1. Latin Chapter 29

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CAPVT XXIX

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Imperfect Subjunctive; Present and Imperfect Subjunctive of Sum and Possum; Result Clauses

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THE IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE:

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To form: present active infinitive + present system personal endings, active and passive

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to praise: imperfect active indicative:

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laudabam, laudabas, laudabat, laudabamus, laudabatis, laudabant

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to praise: imperfect active subjunctive:

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laudarem, laudares, laudaret, laudaremus, laudaretis, laudarent

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to praise: imperfect passive indicative:

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laudabar, laudabaris, laudabatur, laudabamur, laudabamini, laudabantur

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to praise: imperfect passive subjunctive:

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laudarer, laudareris, laudaretur, laudaremur, laudaremini, laudarentur

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to advise: imperfect active indicative:

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monebam, monebas, monebat, monebamus, monebatis, monebant

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to advise: imperfect active subjunctive:

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monerem, moneres, moneret, moneremus, moneretis, monerent

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to advise: imperfect passive indicative:

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monebar, monebaris, monebatur, monebamur, monebamini, monebantur

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to advise: imperfect passive subjunctive:

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monerer, monereris (-re), moneretur, moneremur, moneremini, monerentur

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to act: imperfect active indicative:

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agebam, agebas, agebat, agebamus, agebatis, agebant

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to act: imperfect active subjunctive:

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agerem, ageres, ageret, ageremus, ageretis, agerent

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to act: imperfect passive indicative:

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agebar, agebaris, agebatur, agebamur, agebamini, agebantur

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to act: imperfect passive subjunctive:

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agerer, agereris, ageretur, ageremur, ageremini, agerentur

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to hear: imperfect active indicative:

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audiebam, audiebas, audiebat, audiebamus, audiebatis, audiebant

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to hear: imperfect active subjunctive:

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audirem, audires, audiret, audiremus, audiretis, audirent

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to hear: imperfect passive indicative:

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audiebar, audiebaris, audiebatur, audiebamur, audiebamini, audiebantur

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to hear: imperfect passive subjunctive:

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audirer, audireris, audiretur, audiremur, audiremini, audirentur

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to capture: imperfect active indicative:

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capiebam, capiebas, capiebat, capiebamus, capiebatis, capiebant

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to capture: imperfect active subjunctive:

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caperem, caperes, caperet, caperemus, caperetis, caperent

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to capture: imperfect passive indicative:

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capiebar, capiebaris, capiebatur, capiebamur, capiebamini, capiebantur

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to capture: imperfect passive subjunctive:

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caperer, capereris, caperetur, caperemur, caperemini, caperentur

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to be: present indicative:

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sum, es, est, sumus, estis, sunt

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to be: present subjunctive:

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sim, sis, sit, simus, sitis, sint

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to be: imperfect indicative:

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eram, eras, erat, eramus eratis, erant

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to be: imperfect subjunctive:

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Essem, Esses, Esset, essEmus, essEtis, Essent

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to be able: present indicative:

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possum, potes, potest, possumus, potestis, possunt

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to be able: present subjunctive:

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pOssim, pOssis, pOssit, possImus, possItis, possint

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to be able: imperfect indicative:

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poteram, poteras, poterat, poteramus, poteratis, poterant

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to be able: imperfect subjunctive:

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possem, posses, posset, possemus, possetis, possent

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Usage and Translation of the Imperfect Subjunctive

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The imperfect subjunctive is used in a variety of clause types, when the main verb is a past tense. As for all subjunctives, the translation depends upon the type of clause, but auxiliaries sometimes used with the imperfect include "were," "would," and, in purpose clauses, "might" -(vs. "may" for the present tense).

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Hoc dicit ut eos iuvet.

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He says this (in order) to help them [so that he MAY help them].

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Hoc dixit (dicebat) ut eos iuvaret.

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He said (kept saying) this (in order) to help them [so that he might help them].

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Hoc facit ne urbs capiatur.

Back 34

He does this so that the city may not be captured.

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Hoc fecit (faciebat) ne urbs caperetur.

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He did (was doing) this so that the city might not be captured.

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RESULT CLAUSES: Definition

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A subordinate clause that shows the result of the action in the main clause; the purpose clause answers the question "why is (was) it being done?", while the result clause answers the question "what is (was) the outcome?" Examples in English are: "it is raining so hard that the streets are flooding" and "she studied Latin so diligently that she knew it like a Roman."

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RESULT CLAUSES: Recognition

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The result clause can be distinguished from a purpose clause by sense and context and also by the fact that the main clause usually contains an adverb (ita, tam, sic, so) or adjective (tantus, so much, so great) indicating degree and signaling that a result clause is to follow. Moreover, if the clause describes a negative result, it is still introduced by ut but contains a negative word such as non, nihil, nemo, numquam or nullus (vs. a negative purpose clause, which is introduced by ne).

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RESULT CLAUSES: Translation

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In result clauses (vs. purpose clauses) the subjunctive verb is regularly translated as an indicative, without an auxiliary; "may" or "might" are used only in those instances where a potential or ideal result, rather than an actual result, is being described. Analyze these examples:

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Tanta fecit ut urbem servaret.

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He did such great things that he saved the city. (Result)

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Haec fecit ut urbem servaret.

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He did these things so that he might save the city. (Purpose)

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Tam strenue laborat ut multa perficiat.

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He works so energetically that he accomplishes many things. (Result)

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Strenue laborat ut multa perficiat.

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He works energetically so that he may accomplish many things. (Purpose)

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Hoc tanta benevolentia dixit ut eos non offenderet.

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He said this with such great kindness that he did not offend them. (Result)

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Hoc magna benevolentia dixit ne eos offenderet.

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He said this with great kindness in order that he might not offend them. (Purpose)

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Saltus erat angustus, ut pauci Graeci multos milites prohibere possent.

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The pass was narrow, so that a few Greeks were able to stop many soldiers. (Result) Note that in this last example there is no "signal word" such as ita or tam in the main clause, but it is clear from the context that the ut clause indicates the result, not the purpose, of the narrowness of the pass.