Salvete, discipuli!
Chapter VII: Conditions
Review Sessions
Tuesday, 10/12 @ 5:30-7 in WAG
208
Thursday, 10/15 @ 1-2:30 in CAL
221
Conditions: the Basics
A condition is, at its most basic, a compound sentence
consisting of two parts:
1. A “if” clause
2. A main clause
In grammatical terms, the “if” clause is called the protasis
and the main clause is called the apodosis.
Conditions: the Basics
If you give a mouse a cookie,
apodosis
apodosis
protasis
protasis
he’s going to want a glass of milk.
Types of Conditions
Conditions, like all other verbs, can only occur at three
times: present, past, and future.
All the tenses have one ‘simple’ condition and one
‘subjunctive’ condition.
Present: simple, contrary-to-fact
Past: simple, contrary-to-fact
Future: simple (more vivid), less vivid
Simple Conditions
Simple Conditions refer to reality and, therefore, employ only
***indicative*** verbs.
Present simple conditions use the present indicative, Past simple
conditions use any past tense (imperfect, perfect, pluperfect) in
the indicative, and Future simple conditions use the future
indicative.
Sī laetus es, laeta sum. = If you’re happy, I’m happy.
Sī amīcōs habēbat, fortunam bonam habēbat. = If he had friends,
he had good fortune.
Sī hostēs nōn vincēs, tē nōn laudābit. = If you will not (do not)
conquer the enemies, I shall not praise you.
Translation Practice
Examples:
1. Sī Marcus mēcum pugnat, eum certē superābō.
2. Sī ad īnsulam veniēs, tē semper amābis.
3. Sī Rōmae erāmus, civēs timēbāmus.
Contrary-to-Fact Conditions
Contrary-to-fact conditions describe statements that are
false and occur in 2 tenses:
The imperfect tense describes a present situation and the
pluperfect tense describes a past situation.
Sī pecūniam multam habērem, urbem regerem. = If I
possessed a lot of money, I would rule the city.
Sī dictum verum amīcae dixisses, domum tēcum cedisset. = If
you had told your girlfriend a true story, she would have
gone home with you.
Translation Practice
Examples:
1. Sī mater vīveret, tuam amīcam amāret.
2. Sī militēs iussisses, laetē ā tē iussī essent.
3. Sī hostēs interficiēbas, multī tē laudābat.
Future Less Vivid Condition
The Future Less Vivid Condition is the basic “should/would” condition in Latin
(i.e., If he should X, I would Y.)
It is indicated by the present subjunctive.
Sī umquam mea fēmīna vocet, eam dicas: “Tuus vir domī nōn est!”= If ever my
wife should call, you would say: “Your husband is not at home!”
Sī īnsulā abeamus, mi amīce, fortunam bonam habeamus. = If we should leave
this island, my friend, we would have good fortune.
Sī bonōs inveniatis, hostēs vincamus. = If you should find (some) good men, we
would conquer the enemies.
Translation Practice
Examples:
1. Sī consilium in templō petam, ā deīs detur.
2. Sī hostibus nostram urbem tradamus, nōs, patrēs conscriptī,
nōn valeamus!
3. Sī moenia oppidī vincant, eōs pugnem aut ā eīs interficiar.
Future Most Vivid
The Future Most Vivid Condition is an Emphatic
version of the Future Simple Condition.
It creates emphasis by using the Future Perfect
Tense in the protasis and keeping the Future Tense
in the Apodosis.
Sī oppidum cēperimus, poētae nosta facta canent!
= If we shall have captured the town, the poets will
sing our deeds.
Mixed Conditions
There are two types of Mixed Conditions that mix
the protasis of one condition with the apodosis of
another:
-Mixed Future Condition
-Mixed Contrary-to-Fact
Mixed Conditions
The Mixed Future Condition mixes the protasis of
the Future Less Vivid with the apodosis of the
Future Simple condition.
The result allows for more emphasis to be placed on
the apodosis.
Sī umquam mē discedas, vīvere poterō. = If ever you
would leave me, I shall not be able to live.
Mixed Conditions
The Mixed Contrary-to-Fact Condition mixes the
protasis of the Past Contrary-to-Fact with the
apodosis of the Present Contrary-to-Fact condition.
The result allows for more emphasis to be placed on
the apodosis.
Sī in proeliō bene pugnāvissēs, rex nunc esses! =
If you had fought well in battle, now you would be
king!
Translation Practice
Examples:
1. Sī solum virum bonum inveniamus, nōs ad gloriam famamque
ducet!
2. Sī nostrōs in bellum nōn duxissem, ab hostibus nōn
interficerentur et domī nunc cum feminīs suīs essent.
Present
Protasis
Apodosis
Present Indicative
Present Indicative
Imperfect Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Past Indicative
Past Indicative
Pluperfect Subjunctive
Pluperfect Subjunctive
Future Indicative
Future Indicative
Present Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Most Vivid
Future Perfect Indic.
Future Indicative
Future
Present Subjunctive
Future Indicative
Pluperfect Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Simple
Contrary-to-Fact
Past
Simple
Contrary-to-Fact
Future
Simple
Less Vivid
Mixed
Contrary-to-Fact
homework?
p. 239-41, #1-16