Imperfect and Pluperfect Subjunctive
Imperfect and Pluperfect Subjunctive
A lesson of La B2 — Upper Intermediate, in Advanced Syntax, about 15 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to form and translate imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive verbs, and use them correctly in purpose, result, and indirect command clauses.
Introduction
At B1 you learned the present and perfect subjunctive. These two past tenses — the imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive — unlock the full range of subordinate clauses in classical prose. When Caesar or Cicero writes a sentence whose main verb is in a past tense, every subordinate clause shifts one step back: present subjunctive becomes imperfect, perfect subjunctive becomes pluperfect. This shift is called the sequence of tenses, and mastering it is the single biggest step between B1 and B2 Latin.
Core Concept
Imperfect Subjunctive
Form: present active infinitive + personal endings (-m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt).
For amare (to love): amarem, amares, amaret, amaremus, amaretis, amarent.
| Latin | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| amarem | I would love / I might love | 1st sg imperfect subjunctive active |
| amaret | he/she would love | 3rd sg — same as the infinitive + t |
| amaremus | we would love | 1st pl |
| ducerent | they would lead | ducere → ducerent |
| caperent | they would take | capere → caperent (note: capere not capire) |
| essem | I would be | esse → essem, esses, esset… |
Pluperfect Subjunctive
Form: perfect active infinitive (= perfect stem + -isse) + personal endings.
For amare: perfect stem amav- → amavissem, amavisses, amavisset, amavissemus, amavissetis, amavissent.
| Latin | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| amavissem | I would have loved | 1st sg pluperfect subjunctive active |
| duxisset | he would have led | ducere, perf. duxi → duxisset |
| fuissem | I would have been | esse, perf. fui → fuissem |