The National Archives - Lesson 9 - Subjunctive - Latin (2023)

FAQs

How do you identify the subjunctive clause in Latin? ›

'Ut' and 'ne': You will often notice 'ut' and 'ne' introducing a subjunctive clause. One occasion where you will see this happening is when a subjunctive is used to express a command or order rather than an imperative. This is called the jussive subjunctive (from the verb jubeo, jubere, jussi, jussum (2) – to order).

The 4 subjunctive tenses that we will cover are the present subjunctive, the imperfect (past) subjunctive, the present perfect subjunctive, and the pluperfect subjunctive.

In the subjunctive mood, the verb remains in its bare form, rather than changing to reflect the tense. Here are two examples: Our teacher suggested that we finish our work early. If the shop were like other shops in town, it would take credit cards.

The subjunctive mood expresses wishes, suggestions, demands, or desires in a sentence with usually two clauses, with a verb such as wish (or suggest, demand, etc.) in one clause and a second verb in the subjunctive mood. In the sentence 'I wish I were the president' the verb 'were' is in the subjunctive mood.

The subjunctive form is the verb form used to explore a hypothetical situation (for example, If I were you) or to express a wish, a demand, or a suggestion (For example, I demand he be present).

There are four subjunctives: present, imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect.

Es seguro may require the subjunctive, depending on whether it is used affirmatively, negatively, or interrogatively: Por ejemplo … Es seguro que vuelven hoy. It's certain that they're returning today.

Yes, es bueno requires the subjunctive: Por ejemplo … En verdad, es bueno que viajen juntos. In fact, it's good that they're traveling together.

What are the subjunctive rules? ›

In most cases, the subjunctive form of a verb is usually the third-person form of the verb with the ‑s dropped, but the verb to be is a special case. The subjunctive is used after certain expressions that contain an order or a request, a hypothetical, or a wish.

The subjunctive is one of the irrealis moods, which refer to what is not necessarily real. It is often contrasted with the indicative, a realis mood which is used principally to indicate that something is a statement of fact.

The Subjunctive is used to emphasise urgency or importance. The Subjunctive form is used with the simple form of the verb i.e. the infinitive without 'to'; to go is 'go'. The Subjunctive is only used with certain verbs and in certain forms.

Subjunctive triggers are words that force the verb in a sentence to be used in its subjunctive form. Sometimes, these subjunctive triggers already contain the subjunctive verb within them. In other words, when you see one of these subjunctive triggers, you must use the subjunctive.

The following verbs often attract the subjunctive mood: "to ask," "to command," "to demand," "to insist," "to order," "to recommend," "to suggest," and "to wish."

Don't Wait to Study the Subjunctive

Yes, it is a grammar topic that doesn't have a direct parallel in English, but it is a necessary and conquerable one. If you have learned at least one past tense and one future tense, you can probably already start with the subjunctive. Don't let anyone tell you it is too hard.

The subjunctive is most often used in complex sentences in which the subject in the main clause expresses an emotion or opinion about the action in the subordinant clause. The emotion, volition, doubt or uncertainty expressed in the main clause requires that the verb in the sorbordinant clause be subjunctive.

The subjunctive mood was so called because it was regarded as specially appropriate to 'subjoined' or subordinate clauses. In the Latin grammarians the more common term for subjunctive was post-classical Latin coniunctivus conjunctive adj.; subiunctivus is the term favoured by Priscian (5th-6th cent.).

What does subjunctive mean? ›

The subjunctive is a verb form or mood used to express things that could or should happen. It is used to express wishes, hopes, commands, demands or suggestions.

The Subjunctive mood is used in dependent clauses using the passive voice following main clauses expressing necessity, demand, request, urging, or resolution. It always involves the use of "be" where some other form of the verb "to be" would be used in the passive voice construction.

Common verbs and phrases used with the subjunctive mood

Some common verbs are often used with the subjunctive mood. These include to wish, to command, to order, to recommend, to suggest, and to ask. If you see or use any of these verbs in a sentence, you might be dealing with the subjunctive mood.

We always use subjunctive in phrases with two subjects. Generally, these phrases follow the sequence: Verb 1 + QUE + Verb 2 (in Subjunctive).

Konjunktiv I is used for the 2nd and 3rd person singular and 2nd person plural, the Konjunktiv II for the 1st person singular and the 1st and 3rd person plural to avoid confusion.

So, to answer your question, there are no future subjunctive forms in Latin, but there is a decent replacement. In the passive voice you have to use the present tense instead — or the perfect tense to replace future perfect.

vamos was in medieval Spanish another form for first person plural of present of subjunctive. that is to say: both vamos and vayamos were used in that case. vamos was also used (as well as today) as first person plural of present of indicative.

Does refuser require the subjunctive? Yes, refuser requires the subjunctive. Je refuse que le chien soit dans la maison.

Yes, sans que requires the subjunctive. Je peux y aller sans qu'elle le sache. I can go without her knowing.

When the main clause is a command or in the (potential) future, hasta que requires the subjunctive: Hasta que Tom vuelva del trabajo, queda conmigo. Until Tom returns from work, stay with me. Hasta que Tom vuelva del trabajo, puedes quedar conmigo.

Do you use subjunctive after Como? ›

In Spanish the conjunction como si (as if/like) is used to form subordinate clauses. These clauses express the way something is done. It is always followed by the subjunctive.

Does a menos de que require the subjunctive? Yes, a menos de que requires the subjunctive: Por ejemplo … A menos que Juan tome alcohol.

The first step in conjugating most verbs in the present subjunctive is to recall the present indicative yo (I) form of the verb.

The subjunctive is used to talk about things that are subjective and/or possible, but not certain. This includes things like doubts, wishes, recommendations, unknowns, and opinions about the likelihood of other events occurring.

Note, however, that the subjunctive itself is tenseless; we use the phrase “subjunctive mood,” not “subjunctive tense.” The subjunctive mood is common in the English language but also appears in many of the world's languages, including Spanish, French, German, Polish, Arabic, and Hebrew.

English verbs have four moods: indicative, imperative, subjunctive, and infinitive. Mood is the form of the verb that shows the mode or manner in which a thought is expressed.

The subjunctive mood deals with things that may not actually happen or have happened; since there's no way of knowing whether something will or won't happen in the future, the idea of subjunctivity—of possibility rather than certainty—is already inherent in the future tense.

To conjugate regular verbs into the present subjunctive form, we use the 3rd person plural form (ils) of the present indicative tense. We then remove the -ent ending and add -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, and -ent.

How do you express the subjunctive mood? ›

The subjunctive mood expresses wishes, suggestions, demands, or desires in a sentence with usually two clauses, with a verb such as wish (or suggest, demand, etc.) in one clause and a second verb in the subjunctive mood. In the sentence 'I wish I were the president' the verb 'were' is in the subjunctive mood.

When it comes to the subjunctive mood, Google Translate mostly just dismisses it. The formal “you” that many languages have is also ignored in Google's translations. Furthermore, many languages have several past tenses.

In most cases, the subjunctive form of a verb is usually the third-person form of the verb with the ‑s dropped, but the verb to be is a special case. The subjunctive is used after certain expressions that contain an order or a request, a hypothetical, or a wish.

What Is a Subjunctive Trigger? Subjunctive triggers are words that force the verb in a sentence to be used in its subjunctive form. Sometimes, these subjunctive triggers already contain the subjunctive verb within them. In other words, when you see one of these subjunctive triggers, you must use the subjunctive.

Note that aimer que and détester que are followed by Subjonctif, in BOTH affirmative and negative sentences.

If the material is being translated solely for research reasons, using Google Translate to complete assignments isn't considered cheating. It is considered plagiarism if you pass the translated work off as your own. It is not unethical to use GT.

Does es seguro require the subjunctive? Es seguro may require the subjunctive, depending on whether it is used affirmatively, negatively, or interrogatively: Por ejemplo … Es seguro que vuelven hoy.