Independent Use of the Subjunctive: Translation Help

Tense and Sample Form: 3rd pl.		Base Translation	Implication
present	ament	they may love	(or not)
imperfect	amarent	they would love	(but don’t)
perfect	amaverint	they may have loved	(or not)
pluperfect	amavissent	they would have loved	(but didn’t)

Summary

Present and perfect subjunctive imply possibility, potential, things you want to happen that may take place, or wishes that could come true.

· cantemus—we may sing (or not), let us sing.

· Michael frumentum consumat—Michael may eat the grain (or not), let Michael eat the grain.

· quid faciam?—what should I do? what am I to do?

· si cras pluat, rurem non eamus—if it should rain tomorrow (and it may), we would not go to the country.

Imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive express ideas contrary to fact.

· utinam adesses—would that you were here! (but, alas, you aren’t)

· si nunc plueret, sub arbore non staremus—if it were raining now (but it isn’t), we would not be standing under a tree (but we are).

· si Caesar Galliam non vicisset, imperium non occupare potuisset—if Caesar had not conquered Gaul (but he did), he would not have been able to seize power (but he was).