Purpose Clauses (ut/ne + Subjunctive)
Form affirmative purpose clauses with ut + subjunctive and negative purpose clauses with ne + subjunctive. Apply the sequence of tenses rule: primary sequence uses the present subjunctive, secondary sequence uses the imperfect.
A lesson of Latin A2 — Elementary, in The Subjunctive Mood, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will form and translate affirmative and negative purpose clauses, applying the sequence of tenses to choose the correct subjunctive tense.
What Is a Purpose Clause?
A purpose clause (Latin: clausula finalis) explains why the action of the main verb was performed. It answers the question "Why?" or "In order to do what?"
In English we often use a simple infinitive: "He came to see the city." Latin does not use an infinitive for purpose (that is reserved for indirect statement). Instead, Latin uses a subjunctive clause introduced by ut (positive) or ne (negative).
Structure
Positive: main verb + ut + subjunctive verb Negative: main verb + ne + subjunctive verb
Venit ut videret — "He came in order to see" / "He came so that he might see" Fugit ne caperetur — "He fled lest he be captured" / "He fled so that he would not be captured"
The subjunctive verb in the purpose clause represents the intended goal — an action that may or may not actually happen.
Translating Purpose Clauses
Four acceptable English renderings of ut + subjunctive:
| Latin | Translation 1 | Translation 2 | Translation 3 | Translation 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ut videret | in order to see | to see | so that he might see | that he might see |
For ne + subjunctive:
| Latin | Translation 1 | Translation 2 |
|---|---|---|
| ne vinceretur | lest he be conquered | so that he would not be conquered |
In formal (AP-style) translation, "in order to…" for ut and "lest…" or "so that…not…" for are the safest choices.