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Sequence of Tenses


SUBJUNCTIVE PRESENT: amem,   ames,   amet,   amemus,   ametis,   ament habeam,   habeas,   habeat,   habeamus,   habeatis,   habeant mittam,   mittas,   mittat,   mittamus,   mittatis,   mittant audiam,   audias,   audiat,   audiamus,   audiatis,   audiant
SUBJUNCTIVE PERFECT: (amav-, habu-, mis-, audiv-) -erim,   -eris,   -erit,   -erímus,   -erítis,   -erint

SUBJUNCTIVE IMPERFECT: (amare-, habere-, mittere-, audire-) -m,   -s,   -t,   -mus,   -tis,   -nt
SUBJUNCITVE PLUPERFECT: (amav-, habu-, mis-, audiv-) -íssem,   -ísses,   -ísset,   -issémus,   -issétis,   -íssent
Main Clause Subordinate Clause: On-going Subordinate Clause: Completed
Indicative Present Subjunctive Present Subjunctive Perfect
Indicative Future Subjunctive Present Subjunctive Perfect
Indicative Perfect Subjunctive Present Subjunctive Perfect
Indicative Future Perfect Subjunctive Present Subjunctive Perfect
Indicative Imperfect Subjunctive Imperfect Subjunctive Pluperfect
Indicative Pluperfect Subjunctive Imperfect Subjunctive Pluperfect

 
Verbs show absolute/real time only when they are in indicative mood; in every other mood, verbs show only time relative to verbs in the indicative mood.

The sequence of tenses are rules that apply only to subjunctive verbs in subordinate clauses.

 
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PRIMARY TENSES
(Present, Future, Perfect [as present perfect, e.g. "I have come"], Future Perfect)



- the main verb in primary tense - the subordinate verb in the subjunctive present for ongoing action.

Edunt ut vivant.
(They eat so that they may live.)

Haec dicit ut pericula comprehendamus.
(He is saying these things, so that we may understand the dangers.)

Via ita longa est ut ad urbem numquam veniant.
(The road is so long that they never come to the city.)

- the main verb in primary tense - the subordinate verb in the subjunctive perfect for completed action.

Cognoscam quid feceris.
(I will find out what you did.)


SECONDARY TENSES
(Imperfect, Pluperfect Perfect [as simple past, e.g. "I came"])



- the main verb in secondary tense - the subordinate verb in the subjunctive imperfect for ongoing action.

Edebant ut viverent.
(They ate so that they might live.)

Haec dicebat ut pericula comprehenderemus.
(He was saying these things, so that we might have understood the dangers.)

Via ita longa erat ut ad urbem numquam venirent.
(The road was so long that they had never come to the city.)

- the main verb in secondary tense - the subordinate verb in the subjunctive pluperfect for completed action.

Cognovi quid fecisses.
(I found out what you had done.)