So far all of the verbs
that we have encountered have been in what is called the indicative mood. However three moods of a verb exist in Latin.
The indicative mood expresses facts.
The imperative mood expresses commands.
The subjunctive expresses an element of uncertainty, often a wish, desire, doubt or hope.
For example:
| I am happy | Indicative |
| Be happy | Imperative |
| I wish I were happy | Subjunctive |
Whereas other modern languages such as Spanish and Italian have retained this subjunctive mood, it exists in modern English only rarely, primarily in old phrases and mottos.
For example:
The subjunctive exists in four tenses: the present, imperfect, perfect and pluperfect. It occurs in both the active and passive voice. In addition to this, the endings of subjunctive verbs can alter across the conjugations. It is very important therefore to use the grammar tables
frequently until you become more familiar with them.
Two common, irregular verbs in the subjunctive are 'esse,' -to be and 'posse', -'to be able' and it is well worth spending some time looking at the forms these take in the grammar table.
In the subjunctive mood, all of the active tenses share the following endings:
| Latin | English |
|---|---|
| -m | I |
| -s | you (singular) |
| -t | he/she/it |
| -mus | we |
| -tis | you (plural) |
| -nt | they |
First conjugation
Remove '-are' from the present infinitive, add '-e' and then the relevant ending above.
For example:
voco, vocare, vocavi, vocatum (1) to call
+ e + relevant ending
voc + e + m = vocem – I may call
Second conjugation
Remove '-re' from the present infinitive of the verb to get the stem, add '-a' and then the relevant endings above.
For example:
habeo, habere, habui, habitum (2) to have
stem + a + relevant ending
habe + a + m = habeam – I may have
Third conjugation
Remove '-ere' from the present infinitive to get the stem, add '-a' and then the relevant endings above.
For example:
solvo, solvere, solvi, solutum (3) to pay
stem + a + relevant ending
solv + a + m = solvam – I may pay
Fourth conjugation
Remove '-re' from the present infinitive to get the stem, add '-a' and then the relevant endings above.
For example:
scio, sciire, scivi, scitum (4)
stem + a + relevant ending
sci + a + m = sciam – I may know
In the present tense, the subjunctive can be spotted by the ‘-e’ in the first conjugations, and the ‘-a’ in the second, third and fourth.
All conjugations
Add the relevant endings above to the present infinitive form of the verb.
For example:
voco, vocare, vocavi, vocatum (1) to call
present infinitive + relevant ending
vocare + m = vocarem – I might call
All conjugations
Remove '-i' from the perfect tense of the verb to get the stem '-eri' and then the relevant endings above.
For example:
voco, vocare, vocavi, vocatum (1) to call
stem + eri + relevant ending
vocav + eri+ m = vocaverim – I may have called
All conjugations
Add '-sse' to the perfect root of the verb (this gives you the perfect infinitive form) and then the relevant endings above.
For example:
voco, vocare, vocavi, vocatum (1)
perfect stem + sse + relevant ending
vocavi + sse + m = vocavissem – I might have called
Are you confident with:
