Independent Uses of the Subjunctive
Last semester, we learned that the subjunctive mood can be used either in independent clauses or dependent clauses. While the latter follows the sequence of tenses and wholly depends on a main clause for context, the former uses subjunctives in standalone sentences. The one independent use of the subjunctive that we learned about last semester was the deliberative subjunctive, which we use to indicate a deliberation about a question. For example, quid dīcam? “What should I say?”
To this, we will add two more independent uses of the subjunctive: the optative and the potential. (The remaining three independent uses of the subjunctive [jussive, hortatory, negative prohibition] are all covered in the module on orders.)
Optative
The optative subjunctive expresses a wish. This wish could express something that the speaker hopes will happen in the future or something that the speaker wishes happened in the past (but didn’t).
Optative subjunctives are often introduced by an adverb like utinam (“if only,” “would that”, “I wish that”). Optatives are negated by utinam nē or simply nē (“if only … not”, “would that … not”, “I wish that … not”).
Wishes for a future action are indicated with the present subjunctive and are translated with the auxiliary verb “would [verb]”:
- utinam dīcat! If only he would speak!
- utinam nē mē videant! If only they would not see me!
Wishes for a present action that is not coming to fruition are indicated with the imperfect subjunctive and are translated with the auxiliary verb: “were [verb]ing”:
- utinam venīret! If only he were coming!
- nē hostēs fortēs essent! If only the enemies weren’t strong!
Wishes for a past action that did not come to fruition are indicated with the pluperfect subjunctive and are translated with the auxiliary verb “had [verb]ed”:
- utinam domum vēnissēmus! If only we had gone home!
- utinam nē id vīdisset! If only he hadn’t seen it!
Potential
The potential subjunctive indicates something that may, might, could, or would happen, either in the future or the past, but it’s uncertain whether it will or did happen. If it were certain, then we could use the indicative mood. The subjunctive in this case adds that note of possibility or doubt.
To indicate a potential action in the future, Latin uses the present subjunctive or, rarely, the perfect subjunctive:
- eōs videāmus. We may see them.
- eōs vīderīmus. We may see them.
- ea veniat. She might come.
- avēs canant. The birds may sing.
To indicate a potential action in the past, Latin uses the imperfect subjunctive. Note that although the translation sounds like a perfect tense, the Latin uses the imperfect:
- eōs vidērēmus. We may have seen them.
Potential subjunctives are negated with nōn:
- eam nōn audiant. They may not hear her.
Sometimes, there will be signal words like forsitan (“perhaps”) or fortasse (“perhaps”, usually with indicative but sometimes with subjunctive) to indicate the presence of a potential subjunctive:
- forsitan bona dīcat. Perhaps he may say good things.
- fortasse laetī essent. Perhaps they might have been happy.
Often, the potential is used with verbs like volō*, nōlō, mālō, and possum:
- mālim hoc facere. I would prefer to do this.
- velim tē vidēre! I would like to see you!