Conditions - Overview
Conditional clauses are dependent clauses that indicate what happens if something else occurs. We might also refer to them as “conditions” or “conditionals”.
Conditions are composed of two clauses:
- a dependent protasis (the “if” clause)
- the main apodosis (the “then” clause)
For example:
If we study for the exam, we will get good grades.
“If we study for the exam” is the protasis, while “we will get good grades” is the apodosis. The apodosis explains what happens as a result of the condition in the protasis being met.
Protases are usually introduced by the subordinating conjunction sī, “if”, or nisī, “if … not” or “unless”.
Conditions Chart
The following chart indicates the six types of conditions that they are in Latin. This is meant as a summary and a convenient study aid that collects all the possibilities in one place.
The remaining sections of this module will explain each condition in detail and the guidelines for the formation and translation of each. Click on the appropriate links for details on indicative conditions, subjunctive conditions, or mixed conditions.
| Conjunction | Protasis | Apodosis | Condition Type | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sī/nisī | past indicative | past indicative | past simple | translate normally |
| sī/nisī | present indicative | present indicative | present simple | translate normally |
| sī/nisī | future or future perfect indicative | future or future perfect indicative | future more vivid / future simple | translate normally; optionally, translate protasis as present tense |
| sī/nisī | pluperfect subjunctive | pluperfect subjunctive | past contrary-to-fact | “had / would have” |
| sī/nisī | imperfect subjunctive | imperfect subjunctive | present contrary-to-fact | “were / would” |
| sī/nisī | present (or perfect) subjunctive | present subjunctive | future less vivid | “should / would” |
For the remaining units in this module, we will use the same sentence to illustrate how each of the different conditions works:
“If he does it, he is wise.”