| Clauses |
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Indirect statements follow verbs of saying, knowing, thinking and perceiving with the subject of the statement in the accusative case and the verb an infinitive:
Exempli Gratia - Dicit Marcum ambulare ad ludum - He says that Marcus is walking to school.
Indirect questions involve a reported question such as They ask what is happening. The first part They ask is in the indicative mood and the indirect question what is happening is in the subjunctive:
Rogant quid accidat.
Indirect questions are recognized by introductory words such as:
| Rogant . . . | They ask . . . |
|---|---|
| quid acciderit | what happened |
| quis adveniat | who is arriving |
| cur clamares | why you were crying |
| ubi milites sint | where the soldiers are |
| quando redeamus | when we are returning |
| quot servos habeam | how many slaves I own |
| quomodo senatus adloquaris | how you address the senate |
Indirect Commands are also reported statements such as They told him not to speak. The direct command would be Don't speak! When I report that the command
had been given I say They told him not to speak. The indirect command will be in the subjunctive:
Dixerunt ne loqueretur - They told him not to speak
An Indirect Command is recognized by introductory words such as:
These verbs will of course be in various forms, not only the 1st person present active singular form given here.
Indirect Commands are in the subjunctive. Both Indirect Question and Indirect Command constructions follow the sequence of tenses
Match the translations with these indirect questions and commands:
| ___1. Mihi dixit ut tacerem. | A. He ordered them not to speak |
| ___2. Liberis imperat ne exeant. | B. He orders the children not to leave |
| ___3. Liberos rogavit cur exiissent. | C. He asked me why I was silent. |
| ___4. Scivit quid dicerent | D. He told me to be quiet. |
| ___5. Me rogavit cur tacerem. | E. He ordered them to go to school. |
| ___6. Eis imperavit ne dicerent. | F. He asked the children why they had left. |
| ___7. Liberi rogant quando exeamus. | G. He knew what they were saying |
| ___8. Eis monuit ut tacerent | H. He warned them to be silent. |
| ___9. Nescivit cur non dixissent | I. He didn't know why they had not spoken. |
| __10. Mandabat ut irent ad ludum. | J. The children are asking when we are leaving. |
Write IS (Indirect Statement) IQ (Indirect Question) or IC (Indirect Command) in the blanks before each sentence.
____1. Acrisius oraculum rogavit num sibi filius esset.
____2. Oraculum Acrisium monuit ut nepotem timeret.
____3. Acrisius militibus suis imperavit ut filiam nepotemque
in mare proicerent.
____4. Perseus adulescens nuntiavit se caput Medusae relaturum
esse.
____5. Hermes et Athena Perseo dixerunt se dona divina ei daturos
esse.
____6. Deus Perseo dixit caput Medusae serpentibus contegi.
____7. Nescivit Perseus cur Medusa tam odiosa deformisque esset.
____8. Perseus monetur ne faciem Medusae spectet.
____9. Di Perseo dicunt caput in sacco ponendum esse.
___10. Medusa interfecta , nuntiavit Perseus se Andromedam in
matrimonium ducere velle.
Answer Key - Check your work
Thanks to Sally Davis for these exercises from Review and Test Preparation Guide for the Intermediate Student.
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