LH1: Lesson - Dependent Verbs in the Indicative Mood
Dependent Verbs in the Indicative Mood
We will address dependent subjunctives in a moment. Before we do, though, we need to review how dependent clauses work in the indicative mood. Though there are several exceptions, in general the tense of an indicative verb in a dependent clause expresses a relationship to the introductory verb. English tends to treat tense more literally in a dependent clause, demonstrating the time of the action directly. Let's take a moment to compare how the tense of the Latin verb in a dependent clause is translated into English.
|
Dependent Verb Tense |
Shows |
Latin Example |
English Translation |
Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Present |
action happening at the same time |
Dum Titus dicit, discipuli audiebant. |
While Titus talked, his students were listening. |
The talking is happening at the same time as the listening. In English, the tenses match - both are expressed in the past tense. In Latin, the verb in the dependent clause is present tense. |
|
Past |
action happening earlier than the independent clause |
Ubi Titus advenit, Lucia eum adiuvit. |
When Titus had arrived, Lucia helped him. |
Lucia could not help Titus until after he arrived, so Latin puts the verb in the dependent clause in the past tense. In English, this can be expressed with the pluperfect: had arrived. |
|
Future (rare) |
action happening later than the independent clause |
Prius Titus adveniet, libros inveniamus. |
Before Titus arrives (will arrive), let us find our books. |
A future tense verb in a dependent clause is quite rare. But here, we see that Titus has not yet arrived, so we are encouraging ourselves to get ready before he gets there. In English, note that a present tense verb handles this expression well enough. |
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