Level 3+: Conditional clauses [1]: introduction; real conditions (1)
Take your life in your hands and suggest to Norman, the owner of the Bates Motel in Hitchcock’s Psycho how he should deal with his “mother” …
MARION
You know, if anyone ever talked to me, the way I heard... the way she spoke to you, …
NORMAN
When you love someone, you don't do that to them, even if you hate them. Oh, I don't hate her. I hate... what she's become. I hate... the illness.
MARION (Slowly, carefully)
Wouldn't it be better if you put her in... someplace...
Ah well, if Marion hadn’t taken a wrong turning, she would not have met Norman – but she did take a wrong turning, and she did meet him and, well, you’ll need to watch the movie…
Among all Latin clause types, conditional clauses show the closest parallel with English: in both languages, verb forms change to express the speaker’s perspective.
Image #1: conditional clauses can be broadly classified according to type.
Here, we will look at the types under the overall heading of real conditions: the speaker treats the situation in the conditional clause as true, rather than as imaginary or unreal, and are used with the indicative mood in Latin:
(a) General truths:
If you heat ice, it melts.
If he (ever) saw a poor man in the street, he used to give him some money.
(b) Specific situations considered likely in context, whether present or past:
If he thinks that, he is mistaken.
If he did that, he made a mistake.
(c) Specific situations in the future which, again, the speaker treats as likely to happen:
If gives me the money, I will buy the cake.
Grammar books may give slightly different terms for these conditional types, but the key point is that none of the conditions express any doubt, but rather as true or likely to be true.
[1] present / past
[A] Sī tū exercitusque valētis [present indicative], ¦ [B] bene est [present indicative] (Cicero)
- If you and the army are well, ¦ it is well.
[A] Sī iam melius valēs [present indicative], ¦ [B] vehementer gaudeō [present indicative] (Cicero)
- If you are in better health now, ¦ I am very glad.
[A] Sī quī māgnīs in eō genere exstitērunt [perfect indicative], ¦ [B] nōn satis Graecōrum glōriae respondērunt [perfect indicative] (Cicero)
- If any have shown themselves of great genius in that department, ¦ they have not competed sufficiently with the glory of the Greeks.
[A] Sī peccāvī [perfect indicative], ¦ [B] īnsciēns fēcī [perfect indicative] (Terence)
- If I did / have done wrong, ¦ I did / have done so unwittingly.
The sentences above have two clauses:
[A] The conditional clause introduced by sī (if); this is called the protasis and states the condition on which [B] depends.
[B] The main clause is called the apodosis.
It is useful to remember those two terms, since they are commonly used in grammar books.
[A: PROTASIS] Sī illum relinquō,¦ [B: APODOSIS] eius vītae timeō (Terence)
- If I abandon him, ¦ I fear for his life.
[A: PROTASIS] Sī quī exīre volunt,¦ [B: APODOSIS] cōnīvēre possum (Cicero)
- If any wish to depart, ¦ I can keep my eyes shut.
[A: PROTASIS] Sī est in exsiliō [PROTASIS], … ¦ B: APODOSIS] quid amplius postulātis? (Cicero)
- If he is in exile, ¦ what more do you ask?
[2] future more vivid
[i] In grammar the term future more vivid conditional refers to an outcome that the speaker thinks / perceives is more likely to happen
[ii] Unlike English, a future condition in the protasis is expressed by sī + the future or future perfect tense:
[A] Quod sī legere aut audīre volētis [future indicative] . . . [B] reperiētis [future indicative] … (Cicero)
- If you (will) want to read or hear it … you will find …
[A] Egō ad tē, ¦ [B] sī quid audierō [future perfect indicative] citius, ¦ scrībam [future indicative]. (Cicero)
- I shall write to you ¦ if I hear [literally: shall have heard) anything sooner.
[A] Haec sī attulerīs [future perfect indicative], [B] cēnābis [future indicative] bene (Catullus)
- If you bring [literally: will have brought] these things, ¦ you will dine well.
[3] general / iterative:
[i] When (if) you love someone, you don't do that to them.
Whenever he saw / If he ever saw a poor man …; the term iterative may be applied to this type of condition to define an action that happens / happened repeatedly:
English can convey these conditions, with ‘when(ever)’ rather than ‘if’; Latin uses sī:
Sī pēs condoluit, sī dēns, ferre nōn possumus (Cicero)
- If (ever) a foot or a tooth has begun to ache, ¦ we can't bear it.
[ii] The idea may be emphasised by the addition of quandō, but not as a replacement for sī:
Sī quandō in puerīs ante alter dēns nāscitur ... (Celsus)
- If ever in children a second tooth appears …
[iii] When referring to the past, the imperfect or pluperfect tense can be used in the conditional clause:
Sī legēbant, inveniēbant disciplīnam.
- If (whenever) they read, they acquired / used to acquire knowledge.
Sī pauperem in viā vidēbat / vīderat, semper eum adiuvāre cōnābātur.
- If he saw a poor man in the street, he would always try to help him.
Sī tribūnī, sī legiō industriam innocentiamque adprobāverant, retinēbat ōrdinem (Tacitus)
- If the tribunes or legion approved of his industry and innocence, he would retain his rank.
[4] ‘if’ is also used in English to ask an indirect question e.g. I want to know if he’s arrived = I want to know whether he’s arrived (or not).
Latin does not generally use sī to convey that idea, but num and utrum … an
Level 3+; Subjunctive [68] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (5); num
Level 3+; Subjunctive [69] dependent uses [6] indirect questions (6); utrum … an …
Note: while there are examples of sī being used to introduce indirect yes/no questions exists, it is uncommon:
Vīsam ¦ sī domī est (Terence)
- I will go see ¦ if he is at home.
[5] In all conditional constructions [A] and [B] may, as in English, be reversed:
[B] Experiar et dīcam [future indicative], ¦ [A] sī poterō [future indicative], plānius (Cicero)
- I shall try and explain, ¦ if I can [literally: if I shall be able; future indicative] more clearly (Cicero)
[5] tenses can be mixed:
Convincam [future indicative], ¦ sī negās [present indicative] (Cicero)
- I shall prove it, ¦ if you deny it.
Sī pēs condoluit [perfect indicative], sī dēns, ¦ ferre nōn possumus [present indicative] (Cicero)
- If (ever) a foot or a tooth has begun to ache, ¦ we can't bear it.
Cēnābis [future indicative] bene, mī fabulle, apud mē / paucīs, ¦ sī tibi dī favent [present indicative], ¦ diēbus (Catullus)
- You will dine well, my Fabullus, at my house, ¦ in a few days’ time if the gods favour you.
Sī ille exitum nōn reperiēbat [imperfect indicative], ¦ quis nunc reperiet [future indicative]? (Cicero)
- If he was not able to find any way out, ¦ who will find one now?
Misera plūs perdidī [perfect indicative], sī nēmō crēdit [present indicative] (Quintilian)
- Wretched I have lost more ¦ if noone believes me.
In these clause types, English and Latin writers vary the indicative tenses, and there are numerous permutations. They may choose a specific tense since they have a particular idea in mind that they wish to convey, for example:
If you read that book, you will love it.
If you haven’t read that book, then I’m disappointed.
[i] There is often a parallel between the Latin verb usage and the English translations, for example:
Sī mē amās [present], ¦ cūrā [imperative], ut ... (Cicero)
- If you love me [present], ¦ [imperative] see to it that …
Tū sī litterās ad Sicyōniōs habēs [present], advolā [imperative] in Formiānum (Cicero)
- If you have [present], a letter to send to the Sicyonians, hasten [imperative] to Formiae.
Quid faciēmus [future], sī aliter nōn possumus [present]? (Cicero)
- What shall we do [future], if we cannot (do) otherwise [present]?
Sī fuit [perfect] invidiōsa senātūs potentia… quid iam cēnsēs [present] fore? (Cicero)
- If the power of the Senate was [simple past] unpopular … what do you think [present] it will be like now?
[ii] Where it differs most is when the conditional clause refers to the future. The distinction between the future and the future perfect in the conditional clause is whether the speaker is focussing on the action being carried out [future], or on the completion of the action [future perfect].
Mihi crēde, ¦ sī legēs [future] haec, ¦ dīcēs [future] mīrābilis vir est (Cicero)
- Trust me, if you read [present; La: will read] them, ¦ you will say “The man is a wonder.”
Latīnum sī perfēcerō [future perfect], ¦ ad tē mittam [future] (Cicero)
- [Latin (literally): If I shall have finished the Latin version, I shall send it to you.]
- If I finish [present] / If I have finished [present perfect] the Latin version, ¦ I shall send [future] it to you.
[iii] A subjunctive verb may be used in the apodosis:
Sī quid habēs certius, velim scīre (Cicero)
- If you have anything more certain, I would like to know.
The subjunctive in this context is not affecting the conditional clause but is simply being used independently to convey a polite request.
In this next example, a jussive subjunctive is used:
Quī hominēs quam prīmum, sī stāre nōn possunt, corruant (Cicero)
- If these men cannot stand, let them fall as soon as possible.
____________________
Below are further examples; compare and contrast the verb usage.
Nunc, sī quid in eā epistulā, quam ante diem XVI Kal. Maiās dedistī, fuit historia dignum, scrībe quam prīmum (Cicero)
- So, if there was anything worth saying in the letter of the 16th of April, write at once.
Sī quī Graecī iam Rōmam ex Asiā … vēnērunt … (Cicero)
- If any Greeks have already come to Rome from Asia …
Quid iīs fīet, sī hūc Paulus vēnerit (Cicero)
- What will happen to them if Paulus comes [will have come] here?
Sī quid rēs feret, cōram inter nōs cōnferēmus (Cicero)
- If any point arises [will arise], we will discuss it together face-to-face.
Aliī sī scrīpserint, mittēmus ad tē (Cicero)
- If others (will) have written (about it), we shall send them to you.
Tū, sī tibi placuerit liber, cūrābis ut … (Cicero)
- If the book pleases [will have pleased] you, you will see to it that …
Eō sī ante eam diem nōn vēneris, Rōmae tē fortasse vidēbō (Cicero)
- If you do not get [will not have come] there before that date, perhaps I shall see you at Rome.
Sī dīxerō mendācium, solēns meō mōre fēcerō (Plautus)
- If I tell [shall have told] a lie, I shall have done so as I usually do according to my custom.
Tū, sī ūnō in locō es futūrus, crēbrās ā nōbīs litterās exspectā (Cicero)
- If you are going to be in one place, expect many letters from us.
Intereā scrībās [subjunctive], sī quid intellegēs (Cicero)
- Meanwhile, if you learn anything, you should write to me
Sī iam es Rōmae … velim [subjunctive] mittās … (Cicero)
- If you are already in Rome, I would like you to send …
An overdose of conditional clauses:
Quam ob rem, sī mē amās tantum, quantum profectō amās, sī dormīs, expergīscere, sī stās, ingredere, sī ingrederis, curre, sī curris, advolā. (Cicero)
Quam ob rem, sī mē amās tantum, quantum profectō amās, … │ Therefore, if you love me as much as you really love me …
sī dormīs, expergīscere │ if you are sleeping, wake up
sī stās, ingredere │ if you are standing, get moving
sī ingrederis, curre │ if you are moving, run
sī curris, advolā │ if you are running, fly
[1] A negative conditional clause is expressed in English “if … not” or “unless”
If you do not give me the money, I cannot buy the tickets.
Unless you give me the money, I cannot buy the tickets.
The equivalents in Latin are expressed by:
[i] sī … nōn; [ii] nisi
Eō sī ante eam diem nōn vēneris, ¦ Rōmae tē fortasse vidēbō (Cicero)
- If you do not get there before that date, perhaps I shall see you at Rome.
Velim, sī tibī grave nōn erit, certiōrem mē faciās (Cicero)
- I would like, if it is not [will not be] any trouble to you, you to let me know.
"Dēsilite", inquit, "mīlitēs, nisi vultis aquilam hostibus prōdere" (Caesar)
- '"Jump down, soldiers," he said, "unless you wish to betray the eagle to the enemies"'
“Nisi mē frūstrantur,” inquit, “oculī, māter tibī coniūnxque et līberī adsunt” (Livy)
- “unless my eyes are deceiving me,” he said, “your mother and wife and children are here”
Dēcēdēs, cum volēs, nisi forte iam dēcessistī (Cicero)
- You will depart when you wish — unless perhaps you have already departed / if you haven’t already departed.
Level 3+: Conditional clauses [4]: sī + quis, quid, quandō
[1] Conditional clauses can be indefinite, i.e. they do not refer to any specific person, thing, or time, but express general or open-ended reference.
[i]
(a) sī + quis (which can decline): if anyone / someone
Ac sī quis est tālis … nōn est ista mea culpa (Cicero)
- But if there is anyone of that sort … that’s not my fault.
Sī quī exīre volunt, cōnīvēre possum (Cicero)
- If anyone wishes to leave, I can look the other way.
(b) Similarly with nisi:
Nisi quis retinet, īdem suāsor auctorque cōnsiliī erō (Tacitus)
- Unless someone holds (me back), I shall be the proposer and instigator of the plan.
Quid igitur? quī nunc vocāre? / Nēmō nisi quem iusseris (Plautus)
- Well then — who am I to summon now? / No one, unless you order someone.
[ii]
(a) sī + quid: if anything / something
- Sī quid est ... prōvidendum est (Cicero)
If there is anything, it should be guarded against.
Ego ad tē, sī quid audierō citius, scrībam (Cicero)
- If I hear anything, I shall write to you first.
(b) Similarly with nisi:
Ego eō ad forum, nisi quid vīs (Plautus)
- I’m going to the forum unless you want anything.
Ego, nisi quid mē vīs, eō lavātum (Platusu)
- If you do not want me for anything / Unless you want me for something, I’m going to get washed.
[iii] sī + quandō: if ever
In senātū sī quandō praeclārē prō rē pūblicā dīxerō (Cicero)
- If I ever make a notable speech in the Senate on behalf of the republic
Sī quandō opus erit, … (Cicero)
- If there is ever a need …
Examples:
Sī quis ¦ quid reddit, magna habenda est grātia (Terence)
- If anyone gives anything back, one should be very grateful
Sī quid in tē peccāvī … ignōsce (Cicero)
- If I have wronged you in any respect, forgive me.
Dumtaxat rūmōrēs, vel etiam sī qua certa habēs dē Caesare, exspectō (Cicero)
- At the very least, I am waiting for rumours or even if you have any certain (news) about Caesar
Nec posthāc quisquam damnābitur, nisi quī hominem occīdent (Cicero)
- And from now on, no one shall be condemned, except those who kill a man.
Cicero referring to statues:
Illa omnia in Tusculānum dēportābō. Cāiētam, sī quandō abundāre coeperō, ōrnābō.
- I’ll bring all those to my place at Tusculum. If I ever start filling it too much [ = literally: if I ever start to overflow], I’ll decorate Caieta.
Level 3+: Conditional clauses [5]: real conditions (3) practice
[1]
Complete the Latin sentences with verbs from the list below.
(1) [A] If you do this, [B] you are wrong.
[A] Sī hoc __________ [B] __________
(2) [A] If you did this, [B] you were wrong.
[A] Sī hoc __________ [B] __________
(3) [A] If you (will) do this, [B] you will be wrong.
[A] Sī hoc __________ , [B] __________
(4) [A] If they were asked for help, [B] they gave it willingly.
[A] Sī auxilium __________ , [B] libenter id __________.
(5) [A] Unless you (will) give me the money, [B] I won’t be able to buy the horse.
[A] Nisi mihi pecūniam __________, [B] equum emere __________.
(6) [A] If you have not sent the letter, [B] he won’t know what has happened.
[A] Sī litterās __________, [B] __________ quid acciderit.
(7) [A] If we reach [will have reached] the camp, [B] we will be safe.
[A] Sī ad castra __________, [B] tūtī __________.
(8) [A] If they (will) take up arms against the country, [B] they will all be killed.
[A] Sī arma __________ contrā patriam, [B] omnēs __________.
(9) [A] If he saw a poor man, [B] he always tried to help him.
[A] Sī pauperem __________, [B] semper eum adiuvāre __________.
(10) [A] If we head straight for Rome, [B] we will dine on the Capitol tonight.
[A] Sī rēctō cursū Rōmam __________, [B] hāc nocte in Capitōliō __________.
[A]
dabis; faciēs; facis; fēcistī; nōn mīseris; pervēnerimus; petēmus; rogābantur; sument; vidēbat
[B]
cēnābimus; cōnābātur; dabant; erimus; errābis; errās; errāvistī; interficientur; nesciet; nōn poterō
[2]
In this exercise, look out for:
sī quandō: if ever
sī / nisi quis (nom.) / quem (acc.): if / unless anybody
sī quid: if anything
sī modo: if only; provided that; as long as …
(1) I never make a promise unless I can keep my word.
Numquam __________ __________ fidem praestāre __________
(2) Do not leave the house unless I tell you to.
__________ domum __________ __________ __________
(3) They always gave money to the poor, if they seemed to need it.
Pauperibus, __________ indigēre __________, semper pecūniam __________.
(4) If anyone has wronged me, I take my revenge on him by law.
__________ mihi iniūriam __________, lēgibus poenās dē eō __________.
(5) Neverthless, I would like you to write to me, if there is anything, about Antony’s arrival.
__________ tamen, __________ est, dē Antōnī adventū … __________ ad mē
(6) If only [ = as long as / provided that] we have entered Italy, I will lead you straight to Rome.
__________ Ītaliam __________, rēctō itinere Rōmam vōs __________.
(7) Unless someone studies carefully, he understands nothing.
__________ dīligenter __________, nihil __________.
(8) If he saw anyone enduring wrongs, he always wanted to help him.
__________ indigna patientem vidēbat, eum semper adiuvāre volēbat.
(9) If ever I am reciting, she sits nearby separated by a curtain.
Eadem, __________ __________, in proximō discrēta vēlō __________ (Pliny)
(10) If ever our men … had tied up a ship, from every side (the enemy) ran to the aid of their struggling comrades.
__________ nostrī... nāvem __________, undique suīs labōrantibus __________ (Caesar)
nisi; nisi; nisi quis; sī; sī modo; sī quandō; sī quandō; sī quem; sī quid; sī quis
dedērunt; discit; dūcam; fēcit; intellegit; intrāverimus; iusserō; nōlī … relinquere; possum; prōmittō; recitō; religāverant; scrībās; sedet; succurrēbant; sūmō; velim; vidēbantur; vidēbat; volēbat
____________________
[1]
(1) [A] facis [B] errās
(2) [A] fēcistī [B] errāvistī
(3) [A] faciēs [B] errābis
(4) [A] rogābantur [B] dabant
(5) [A] dabis [B] nōn poterō
(6) [A] nōn mīseris [B] nesciet
(7) [A] pervēnerimus [B] erimus
(8) [A] sument [B] interficientur
(9) [A] vidēbat [B] cōnābātur
(10) [A] petēmus [B] cēnābimus
[2]
(1) Numquam prōmittō nisi fidem praestāre possum.
(2) Nōlī domum relinquere nisi iusserō.
(3) Pauperibus, sī indigēre vidēbantur, semper pecūniam dedērunt.
(4) Sī quis mihi iniūriam fēcit, lēgibus poenās dē eō sūmō.
(5) Velim tamen, sī quid est, dē Antōnī adventū … scrībās ad mē.
(6) Sī modo Ītaliam intrāverimus, rēctō itinere Rōmam vōs dūcam.
(7) Nisi quis dīligenter discit, nihil intellegit.
(8) Sī quem indigna patientem vidēbat, eum semper adiuvāre volēbat.
(9) Eadem, sī quandō recitō, in proximō discrēta vēlō sedet (Pliny)
(10) Sī quandō nostrī... nāvem religāverant, undique suīs labōrantibus succurrēbant.
Level 3+: Conditional clauses [6]: unreal conditions (1) introduction; future less vivid
Unreal conditions refer to :
[1] hypothetical or ideal situations i.e. imagining a scenario that, in the speaker’s mind, is unlikely to happen. They are sometimes referred to as improbable conditions:
(Psycho)
Wouldn't it be better if you put her in... someplace...?
Sam, if you owned a useless business like this motel... what would you need to get away?
It might save me a lot of leg-work if I could just talk to your mother.
(Wizard of Oz)
SCARECROW
Oh, I'm a failure, because I haven't got a brain.
DOROTHY
Well, what would you do with a brain if you had one?
(Fiddler on the Roof)
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan
If I were a wealthy man?
(Cabaret)
Go on, tell me
I will listen
What would you do
If you were me?
All of the conditions quoted above refer to an imagined or ideal future scenario.
Equally, unreal conditions can refer to the present or to the past:
If he were here now, we would be drinking wine together.
If he had arrived sooner, we could have gone to the cinema.
Latin conveys all these ideas using the subjunctive. We will look at them separately:
future less vivid
[1] In the previous posts, the term future more vivid was discussed. The terms future more vivid and future less vivid, although rather clumsy, are the ones commonly used in Latin grammar books.
Compare:
[i] Future more vivid: If you give me the money, I’ll buy a cake; Latin: indicative mood
[ii] Future less vivid: If you gave me the money, I would buy a cake; Latin: subjunctive mood
Even if English does not use a subjunctive form, it changes tense forms to convey the different perspectives of the speaker.
Both sentences describe a possible result, but the shift in verb forms shows that the speaker sees the situation in [i] as more likely than [ii].
[i] the speaker treats the scenario as open / likely = real condition
[ii] the speaker conveys an ideal scenario that is underpinned by doubt = unreal condition
In other words, as soon as doubt creeps in, so does the subjunctive!
[2] The future less vivid conditional is expressed by the present subjunctive:
Sī vīcīnus tuus equum meliorem habeat [present subjunctive] quam tuus est, tuumne equum mālīs [present subjunctive] an illīus? (Cicero)
- If / supposing your neighbour had a better horse than yours, would you prefer your horse or his?
i.e. this is a hypothetical scenario, Cicero supposing a situation that may occur in the future, but which he considers is unlikely to happen.
If your neighbour had a better horse …
In English, the simple past (‘had’) can often be replaced by were to (do something) or should (do something). Although it can sound rather formal or archaic, it is useful to remember that as a way of “testing” what type of conditional is being used:
If you gave / were to give / should give me the money, I would buy a cake.
Sī nunc mē suspendam [present subjunctive], meīs inimīcīs voluptātem creāverim [perfect subjunctive] (Plautus)
- If I were to hang myself now, I would simply have created pleasure for my enemies.
i.e. the character in the play refers to an action in the future – even if it is imminent – but his use of the subjunctive shows that he has no real intentions of doing it!
Examples
Note that translations may convey the subjunctive idea in different ways.
Sī crās adsit, hanc rogātiōnem suādeat
- If he were / should be present tomorrow, he would speak for this bill.
Sī quis eum cōnspiciat, comprehendātur.
- If anyone caught sight / should catch sight / were to catch sight of him, he would be arrested.
Sī auxilium Poenīs submittāmus odium Rōmānōrum subeāmus.
- If we were to send help to the Carthaginians we would incur the hatred of the Romans.
Sī ille eō dēscendat, contrā dīcī nihil possit (Cicero)
- If he were to condescend, nothing could be said against it.
Quod ille sī faciat, iam iam ā bonīs omnibus summam ineat grātiam (Cicero)
- And if he were to do that, he would win the highest favour from all the best men.
Sī illinc beneficium nōn sit, rēctius putem quidvīs domī perpetī (Cicero)
- If there should be no favour from that side, I should think it better to endure whatever comes at home.
Level 3+: Conditional clauses [7]: unreal conditions (2) present contrary-to-fact [i]
Known in grammar as either contrary-to-fact or counterfactual, these conditional clauses refer to:
[i] a condition that does not currently exist:
[Contrary-to-fact: If he were here now, we would be dining together.
[Fact: But he isn’t here now – we’re not dining together.]
[Contrary-to-fact: If you weren’t being so noisy, I could be reading in peace.
[Fact: But you are being noisy – I cannot read in peace.]
[ii] a condition that would have or could have existed in the past:
[Contrary-to-fact: If she had changed her mind, she could have driven back.
[Fact: But she didn’t change her mind – she didn’t drive back.]
[Contrary-to-fact: If Marion had not taken a wrong turning, she would not have stopped at the motel.
[Fact: But she did take a wrong turning – she did stop at the motel.]
Latin handles [i] and [ii] using different tenses of the subjunctive. Here, we will look at the first one.
Present contrary-to-fact: a condition that does not currently exist
Contrary-to-fact: If he were here now, we would be dining together.
Fact: But he isn’t here now – we’re not dining together.
What can seem misleading is that a present contrary-to-fact conditional uses the imperfect subjunctive in both clauses:
Contrary-to-fact: Sī hoc faceret [imperfect subjunctive], errāret [imperfect subjunctive].
Contrary-to-fact: If he were doing this (i.e. now), he would be making a mistake.
Fact: But he is not doing this now – he is not making a mistake.
While they may not always be the most appropriate translation, the English progressive forms i.e. if he were doing … he would be making emphasise actions that are happening in the present and so they strongly convey the meaning of the subjunctive in this type of conditional clause.
Sī Marcus Iūliam amāret, ea eum amāret.
- If Marcus loved Julia [but he doesn't love her now], she would love him [but she doesn't love him now].
Sī magistrum laudārem, mē bene docēret.
- If I praised [if I were praising] my teacher, he would teach [he would be teaching] me well.
Sī adesset [imperfect subjunctive], ¦ bene esset [imperfect subjunctive]
- If he were present, ¦ it would be well.
Sī hoc facere possem, statim facerem.
- If I were able to do this, I would do it at once.
Sī vīveret, verba eius audīrētis.
- If he were alive, you would hear his words.
Sī vīverent, mihi cum illīs nūlla contentiō iam manēret.
- If they were alive, no dispute would now remain between me and them.
Nostrī mīlitēs hostem vincerent sī eī acrēs essent.
- Our soldiers would conquer the enemy if they were fierce.
Meus sī frāter esset, nihilōminus eum damnārem.
- If / even if he were my brother, I would nevertheless condemn him.
Note the translation of this final example which emphasises the current nature of the scenario:
Ego sī somnum capere possem, tam longīs tē epistulīs nōn obtunderem (Cicero)
- If I could sleep, I would not be bothering you with such long letters.
Level 3+: Conditional clauses [8]: unreal conditions (2) present contrary-to-fact [ii] further examples
The translations are as close as possible to the original in order to show the subjunctive operating in contrary-to-fact conditionals. Always remember that translators of original works may well vary how ideas are expressed.
[i] Sed scrīberem ad tē dē hōc plūra, sī Rōmae essēs.
- But I would write [I would be writing] more to you about this if you were in Rome.
[ii] Dē tabellāriīs facerem, quod suādēs, sī essent ūllae necessāriae litterae
- About the letter-carriers I would do what you suggest, if there were any urgent letters.
[iii] Nec tibi essem molestus, sī per alium hoc agere possem.
- Nor would I be bothering you [literally: would I be troublesome to you], if I could manage this through somebody else.
[iv] Ferrem graviter, sī novae aegrimōniae locus esset.
- I would bear it heavily if there were a place for new sorrow.
[v] nec, sī possem, vellem
- nor would I, if I could / and if I could, I wouldn’t
[vi] Cicero receives an invitation to stay at Epirus:
Esset cōnsilium mihi quidem optātum, sī licēret ibi omne tempus cōnsūmere
- It would indeed be a pleasant plan for me, if I could [literally: if it would be permitted to] spend all the time there.
[vii] Fierī nōn poterat, nec, sī posset, ego patī possem.
- It could not happen, nor, if it could, would I be able to permit it.
[viii] Ipse Rōmam venīrem … sī satis cōnsultum quādam dē rē habērem.
- I myself would be coming to Rome, if I had an adequate decision about a certain matter.
[ix] Nōn modo sī mihi tantum esset ōtiī, quantum est tibi, vērum etiam sī tam brevēs epistulās vellem mittere, quam tū solēs, facile tē superārem et in scrībendō multō essem crēbrior quam tū.
- Not only if I had as much leisure as you do, but even if I wanted to send letters as short as you are accustomed to, I would easily surpass you and would be far more frequent than you in writing.
[x] Where’s Brutus going, Cicero asks:
"Quid tū," inquam, "Brūte?" │ “What about you, Brutus,” I said.
"Rōmam," inquit, "sī tibi vidētur." │ “To Rome,” he said “if you think I should” [literally: if it seems to you]
"Mihi vērō minimē; tūtō enim nōn eris." │ “Not at all, for you won’t be safe.”
"Quid? sī possem esse, placēretne?" │ “"Well, if I could be, would you approve?"
Level 3+: Conditional clauses [9]: unreal conditions (3) past contrary-to-fact
Past contrary-to-fact: strongly marked in English by ‘had … could / would have …’, it refers to a condition that could have or would have existed in the past – but what actually happened is the opposite of that condition:
Contrary-to-fact: If Marion had not taken a wrong turning, she would not have stopped at the motel.
Fact: But she did take a wrong turning – she did stop at the motel.
Contrary-to-fact: If she had changed her mind, she could have driven back.
Fact: But she didn’t change her mind – she didn’t drive back.
Latin marks such conditionals with the distinctive pluperfect subjunctive.
Contrary-to-fact: Sī magistrum laudāvissem [pluperfect subjunctive], mē bene docuisset [pluperfect subjunctive].
Contrary-to-fact: If I had praised my teacher, he would have taught me well.
Fact: But I did not praise my teacher – he did not teach me well.
Sī id fēcissēs, sapiēns fuissēs.
- If you had done it, you would have been wise.
Sī labōrāvisset, pecūniam optāvisset.
- If he had worked, he would have desired money.
Certō nūntium tibi ad tempus attulissem sī modo potuissem.
- I would certainly have brought the news to you in time if I had been able.
Sī illa cibum impetrāvisset, rēs melius ēvēnisset.
- If she had acquired food, the situation would have turned out better.
Sī vōs omnēs validiōrēs fuissētis, dūcēs vōbīs fāvissent.
- If you had all been stronger, the commanders would have favoured you.
Sī dēceptī essēmus, dēspērāvissēmus.
- If we had been deceived, we would have despaired.
Sī Rōmae fuissem, tē vīdissem cōramque grātiās ēgissem (Cicero)
- If I had been in Rome, I would have seen you and (would have) thanked you in person.
et fuisset ita, sī hominēs trānsitum tempestātis exspectāre potuissent (Cicero)
- and it would have been like that if people had been able to wait / could have waited for the storm to pass
This quotation from Quintilian is a good example that precisely shows how this conditional type is used:
Sī occīdisset [pluperfect subjunctive], rēctē fēcisset [pluperfect subjunctive]: sed nōn occīdit [perfect indicative]
- If he had killed him, he would have done so rightly; but he did not kill him.
Sī meō cōnsiliō pāruissēs, tuās dīvitiās servāssēs.
- If you had followed my advice, you would have kept your wealth.
This last example shows a feature that has been discussed before:
servāssēs is an example of a syncopated verb form: one or more sounds are omitted from a verb; the term ‘contraction’ is also used:
https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/syncopated%20verb%20forms
Syncopation can occur in a range of verb forms, but it is common with verbs that have a perfect stem in -v-, for example:
perfect: audīvī > audiī
pluperfect: audīveram > audieram
future perfect: audīverō > audierō
Here we have a pluperfect subjunctive:
servāvissēs (you would have kept) > servāssēs [i.e. the -vi- of the stem is dropped completely]
This feature is noticeable in Cicero’s writings:
Mānsissēs profectō, sī haec fore putāssēmus (Cicero) [note: syncopated verb form putā(vi)ssēmus]
- You would certainly have stayed if we had thought it was going to happen.
putāvissem (I should have thought) > putāssem [i.e. the -vi- of the stem is dropped completely]
putāvissēmus (we would have thought) > putāssēmus
Similarly:
labōrāvissem > labōrāssem
accūsāvisset > accūsāsset
nāvigāvissēmus > nāvigāssēmus
suspīrāvissent > suspirāssent
Image: compares the forms and translations of the present and past contrary-to-fact conditionals.
Level 3+: Conditional clauses [10]: unreal conditions (2) / (3) practice
Complete the Latin sentences with the verbs listed below. The verbs are grouped according to [A] protasis, and [B] apodosis.
[1] Present contrary-to-fact
[i] If you had help, you would fare better / would be faring better.
Sī auxilium [A] __________, melius [B] __________.
[ii] If I were braver / stronger, the centurions would (be) honour(ing) me.
Sī fortior __________, centuriōnēs mē __________.
[iii] If it were permitted for you to leave, the judges would be afraid.
Sī __________ tibi discēdere, iūdicēs __________.
[iv] If he had power, things would (be) turn(ing) out better.
Sī ille potestātem __________, rēs melius __________.
[v] If you were in Italy, Catullus would dine / would be dining with you.
Sī in Italiā __________, Catullus tēcum __________.
[vi] If we were more powerful, the consuls would envy us.
Sī potentior __________, cōnsulēs nōbis __________.
[vii] If the prisoner were more famous, Augustus would envy him.
Sī captīvus __________ clārior, Augustus eī __________.
[viii] If he stayed / were staying at home, the children would (be) spend(ing) time with him.
Sī ille domī __________, līberī cum eō tempus __________.
[ix] If you (pl.) had freedom, you would fare / be faring better.
Sī lībertātem __________, melius __________.
[x] If we had power, we would fare / be faring better.
Sī potestātem __________, melius __________.
[A] essem; essēmus; essēs; esset; habērēmus; habērēs; habēret; habērētis; licēret; manēret
[B] agerent; cēnāret; ēvenīret; honōrārent; invidērent; invidēret; timērent; valērēmus; valērēs; valērētis
[2] Past contrary-to-fact
[i] If the general had gone away, the citizens would have been afraid.
Sī imperātor [A] __________, civēs [B] __________.
[ii] If the master had come home, the slave would have worked with him.
Sī dominus domum __________, servus cum eō __________.
[iii] If you had been braver, the gods would have praised you.
Sī audācior __________, deī tē __________.
[iv] If I had come to Rome, the enemies would have fought with me.
Sī Rōmam __________, inimīcī mēcum __________.
[v] If it had been permitted for the barbarian to speak, the general would have raged.
Sī __________ barbarō dīcere, imperātor __________.
[vi] If you (pl.) had been captured, you would have raged.
Sī __________, __________.
[vii] If I had been abandoned, I would have wept.
Sī __________, __________.
[viii] If we had been more fortunate, the consul would have approved of us.
Sī fēlīciōrēs __________, cōnsul nōs __________.
[ix] If you (pl.) had come to Troy, the soldiers would have waged war with you.
Sī Trōiam __________, mīlitēs vōbīscum bellum __________.
[x] If the boy had obtained water, he would have fared better.
Sī puer aquam __________, melius __________.
[A] abīsset; captī essētis; fuissēmus; fuissēs; impetrāvisset; licuisset; relicta essem; vēnissem; vēnisset; vēnissētis
[B] furuisset; furuissētis; gessissent; labōrāvisset; lacrimāvissem; laudāvissent; probāvisset; pugnāvissent; timuissent; valuisset
____________________
[1]
[i] Sī auxilium habērēs, melius valērēs.
[ii] Sī fortior essem, centuriōnēs mē honōrārent.
[iii] Sī licēret tibi discēdere, iūdicēs timērent.
[iv] Sī ille potestātem habēret, rēs melius ēvenīret.
[v] Sī in Italiā essēs, Catullus tēcum cēnāret.
[vi] Sī potentior essēmus, cōnsulēs nōbis invidērent.
[vii] Sī captīvus esset clārior, Augustus eī invidēret.
[viii] Sī ille domī manēret, līberī cum eō tempus agerent.
[ix] Sī lībertātem habērētis, melius valērētis.
[x] Sī potestātem habērēmus, melius valērēmus.
[2]
[i] Sī imperātor abīsset, civēs timuissent.
[ii] Sī dominus domum vēnisset, servus cum eō labōrāvisset.
[iii] Sī audācior fuissēs, deī tē laudāvissent.
[iv] Sī Rōmam vēnissem, inimīcī mēcum pugnāvissent.
[v] Sī licuisset barbarō dīcere, imperātor furuisset.
[vi] Sī captī essētis, furuissētis.
[vii] Sī relicta essem, lacrimāvissem.
[viii] Sī fēlīciōrēs fuissēmus, cōnsul nōs probāvisset.
[ix] Sī Trōiam vēnissētis, mīlitēs vōbīscum bellum gessissent.
[x] Sī puer aquam impetrāvisset, melius valuisset.
Level 3+;
Conditional clauses [11] etsī, etiamsī, tametsī
This topic is already discussed under the heading:
31.07.26; Level 3+; Subjunctive [78] dependent uses [8] concessive clauses (3) etsī, etiamsī, tametsī
https://adckl.blogspot.com/2026/03/310726-level-3-subjunctive-78-dependent.html
Compare:
(i) [A] If the weather is nice, [B] we’ll go to the seaside.
For [B] to happen, [A] must happen = a conditional clause
(ii) [A] Even if it is raining, [B] we’ll go to the seaside.
This shows a condition which does not affect the outcome.
Indicative or subjunctive may be used with the three conjunctions.
Indicative: the speaker presents the concessive clause as a fact and asserts that it does not affect the action:
Etsī abest mātūritās, tamen nōn est inūtile (Cicero)
- Though / even if ripeness of age is wanting, yet it is not useless
Nam ista vēritās, etiamsī iūcunda nōn est, mihi tamen grāta est (Cicero)
- For that truth, although / even if it is not pleasant, is nevertheless pleasing to me.
Quam ob rem ego tē hoc, soror, tametsī es maior moneō (Plautus)
- For that reason, sister, I give you this advice although / even if you are older.
Subjunctive: used when the speaker introduces a hypothetical or imagined concession and asserts that it would not affect the outcome expressed in the main clause.
Mālō hunc adligārī ad horiam, ... etsī sit tempestās maxima (Plautus)
- I prefer this man to be tied to the small fishing boat ... even if there is a very big storm.
Etiamsī nōn adiuvēs, haec facere possim.
- Even if you were not to help, I would (nevertheless) be able to do this.
Etiamsī hominēs tacērent, rēs ipsa illum cēnsum repudiāret (Cicero)
- Even if people were silent, the very matter itself would repudiate that assessment.
i.e. it does not matter whether the people were silent or not, the outcome would be the same
Level 3+: Conditional clauses [12]: mixed conditionals; a word of advice from Utah
The term mixed conditionals simply refers to a feature shared by Latin and English: writers will vary the choice of tense and / or mood depending on what precisely they wish to convey. In other words, they do not adhere rigidly to the patterns of conditional clauses.
Compare:
If you had listened, you would have been safe.
If you had listened, you would be safe.
If I had been there, I would help you.
If I were there now, I could have helped you.
There are so many permutations that it would be unproductive and time-consuming to try to identify every possibility. In such instances, it is better to look at the verbs in the protasis and apodosis separately:
Sī haec verba dīxisset, laetus fuissem.
- If he had said these words, I would have been happy.
i.e. this is the past contrary-to-fact conditional according to the usual patterns
However, both Latin and English frequently mix time references, for example:
Sī haec verba dīxisset, laetus essem.
- If he had said these words, I would be happy (now).
Sī villam emisset, beātam vitam nunc ageret.
- If he had bought the country house, he would now be living a happy life.
i.e. If he had done something in the past, he would be doing something now.
Nisi tam clārus esset, nōn eam fābulam narrāvissem.
- If he were not so famous, I would not have told that story.
Hunc ego sī in praefectīs habuissem, quem tū mē hominem putārēs? (Cicero)
- If I had had this man among my prefects, what sort of person would you think I am?
Nunc, sī iam rēs placeat, agendī tamen viam nōn videō (Cicero)
- Now, even if the matter should please (me), I nevertheless do not see a way of carrying it out.
Pol etsī taceās, palam id quidem est (Plautus)
- By Pollux, even if you were to keep silent, that is indeed common knowledge.
Magister, nisi nimis vīnī bibisset, in scholā nōn errāret.
- If the teacher had not drunk too much wine, he would not be wandering in the school.
So that you avoid wandering around having drunk too many conditionals, a quotation from Utah State University makes a point – and an important one:
“And one more thing to note. In actual practice, conditions in both English and Latin are often “mixed,” which means the protasis will belong to one type of condition, and the apodosis another. In this course, however, you won’t see mixed conditions. Latin’s challenging enough when the conditions are balanced. Let’s leave it at that.”
When studying Latin – not only the topic of conditionals, but other topics too – the prime focus must be on becoming familiar with the ‘patterns’ rather than jumping ahead and examining the ways in which authors manipulate those patterns. Mixed conditionals are not uncommon and, where examples of them occur, they will be noted and explained.
The Latin Tutorial video which summarises the conditionals makes no reference to mixed conditionals. The summary image which is taken from the video gives the key patterns to remember.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96pIN5edS8c
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