MAR: Lesson - Grammar - Future Less Vivid Conditional Sentences (Subjunctive)

Future Less Vivid Conditional Sentences (Subjunctive)

Conditional sentences in Latin can be in either the indicative mood or the subjunctive mood. The first subjunctive mood conditional sentence is called Future Less Vivid.

Future Less Vivid Conditional Sentences

The name of this conditional sentence is very similar to the indicative use (Future More Vivid). Remember:

• If something is more vivid, it is real and therefore is indicative
• If something is less vivid, it is only possible and there is subjunctive.

In terms of structure, the future less vivid construction uses the present subjunctive in both the protasis and apodosis. The protasis is translated with "should" and the apodosis with "would" - so future less vivid conditional sentences are "should/would" conditionals.

• Si adsit, laetus sit.
• If he should be here, he would be happy.
  • Note the implications:
    • if he should be here = he is not here, but he could still, at some point, be here
    • he would be happy = if he ever does get here (which is an unknown outcome), it would lead to his happiness (but we don't know if he ever will be happy, because he hasn't met the condition) 

Because these conditions are not currently met and we do not know if they ever will be met, we call this a less vivid conditional sentence.

Additional Examples

Remember, present subjunctive in both the protasis and apodosis = should...would.

• Si studeamus, discamus.
  • If we should study, we would learn.
• Nisi laeta sit, nemo sit laetus.
  • If she should be unhappy, no one would be happy.
• Si milites oppidum nostrum oppugnent, certe fugiamus.
  • If the soldiers should attack our town, surely we would flee.
• Example from Classical Literature: 
  • Haec si tecum patria loquatur, nonne impetrare debeat? (Cicero, In Catilinam, 1.19)
  • If your country should thus speak with you, ought she not to prevail?