Chapter 30
Indirect Questions
Sequence of Tenses
Indirect Questions
Another subordinate use of the
subjunctive.
 Reports what someone asks without
directly quoting that person.
 Similar to the concept of the Indirect
Statement with a Subjunctive verb instead
of an accusative-infinitive construction.

Indirect Questions

Identified by:
– a main verb of asking, telling, thinking
(similar to indirect statement)
– an interrogative word
– a subjunctive verb in the subordinate clause

Interrogatives:
– quis, quid / quī, quae, quod
– quam, quandō, cūr, ubi, unde, uter, utrum,
an, -ne
English Examples

Dad asked us where we were going today.

The class wondered what questions would
be on the next test.

The children debated whether Santa Claus
brought the presents or not.
Latin Examples

ille auctor narrābat nōbīs quantā cum cūrā
Rōmulus moenia urbis condidisset.

ōrātor repente rogāvit cūr cēterī cīvēs
ingenium huius virī nōn cognōvissent.

nesciō utrum vīvī an mortuī plūs honōris
crās acceptūrī sint.
Sequence of Tenses
This describes the way in which a
speaker/writer proceeds from the main
clause into a subordinate clause.
 So, in English one can’t say, “I was there
when he is here.” To be correct, one must
say, “I was there when he was here.”
 Because the main clause contains a past
tense verb the subordinate clause agrees
in its tense.

Latin Sequence Structure
Because subordination is often indicated
by the subjunctive mood in Latin, the
sequence of tenses begins with an
indicative verb (usually) and then contains
a subjunctive in the subordinate clause.
 There are two groupings in Latin sequence
of tenses: Primary and Secondary
(Historical)

Primary Sequence

This sequence is made up of incomplete
action tenses
– Present
– Future

The subordinates for primary sequence
are either
– Present subjunctive – action at the same time
– Perfect subjunctive – action previous to
Secondary Sequence

This sequence is made up of complete
action tenses
– All past tenses

The subordinates for secondary sequence
are
– Imperfect subjunct. – action at the same time
– Pluperfect subjunct. – action previous to
The Main Point

The main thing to remember is that the
subjunctive in the subordinate clause will
translate to English differently depending
upon its main clause verb.