Grammar Handout #1: Conditionals

1. Syntactical function

Conditional sentences consist of two significant clauses: the protasis and the apodosis. The protasis (the "if" clause) is the subordinate clause; the apodosis is the main clause.

Note. Subordinate clauses are: the relative clause (qui quae quod), the ut clauses (result, purpose or indirect command), the protasis, the causal clause, the concessive clause (although), the temporal clause (cum), etc. It is important to distinguish between and identify the main clause and the subordinate clause because their verbs have different behaviors in, say, the indirect discourse (which will be discussed later).

2. Types of Conditions in Latin

A. Open Condition ("simple condition", "logical condition", "indicative condition")

Mood: Indicative
Tense: past, present or future
Implication: NO implication or assumption about the fulfillment of the statement.
Translation: If one does/did something, one does/did/will do something.

If you do this, you do wrong. Si hoc facis, peccas.

If you did this, you did wrong. Si hoc fecisti, peccauisti.

The speaker makes no assumption as to whether or not the other person will do or did this. All s/he is saying is if X happens, then Y happens. The indicative mood in both clauses expresses the matter-of-factual aspect of the condition.

B. Ideal Condition ("future less vivid")

Mood: Subjunctive
Tense: Present for present time, or Perfect for past time
Implication: Fulfillment is doubted, denied or disencouraged.
Translation: If one should/were to do/have done something, one would do something.

If you were to do this, you would do wrong. Si hoc facias, precces.

The speaker implies it is unlikely or unadvisable that the other person will do this. The subjunctive mood expresses the doubtful aspect of the statement. As opposed to the Contrafactual Condition, the Ideal Condition does not eliminate the possibility that the statement might come true.

C. Contrafactual Condition ("contrary to fact" "Unreal")

Mood: Subjunctive
Tense: Imperfect for present time, Pluperfect for past time
Implication: Consciousness of the statement being untrue
Translation: If one was something, one would do something (present)
If one had (had one) done something, one would have done something (past)

a. Present Contrafactual

If I was a bird, I would be able to fly. Si avis essem, volare possem.

The speaker is aware that he is NOT a bird at present time and does not express any kind of possibility that the statement might come true in the future. In most cases of the Present Contrafactual, the statement expresses a wish or regret.

b. Past Contrafactual

If you had done this, you would have done wrong. Si hoc fecisses, peccauisses.

The speaker is aware that the other person DID NOT do this. Oftentimes the apodosis would suggest a personal opinion: "although you did not do this, it is my believe that had you done it you would have done wrong."

Distinguish between the Ideal Condition and the Contrafactual Condition. Both use the subjunctive mood, but the Ideal Condition employs primary tenses (Present for present time, Perfect for past time); the Contrafactual Condition, secondary (Imperfect for present time, Pluperfect for past time) to refer to the unreality of the condition.

D. Mixed Conditions: the protasis and the apodosis may come from different types of condition. For example,

If you had studied Latin harder, you would now be happy. Si ad linguam Latinam discendam amplius enixi essetis, nunc felix esses.

The protasis in this sentence is in Past Contrafactual condition; however, logic dictates that the apodosis refer to the present time. The verb in the apodosis is thus replaced by imperfect subjunctive to express Present Contrafactual condition.

Gratia perit si reposcatur. Favor is spoiled if it should be begged for.

The protasis in this sentense is in present subjunctive--Ideal condition--and would express doubt or reservation about the fulfillment. The apodosis, however, is in present indicative--open condition--and therefore sounds more objective and matter-of-factual.

Mixed Condition should create no problem for the translator since the context is usually clear; however, the nuances cannot be rendered without identifying the types of condition mixed therein.

Note. The protasis and the apodosis need not be in a logical sequence. The apodosis can be replace by a simple statement, or a main clause of any kind-- a command, a question, etc.

if you knocked, I didn't hear it. Si fores puIsavisti, nihil audivi.

3. Worksheet

A. Think of a few English sentences of each kind of condition. Explain the implications with concentration on the verb forms.

B. Identify the type of condition in each sentence and explain their implications:

1. Carthago non concidissent, nisi Iuno marito Saturnio paruisset. Carthage would not have fallen, had Juno not obeyed her Saturnian husband.

2. Si venias, gaudeam. If you were to come, I would be glad.

3. Si intonat, mox imber aderit. If it thunders, soon it will rain.

4. Si M. Porcius Cato viveret, quis Romam incedere auderet? If Cato the Censor was alive, who would dare to march against Rome?

5. Haec omnia dabo, si cadens adoraveris me. All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

6. Si quas epistulas pretii literarii scripserim, ediderim publicaverimque. If I should have written/wrote any letters of literary merit, I would edit and publish them.