Moods

Conditional Sentences

A conditional sentence is made up of a dependent clause introduced by IF and a main clause.

If it is snowing, we are going home.

• If it is snowing is the dependent, conditional clause (called the protasis) and we are going home is the main clause (called the apodasis).
• In Latin, the conditional clause is introduced by si, meaning if if it is positive, and nisi, meaning if...not or unless, if it is negative.
• In Latin, both the INDICATIVE MOOD and the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD are used depending depending on the circumstances of the conditions:

1. SIMPLE CONDITIONS
   
   1. PRESENT TIME - uses the indicative mood in the present tense.
      • Si ningit, imus domum.
      • If it is snowing, we are going home.
   2. PAST TIME - uses the indicative mood in the imperfect, perfect, or pluperfect tense.
      • Si ningebat, ivimus domum.
      • If it was snowing, we went home.
2. FUTURE CONDITIONS
   
   1. FUTURE MORE VIVID - uses the indicative mood in the future and/or future perfect tense.
      • Si ninget, ibimus domum.
      • If it will snow, we will go home.
   2. FUTURE LESS VIVID - "should-would;" uses the subjunctive mood in the present tense.
      • Si ningat, eamus domum.
      • If it should snow, we would go home.
3. CONTRARY TO FACT CONDITIONS
   
   1. PRESENT TIME - uses the subjunctive mood in the imperfect tense
      • Si ningeret, iremus domum.
      • If it were snowing, we would go home.
   2. PAST TIME - uses the subjunctive mood in the pluperfect tense.
      • Si ninxisset, ivissemus domum
      • If it had snowed, we would have gone home.

^ Grammatica