CI: Lesson - The Subjunctive Mood - Imperfect Tense

The Subjunctive Mood - Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense of the subjunctive mood is formed by adding active and passive personal endings to the 2nd principal part of the verb. It really is that simple! As an added bonus, the imperfect subjunctive, because of this formation, is pretty easy to spot when reading a Latin passage (if you see a 2nd PP with an ending attached, it is the imperfect subjunctive).

To provide clarity, we will refer to the 2nd principal part in this context as the Imperfect Subjunctive Stem. 

  • amo, amare, amavi, amatus - to love
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: amare-
  • Active:
    • amarem, amares, amaret, amaremus, amaretis, amarent
  • Passive:
    • amarer, amareris, amaretur, amaremur, amaremini, amarentur

Irregular Verbs - Imperfect Tense, Active Voice - Subjunctive Mood

The five major irregular Latin verbs can also be used in the subjunctive mood. Even though they are irregular, the formation of the imperfect subjunctive stem follows the same guidelines as regular verbs: the 2nd PP acts as the imperfect subjunctive stem.

  • sum, esse, fui - to be
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: esse-
  • eo, ire, ii (ivi), itus - to go
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: ire-
  • volo, velle, volui - to want
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: velle-
  • fero, ferre, tuli, latus - to bear, bring
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: ferre-
  • fio, fieri, factus sum - to be made; become
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: fiere-*

Nota Bene:

  • *Note that the 2nd PP of fieri is treated like a deponent verb (see more below) and so is changed to fiere- as the imperfect subjunctive stem.

Deponent Verbs - Imperfect Tense Subjunctive Mood

Just like in the indicative mood, deponent verbs in the subjunctive mood will appear passive, but be translated in the active voice. Unlike the present forms, there is an extra step in forming the imperfect subjunctive stem for deponent verbs. Recall that the 2nd Principal Part for deponent verbs appears like the passive voice form of the present infinitive (for instance: conari). These modified 2nd Principal Parts should look just like their counterparts for a regular verb (in other words, they look like a "normal" 2nd PP). Use the method below to form the imperfect subjunctive stem.

Imperfect Subjunctive Stem Formation for Deponent Verbs

Conjugation

Deponent Verb, 2nd PP

Change Needed

Imperfect Subjunctive Stem

1st, 2nd and 4th conjugation:
conor, conari, conatus sum
vereor, vereri, veritus sum
orior, oriri, ortus sum

conari
vereri
oriri

change final -i to -e

conare-
verere-
orire-

3rd and 3rd-io conjugation:
loquor, loqui, locutus sum
patior, pati, passus sum

loqui
pati

change final -i to -ere

loquere-
patere-

Add the passive personal endings to the imperfect subjunctive stem. Remember to use the active voice when translating deponent verbs.

Examples

Below is a table containing four verbs: a regular verb, an irregular verb, a deponent verb and a semi-deponent verb. Use this table to review the formation rules above.

  • Regular Verb: capio, capere, cepi, captus - to take
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: capere-
  • Irregular Verb: fero, ferre, tuli, latus - to bring, bear
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: ferre-
  • Deponent Verb: loquor, loqui, locutus sum - to say
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: loquere-
  • Semi-deponent Verb: audeo, audere, ausus sum - to dare
    • Imperfect Subjunctive Stem: audere-
Example Verbs - Subjunctive Imperfect
Personal Endings Regular Verb Irregular Verb Deponent Verb Semi-Deponent Verb
Active Personal Endings caperem
caperes
caperet
caperemus
caperetis
caperent		 ferrem
ferres
ferret
ferremus
ferretis
ferrent		 N/A auderem
auderes
auderet
auderemus
auderetis
auderent
Passive Personal Endings caperer
capereris
caperetur
caperemur
caperemini
caperentur		 ferrer
ferreris
ferretur
ferremur
ferremini
ferrentur		 loquerer
loquereris
loqueretur
loqueremur
loqueremini
loquerentur		 N/A