| Verbs |
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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 report (they ask) is in the indicative mood and the question (what is happening) is in the subjunctive: Rogant quid accidat.
Indirect questions are recognized by introductory words, always interrogative pronouns or adjectives such as:
| quid | What |
| quis | Who |
| cur | Why |
| ubi | Where |
| quando | When |
| quot | How many |
| quomodo | In what way, how |
Remember, you can always spot an indirect question by the presence of a question word (i.e. an interrogative pronoun or adjective) and a verb in the subjunctive. Also, indirect questions never stand on their own, they always have one of the familiar indirect discourse verbs (i.e. volo, video, dico, et cetera). Here are some more examples:
| Volo quid tu facias scire. | I want to know what you are doing. |
| Rogo te quomodo tam bene opera Vergilii legas. | I'm asking you how you read Vergil so well. |
| Dic mihi cur velis scire. | Tell me why you want to know. |
| Quia saepe miror ubi Musa mea sit. | Because I often wonder where my Muse is. |
| A te putandum est primo quot anni egeatur ad opera Vergilii recte legenda. | First you must consider how many years are needed to read Vergil's works properly. |
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."
An Indirect Command is recognized by introductory words such as:
| moneo | I remind, warn, advise |
| impero | I command, order |
| horto | I urge, encourage |
| rogo | I ask |
| mando | I order, commission |
Indirect commands are in the subjunctive. Both indirect question and indirect command constructions follow the sequence of tenses rules. Here are some examples:
| Quaeso domine, rogo ut disces opera Vergilii legere. | Please sir, I'm asking you to teach me to read Vergil. |
| Scilicet, sed monui ne temptares properius discere. | Of course, but I warned you not to try to learn too quickly. |
| Infandum, potissimus sum! Magistri hortatur ut mox discam. | Nonsense, I am very capable! My teachers urge that I learn soon. |
Practice I:
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. |
Practice II:
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.
Gratias ad Sally Davis for these exercises from Review and Test Preparation Guide for the Intermediate Student.
Go to answers for Practice I and II
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