MS: Lesson - Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect Speech Examples

Please review the following examples on Indirect Questions and Indirect Commands to get comfortable with what they look like in Latin and how they are most readily translated.

Indirect Questions

While indirect questions do tend to follow the sequence of tenses, they are far more flexible in application than other dependent subjunctive uses. Indirect questions can be formed with any tense of the subjunctive and can even create a future aspect by using the active periphrastic formation (future participle + form of sum). While noting the sequence, be aware that the notion of incomplete and complete are less in control over the tense of the dependent subjunctive verb; instead, the verb tends to follow the natural tense. In other words, the dependent verb reflects a tense that is the literal time of the action. The sequence is included, based on the tense of the introductory verb, but no additional notes on sequence are needed after that.

Indirect Question Examples

Latin Sentence	English Translation	Special Notes
Rogat quando venerint.	He asks when they came.	primary sequence Introductory verb is present tense.
Rogavit quid voluissent.	He asked what they had wanted.	secondary sequence Introductory verb is perfect tense.
Rogat num veniamus. Rogat veniamusne.	He asks if we are coming. He asks whether we are coming.	primary sequence Introductory verb is present tense. num introduces a simple question in indirect questions. It is often best translated if or whether. A simple question can also be introduced with -ne attached to the end of the verb
Rogavit utrum militem conveniremus an non.	He asked whether we were meeting the soldier or not.	secondary sequence Introductory verb is perfect tense. utrum...an = whether...or
Rogat cur redituri simus.	He asks why we are going to return.	primary sequence Introductory verb is present tense. future participle + present subjunctive of sum
Rogabat cur non redituri essemus.	He kept asking why we would not return.	secondary sequence Introductory verb is imperfect tense. future participle + imperfect subjunctive of sum Note that the negative in an indirect question is formed with non + subjunctive.

Indirect Commands

Indirect commands strictly follow the sequence of the tenses, and the dependent verb will always be incomplete (the command is by default incomplete). Notes on the sequence of tenses are included with the examples below to help clarify this structure.

Indirect Command Examples

Latin Example	English Translation	Notes
Pseudolus discipulos rogat ut ei suum opus monstrent.	Pseudolus asks the students to show him their work. Pseudolus asks that the students should show him their work.	Primary Sequence Introductory verb is present tense, so the incomplete command is expressed with the present subjunctive.
Pseudolus discipulos rogabat ut ei suum opus monstrarent.	Pseudolus was asking the students to show him their work. Pseudolus was asking that the students should show him their work.	Secondary Sequence Introductory verb is imperfect tense, so the incomplete command is expressed with the imperfect subjunctive.
Alexander ab Selena postulabit ne Iuba eam in matrimonium ducat.	Alexander will demand that Selene not let Juba marry her.	Primary Sequence Introductory verb is future tense, so the incomplete command is expressed with the present subjunctive. Notice the negative indirect command is expressed with ne + subjunctive.
Alexander ab Selena postulaverat ne Iuba eam in matrimonium duceret.	Alexander had demanded that Selene should not let Juba marry her.	Secondary Sequence Introductory verb is pluperfect tense, so the incomplete command is expressed with the imperfect subjunctive. Notice the negative indirect command is expressed with ne + subjunctive.