Purpose & Result Clauses — ut/ne + Subjunctive
Form affirmative and negative purpose clauses (ut/ne + subjunctive) and result clauses (triggered by tam, ita, tantus). Distinguish the two constructions by their context, signal words, and negation patterns.
A lesson of Latin B1 — Intermediate, in Subjunctive Mood, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will form and translate affirmative and negative purpose clauses and result clauses, and reliably distinguish between them.
Two Jobs for ut + Subjunctive
The conjunction ut followed by a subjunctive verb creates either a purpose clause ("in order to") or a result clause ("so that … did/does"). These look nearly identical in form — the difference is in meaning and context.
Purpose Clauses
A purpose clause answers the question "Why did someone do the main action?" It tells us the goal or intention.
Affirmative purpose: ut + present or imperfect subjunctive Negative purpose: ne + present or imperfect subjunctive
Caesar milites misit ut hostes vincerent. "Caesar sent soldiers in order that they might conquer the enemies." (= "Caesar sent soldiers to conquer the enemies.")
Cicero tacuit ne hostes eum audirent. "Cicero was silent lest the enemies hear him." (= "Cicero was silent so that the enemies would not hear him.")
Sequence of tenses in purpose clauses:
| Main verb | Purpose clause subjunctive |
|---|---|
| Present or Future | Present subjunctive |
| Past | Imperfect subjunctive |
Venit ut videat. "He comes to see." (present main → present subjunctive) Venit ut videret. "He came to see." (past main → imperfect subjunctive)
Check: Translate: Romani muros aedificaverunt ne hostes urbem caperent. What type of clause is ne hostes urbem caperent, and why?
Result Clauses
A result clause answers "What happened as a consequence?" It describes an actual result, not an intended one.
Key markers of result clauses in the main clause: