Latin Grammar: Conditional Sentences - Simple Present and Future More Vivid

Review the types of conditionals

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The simplest form of conditional is called a “simple” or “open” condition, and implies nothing about the truth of the actions involved:

• if Bob goes to school, he learns
• if Bob went to school, he learned

These imply nothing about whether Bob actually got to school.

In Latin the construction is similar: present indicative in both the “if” and the “then” clause for the present simple condition. Past (perfect or imperfect) indicative in both the “if” and the “then” clause for the past simple condition.

Conditionals in the future always imply doubt (you can never be certain about the truth value of what you're saying). The least doubtful way to express conditions in the future in Latin is called the future more vivid.

In English those conditions sound like

• if he will go to school, he will learn.
• if he will have gone to school, he will learn.

Latin uses the same tense structure as these more accurate forms: future or future perfect indicative in the “if” clause, and future indicative in the “then” clause.

type of conditional	protasis	apodosis	example
present general	present indicative	present indicative	If Johnny is eating, he is happy.
past general	indicative past tense	indicative past tense	If johnny was eating, he was happy.
future more vivid	indicative future	indicative future	If Johnny eats, he will be happy.
future less vivid	subjunctive present	subjunctive present	If Johnny should eat, he would be happy.
present contrary to fact	subjunctive imperfect	subjunctive imperfect	If Johnny were eating, he would be happy.
past contrary to fact	subjunctive perfect	subjunctive perfect	If Johnny had eaten, he would have been happy.