CI: Lesson - Independent Uses: Subjunctive Questions

Image: an illustration representing the character Pseudolus. Subjunctive Questions

In Latin, the subjunctive can be used to ask a question. Often, the subjunctive is used to ask a deliberative question. A deliberative question is used when the person asking the question wishes to express doubt, uncertainty or indignation. In the extreme, a deliberative question can take on the role of an exclamation. A deliberative question is best answered with an imperative or a potential subjunctive but can also be asked as a rhetorical question (a question which is asked to make a point, rather than to seek an answer).

What is Pseudolus to do if Juba is now a suspect? In this question, the answer could be:

  • Imperative Response: Go talk to Juba.
  • Potential Subjunctive Response: Pseudolus should drop the investigation.

For questions referring to the present or immediate future, the present subjunctive is used. For questions referring to a past situation, the imperfect subjunctive is used. Perfect and pluperfect are never used for a deliberative question. The verb can be expressed in either the active or passive voice. A deliberative question is made negative with non.

There are two options when translating a deliberative question: translate with the helping verb should, or set up the question to make it deliberative using word order. Let's compare the translations:

Two Methods of Translating Deliberative Questions
Latin Deliberative Question Formulaic Translation:
[Interrogative] [tensed form of be] [subject] [present infinitive form of verb]		 Should
Quid dicam? What am I to say? What should I say?
Quid dicerem? What was I to say? What should I have said?
Quid dicatur? What is to be said? What should be said?
Quid diceretur? What was to be said? What should have been said?

Nota Bene

In those last two examples, which show the passive construction, Quid/What is the subject of the passive construction.

Additional Examples of Deliberative Questions in Context

Let's look at a few more examples to get a better idea of how these questions work.

  • Quid faciam?
    • What was I to do?
    • What should I do?
  • Quis Iubam ad Circum ferret?
    • Who was to bring Juba to the Circus?
    • Who should have brought Juba to the Circus?
  • Quod nomen infanti detur?
    • What name is to be given to the baby?
    • What name should be given to the baby?
      • Non-literal translation: What should the baby be named?
  • Cur non vocarentur?
    • Why were they not to be called?
    • Why should they not have been called?
  • Terreremurne non?
    • Were we not to be frightened?
    • Should we not have been frightened?
    • Were we not supposed to be scared?
  • Maneamusne aut exeamus?
    • Are we to stay or are we to leave?
    • Should we stay or should we leave?