facile discerent.
                                     They studied Latin in order to learn many languages easily.

Result Clauses

Primary Sequence: Linguae latinae tam bene student ut multas linguas facile discant.
                                  They study Latin so well that they learn many languages easily.

Secondary Sequence: Linguae latinae tam male studuerunt ut multas linguas non facile discerent.
                                      They studied Latin so poorly that they were not learning many languages easily.