[1]
(1) Nescīs [present indicative] ¦ (2) quid sentiam [present subjunctive] │ (1) You don’t know ¦ (2) what I am thinking. Translations may well retain the subjunctive idea: You don’t know ¦ what I may be thinking.
[2]
(1) Rogābis [future indicative] mē ¦ (2) ubi sit [present subjunctive] (Plautus) │ (1) You’ll ask me ¦ (2) where he is.
[3]
(2) Tū quid agās, (2) ubi sīs, (2) cuius modī istae rēs sint [all present subjunctive] ¦ (1) fac [imperative] mē quam dīligentissimē certiōrem (Cicero)
(1) Please let me know as carefully as possible …
(2) … what you’re doing …
(2) … where you are …
(2) … of what manner these affairs are [ = how matters are progressing / the progress of our affairs]
Examples from Plautus:
- Sceleste, at etiam ¦ quid velim, ¦ id tū mē rogās│ Rascal! And you even ask me that —what I want?
- Neque ille scit ¦ quid det, ¦ quid damnī ¦ faciat│ And he doesn’t know ¦ what he is giving, ¦ what harm he’s causing.
- Nec ¦ quid dicātis ¦ scīre nec mē ¦ cūr lūdātis ¦ possum│ And I can neither know [ = understand] ¦ what you are saying , nor ¦ why you’re playing with me.
- Mē miseram, ¦ quid agam ¦ nesciō│ Poor me! I don’t know ¦ what I should do.
- Nōn edepol nunc ¦ ubi terrārum sim ¦ sciō│ Good gracious, I don't know ¦ where in the world I am.
- Dēmīror ¦ ubi nunc ambulet Messēniō │ I wonder ¦ where Messenio is walking now.
Indicative and subjunctive of the same verb in the same sentence:
- Gaudeō, etsī ¦ nīl sciō ¦ quod gaudeam│ I am rejoicing, although I haven't the least idea ¦ why I am / should be rejoicing.
This very brief exchange from Plautus shows the same verb as both a direct question in the indicative and an indirect question in the subjunctive.
Quid negōtīst? [ = Quid negotī est?] │ What’s the matter?
Quid negōtī sit ¦ rogās? │ You ask me ¦ what the matter is?
[4]
The Latin subjunctive has no future tense. When a specific future intention is meant, the subjunctive of esse + a future participle is used:
Certum nōn habeō, ¦ ubi sīs [present] aut ¦ ubi futūrus sīs [future] (Cicero) │ I do not know ¦ where you are or ¦ where you are going to be.
primary sequence; practice
Complete the Latin sentences with the words listed below.
[i]
(1) I don’t know (2) why (3) I should be friendly with him [ = why we should love him].
(1) __________ (2) __________ eum (3) __________ (Cicero)
[ii]
I want (1) to know (2) what (3) is happening [ = what is being done] here
Scīre (1) __________ (2) __________ hīc (3) __________.
[iii] Now I cannot conceive (1) where or (2) when (3) I shall see you.
Nunc, nec (1) __________ (2) nec __________ tē (3) __________, possum suspicārī (Cicero)
[iv] You must (1) bear in mind only this: (2) how many cohorts Caesar (3) has at hand against you.
Dēbēs illud sōlum (1) __________, (2) __________ in praesentiā cohortēs contrā tē (3) __________ Caesar (Cicero)
[v] (1) What portents (2) we read every day, (3) you will understand from this pamphlet.
Nōs (1) __________ mōnstra cotīdiē (2) __________, (3) __________ ex illō libellō (Cicero)
[vi] (1) I know both (2) whom (3) I should fear and (4) for what reason.
Ego (1) __________, et (2) __________ (3) __________ et (4) __________ (Cicero)
animadvertere; intellegēs; nesciō; sciō; scīre
cūr; quae; quam ob rem; quandō; quem; quid; quot; ubi
agātur; amēmus; habeat; legāmus; metuam; sim vīsūrus
____________________
[i] Nesciō, cūr illum amēmus.
[ii] Scīre volō quid hīc agātur.
[iii] Nunc, nec ubi nec quandō tē sim vīsūrus, possum suspicārī
[iv] Dēbēs illud sōlum animadvertere, quot in praesentiā cohortēs contrā tē habeat Caesar.
[v] Nōs quae mōnstra cotīdiē lēgāmus, intellegēs ex illō libellō.
[vi] Ego sciō, et quem metuam et quam ob rem.
