Subjunctive and Imperative Moods in Latin Grammar
Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive is a mood used to express an action that exists in thought and the subjective attitude of the person speaking. It conveys desire, exhortation, supposition, doubt, possibility, and unreality. It’s used especially in the construction of subordinate clauses. The tenses of the subjunctive mood are the present and imperfect, and their perfect tenses are the present perfect and pluperfect.
- Amo, -as, -are: Present = amem, Imperfect = amarem, Present Perfect = amaverim, Pluperfect = amavissem
- Moneo, -is, -ere: Present = moneam, Imperfect = monerem, Present Perfect = monuerim, Pluperfect = monuissem
- Mitto, -is, -ere: Present = mittam, Imperfect = mitterem, Present Perfect = miserim, Pluperfect = misissem
- Audio, -is, -ire: Present = audiam, Imperfect = audirem, Present Perfect = audiverim, Pluperfect = audivissem
Imperative Mood
The present imperative is always active and only has two persons: the second person singular and the second person plural. The second person singular is the pure stem of the verb, without any modal or temporal characteristic personal endings. In contrast, the second person plural adds the morpheme -te to the stem. Verbs of the 3rd conjugation take, after the stem, a union vowel: in the second person singular, it becomes -e, and in the 2nd person plural, it becomes -ite.
- Amo, -as, -are: ama, amate
- Moneo, -is, -ere: mone, monete
- Mitto, -is, -ere: mitte, mittite
- Audio, -is, -ire: audi, audite
- Sum, es, esse: es, este
Cum Conjunction
Cum is a conjunction that introduces adverbial subordinate clauses, equivalent to an adverb or a circumstantial complement, expressing a circumstance of time, place, or cause of the main clause. The conjunction cum can be used with the subjunctive or indicative mood, depending on whether it expresses reality or desire.
- When the verb is in the indicative, cum has a temporal value and means “when” or “at the moment”.
- When the verb is in the subjunctive, cum has several values:
- Temporal-Causal: If the verb is in the imperfect or pluperfect, it means “since” or “when”. It is equivalent to a simple gerund if in the imperfect, and to a compound gerund if in the pluperfect.
- Causal: If the verb is in the present or present perfect, it means “because” or “since”.
- Concessive: When there is an adverb in the main clause, such as tamen, it means “even if” or “although”.
Quod Conjunction
When used as a conjunction, quod can be used with the indicative or subjunctive, depending on whether it expresses a real or supposed idea. It has two fundamental values:
- Completive: It introduces a substantive subordinate clause, acting as the direct object of the main verb. It means “that” or “the fact that”.
- Causal: It introduces an adverbial subordinate clause of cause. It means “because”, “since”, or “as”.
Quod can also be a neutral relative pronoun introducing subordinate relative clauses, or a relative adjective introducing subordinate interrogative clauses.
Ut and Ne Conjunctions
Ut can be used as a subordinate conjunction with both the indicative and subjunctive moods.
- With the indicative, it has two values:
- Comparative: It means “as” or “in the same way as”.
- Temporal: It means “when” or “while”.
- With the subjunctive:
- Completive: It introduces a substantive subordinate clause. It depends on verbs involving order, decision, or intention. It means “that” and is equivalent to an infinitive. The conjunctions ne or ut ne are used for negative subordinates.
- Consecutive: It follows verbs that indicate an achieved action. It means “that” or “so that”. Ut non is used for negative subordinates.
- Concessive: When used with tamen in the main clause, it means “even though” or “although”.
- Final: It means “so that” or “in order to”, equivalent to “for” + infinitive.