What are the different conditional constructions in Latin and how do I spot them?

Conditionals are formed of 2 clauses: the ‘if’ clause (the ‘protasis’) and the ‘non-if’ clause (the ‘apodosis’). Normally, conditionals are introduced by si (‘if’) or nisi (‘if not’, ‘unless’) and can broadly be broken up into 3 basic categories (though these are not completely rigid formulae). 1) Simple Conditionals. These use indicative case in both clauses. For example: si laborat, pecuniam optat - if he works, he desires money. 2) Future Conditionals. There are two types of future conditionals: a) More vivid future conditionals which express a hypothetical, indefinite future action. Normally, they use the future indicative in both clauses. For example, si laborabit, pecuniam optabit - if he works, he will want money. However, note that the future perfect is sometimes used in the ‘if’ clause (to emphasise that the ‘if’ clause must be achieved before the action of the ‘non-if’ clause can be completed. For example, si laboraverit, pecuniam optabit - if he works (will have worked), he will want money. b) Less vivid future conditionals: these conditions still refer to future time, but conceive of the future act less certainly than the above more vivid conditions. They use present/perfect subjunctive in both clauses. For example, si laboret, pecuniam optet - if he should work, he would want money. 3) Contrary-to-fact conditions (closed conditions / unreal). These state something untrue and hypothesised, and again come in two types: a) Present contrary-to-fact. These use the imperfect subjunctive in both clauses, e.g. si laboraret, pecuniam optaret - if he were (now) working (but he is not), he would now be desiring money (he would desire money). b) Perfect contrary-to-fact, which use the pluperfect subjunctive in both clauses, e.g. si laboravisset, pecuniam optavisset - if he had (in the past) worked (but he did not), he would have wanted money.

Answered by Nick H. Latin tutor

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