Latin 201

The Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive is a mood.  It isn't related to when something happened (that's a tense) or whether one is acting or acted on (that's a voice).  It is used to reflect actions that are not completely in the here and now: a suggestion or even command, a situation that may happen but hasn't or didn't, an action you intend to perform (but aren't performing now), an action you hope will result in the future.  For example:

Let's go to the forum.  (A suggestion, not the same as "We're going to the forum" which is just fact.)

If I were a better dancer, I would have more fun.  (But I'm not, so the situation isn't real -- but contrary to fact.)

I'm studying hard so I'll get a good grade.  (The studying is real, but the grade getting is not (yet), so it would be subjunctive.)

Forming Present Subjunctives

We'll get to the meanings in a bit, but for now, we'll look at how to form the present subjunctive.  The following can be a review of indicative forms as well.

• The present subjunctive looks pretty much like a normal verb with the wrong vowel(s) -- an -a- in every conjugation but the first, and an -e- in the first. 
• In 2nd, 3rd-io and 4th conjugations, the -a- is added onto the vowel that is already there.

Passive voice: Just add the passive endings instead of the active ones.

Forming Imperfect Subjunctives

This could not be any easier!

• Take the present active infinitive, and add the personal endings.  That's it!

Passive voice: Just add the passive endings instead of the active ones.  Example:

Present Contrary to Fact Conditions:

Here are some English "present contrary to fact" conditional sentences.

• If I were in charge, I would do a better job.
• If I had more money, I'd live in a nicer house.
• If my friends were turning on me, I would be miserable.

All of these are NOT just plain reality, but situations that might result now if things were different now.  (Compare with the fact/ indicative versions:  I'm in charge, and I'm doing a better job.  I have more money and I'm living in a nicer house.  My friends are turning on me, and I am miserable.)

In Latin, present contrary to fact sentences are made by using the Imperfect subjunctive in both clauses.

• ego si regerem, multo melius agerem.
• si plus pecuniae haberem, in domo meliori habitarem.
• si amici me proderent, misera essem.

Exercise: Translate the following:

1. si hiems esset, diligenter laborarem.  (hiems, hiemis f  =  winter)
2. si illa puella tibi cognoscitur, lacrimares.  (larcimo, -are = weep)
3. si amini mecum sederent, laetissumus essem.
4. si pius esses, vera semper diceres.
5. si Marcus illam puellam amaret, flores ei daret.

For a clear explanation of all of the conditions in chapter 33 (not just present contrary to fact), try the Praxis site.

Forming Perfect Subjunctives:

The perfect subjunctive looks almost exactly like the future perfect indicative.  The highlighting shows the only difference.

Forming Pluperfect Subjunctives:

As with the imperfect, the forumla is infinitive + personal endings, but this time you begin with the perfect infinitive.

Perfect and Pluperfect Passsive forms:

These are formed from the perfect passive participle plus the subjunctives of sum, esse.

Cum clauses

Cum has several meanings. 

• with, when used with a noun in the ablative case: cum amicis (with friends)  
• when, when used with a verb in the indicative to express something that actually happened: cum eum vidi, fugi. (When I saw him, I ran away).

Now we are encountering another set of meanings:

• since, because, when or although when used with a verb in the subjunctive mood.

Cum is used with the subjunctive to express several not-quite-real and therefore subjunctive circumstances.  (The main clasue of the sentence will usually be indicative.)

• To describe the circumstances surrounding the events of the main clause (rather than a specific time). 
  • cum mater Romam venisset, patri meo occurrit.  When my mother had come to Rome, she met my father.
  • cum fratres ignem fecissent, insula sicut unda se movit.  When the monks had lit a fire, the island began to move just like a wave.
• To describe the causes of the events of the main clause:
  • cum omnes fessi sint, nihil fecerunt.  Because everyone was tired, they did nothing.
  • cum amici fugerint, ego quoque fugio.  Since my friends ran away, I'm running away too.
  • cum Sanctus Brendanus vir piisimus esset, fratres cum eo fideles erant.  Since St. Brendan is a very devout man, the monks with him are faithful.
• To describe actions taht might have obstructed the actions of the main clause (often with tamen):
  • cum Sanctus Brendanus vir piisimus esset, tamen fratres semper timuerunt.  Although St. Brendan was a very devout man, the monks were always afraid.
  • cum insulam tuti fugissent, tamen multa pericula manserunt.  Although they fled the island safely, many dangers remained.

  These categories can sort of blend into one another (for example, is it when the monks lit a fire or because they lit a fire that the island moved?)  Essentially, to read effectively, you need to be alert to the subjunctives and recognize the potential meanings cum has that go beyond "With" or "when."

Purpose Clauses

When you make a statement like, "I ran away so they wouldn't see me," you are expressing a fact (I ran away) and something that is in the subjunctive territory of "things that aren't or might not be" (the not seeing you part).  The sentence expresses something that you did and the purpose for which you did it (the purpose clause).  In Latin, the purpose clause is in the subjunctive mood.

ut and ne

Purpose is usually expressed with ut ("so that"):

• montem ascendit ut stellas clarius videret.  He climbed the mountain so that he could see the stars more clearly
• missas cantaverunt ut Deum laudarent.  They sang masses so that they could praise god (or to praise god etc.)

Several translations are possible for any given sentence -- this is one place where English ahs many ways of doing what Latin usually does with ut and the subjunctive:

• matrem vocavit ut amnia ei narraret:
  • He called his mother so he could tell her everything.
  • He called his mother so that he could tell her everything.
  • He called his mother in order to tell her everything.
  • He called his mother to tell her everything.

ne is used to men so that ... not:

• fratres fugerunt ne belva eos ederet, The monks fled so that the sea monster would not eat them.
• domum festinavit ne pater eum in foro videret, He hurried home so that his father would not see him in the forum.

Tenses

• when the main clause is in the present or future tense, use a present subjunctive to suggest the purpose:
  • matrem vocat ut eam omnia narret, He's calling his mother in order to tell her everything.
  • fratres Brendanum vocant ut eos servet, The monks call on Brendan so he will save them.
  • librum diligenter lego ut omnia in eo sciam.  I'm reading the book carefully so that I'll know everything in it.
• when the main clause is in a past tense, use the imperfect subjunctive:
  • matrem vocavit ut eam omnia narraret, He called his mother in order to tell her everything.
  • fratres Brendanum vocaverunt ut eos servaret, The monks called on Brendan so that he would save them.
  • librum diligenter legi ut omnia in eo scirem, I read the book carefully so I'd know everything in it.