LH2: Lesson - Indirect Speech Examples
Indirect Speech Examples
Please review the following examples of Indirect Questions and Indirect Commands to get comfortable with what they look like in Latin and how they are most readily translated.
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.
| 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 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.
| Latin Example | English Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Titus discipulos rogat ut ei suum opus monstrent. | Titus asks the students to show him their work. Titus 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. |
| Titus discipulos rogabat ut ei suum opus monstrarent. | Titus was asking the students to show him their work. Titus 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. |
| Claudius ab Lucia postulabit ne Marcus eam in matrimonium ducat. | Claudius will demand that Lucia not let Marcus 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. |
| Claudius ab Lucia postulaverat ne Marcus eam in matrimonium duceret. | Claudius had demanded that Lucia should not let Marcus 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. |
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