Uses
Jussive subjunctive
Just as in Latin, the Greek subjunctive can sometimes be used for giving suggestions or commands. This use is known as the "jussive" subjunctive.1st person suggestions
The jussive subjunctive has several uses. One use is in 1st person plural exhortations (the "hortatory" subjunctive): : . : . : Come now, let's go. More rarely, generally preceded by (), it can be used in the 1st person singular: : . : . : Come now, let me show you. Since Ancient Greek has a 3rd person imperative, the imperative rather than the subjunctive is usually used for 3rd person commands or suggestions where Latin would use a 3rd person subjunctive (e.g. ''veniat'' "let him come").Deliberative questions
Similarly the subjunctive is used in deliberative questions, usually in the 1st person: : : : Should we speak (''aorist'') or should we remain silent (''present'')?Negative commands
The subjunctive mood can also be used for 2nd person negative commands, but only with the aorist tense. The negative, as with almost all uses of the subjunctive, is (): : . : . (''aorist subjunctive'') : Don't be surprised. However, when the meaning of the negative command is "don't continue to do something", () is used not with the subjunctive but with the present imperative: : . : . (''present imperative'') : Don't weep (= don't continue to weep).Subjunctive in indefinite clauses
The subjunctive mood is often used in indefinite subordinate clauses referring to an unknown time in the future (e.g. "if this should happen") or to an unspecified time in the present (e.g. "whenever this happens"). Such clauses are always introduced by a conjunction or relative pronoun combined with the particle (), such as () "if by chance", () "whenever", or () "whoever". Clauses of this type can only refer to an indefinite present or future time, never to the past, for which the optative is used, without () (see Optative (Ancient Greek)).If (in future)
The subjunctive is often used in the protasis (i.e. the "if" clause) of conditional sentences after the conjunction (), which can be shortened to or () "if (by chance)" or "if (in future)", referring to a future situation that is quite likely to happen. Conditional sentences of this kind are referred to by Smyth as the "more vivid" future conditions: : . : . : If it's necessary, we shall make war. The negative used with the potential subjunctive, as with the jussive subjunctive, is (): : . : . : If they are not willing, they will force them.Before, until
The same construction is used with () "before" and () "until such time as" referring to an event or situation which it is expected will occur at an indefinite future time: : . : . : I shan't stop until you tell me (whenever that is). : . : . : Speak, until it is time to go home (whenever that is).Whenever, whoever, etc.
Another very similar use of the subjunctive is in indefinite subordinate clauses following a conjunction such as () "if ever", () "whenever", () "whoever", etc., referring to repeated actions in indefinite present time. : . : . : So everyone is powerful who does whatever he wants whenever he wants. : . : . : Whenever anyone tries to pass, they roll stones. : . : . : It's possible for exiles to live wherever they wish. : . : . : Wherever they make a camp, they throw a ditch around it. () means "in whatever way". But it can also mean "so that" and be used in purpose clauses (see below). : . : . : I shall do as (= in whatever way) you order. The equivalent of this construction in past time uses the optative mood without () (see Optative (Ancient Greek)). Unlike with purpose clauses and after verbs of fearing, the subjunctive is not used in a past-time context in such clauses.Other uses of the subjunctive
Purpose clauses
The subjunctive is also used in purpose clauses with (), especially those referring to present or future time: : . : . : Teach me too, so that I can become wiser. () "so that" is never used with (). On the other hand, when () is used, () is usually added, although () can also be used alone: : : : But let someone bring out some fire, so that we can pray to the gods. : : : But so that it may be known that what I'm saying is true, first I shall describe the nature of Attica. In a past context purpose clause, the optative mood without () is often used (see Optative (Ancient Greek)), but it is also possible to use the subjunctive even in a past context: : : (''aorist subjunctive'') : Abrocomas had burnt the boats, so that Cyrus couldn't cross. Purpose clauses can also be made with () and the imperfect, aorist, or future indicative.After verbs of fearing
The subjunctive is used after verbs of fearing to express fears for the future, after a verb of fearing in the present tense. In this case the word () "lest" is always added after the verb of fearing: : : : He is afraid that we may be besieged. In a past context the optative mood is generally used instead of the subjunctive (see Optative (Ancient Greek). However, as with purpose clauses, the subjunctive may optionally be used even when the context is past: : : : They were afraid at first that (the ships) might be (lit. may be) hostile. Doubts can be expressed in Ancient Greek by using () "if" or an indirect question and the subjunctive after a verb of fearing: : : : I doubt if I can persuade my mistress. When the sentence has the form "I fear that something ''is'' the case or ''was'' the case", referring to the present or past, the indicative, not the subjunctive, is used.Doubtful and emphatic assertions
Similar to its use with verbs of fearing, the subjunctive with () is sometimes used in doubtful assertions, meaning "it may be the case that" or (with ()) "it may not be the case that", especially in Plato: : : : Possibly it may not be so. A similar construction, but with () rather than (), can also be used for an emphatic assertion, as in this sentence from the New Testament, always negative and usually with the aorist subjunctive: : : : Certainly there won't be enough (oil) both for us and for you!Tense and the subjunctive
The subjunctive, like the imperative, is found in only three tenses: the present, aorist, and perfect. The difference between these tenses is generally not one of time, but of aspect. Thus when a subjunctive verb is used prospectively to refer to a future event or situation (e.g. "I am afraid it may happen"), the aorist is used to refer to an event, the present to a situation (or habitual series of events): : : : Should we speak (''event – aorist subjunctive'') or should we remain silent (''situation – present subjunctive'')? When the subjunctive is used with () in indefinite clauses (e.g. "whenever he has spoken, he sits down"), the aorist refers to an event which takes place earlier than the main verb: : : : And when all of these men have spoken, then (the herald) orders any of the other Athenians who wishes to speak, to say his piece. But when the subjunctive verb in an indefinite clause refers to a situation which is simultaneous with the time of the main verb, the present subjunctive is used: : . : . : Whenever a king is leading, no one walks in front of him. : . : . : We are all mad whenever we are angry. The perfect subjunctive also refers to a situation existing at the time of the main verb, but as a result of something which happened earlier, as in the example below: : . : . : Whether (the hare) has been caught or not, (the huntsman) should make it clear (to his colleagues).Morphology
Subjunctive endings almost always contain the letters or , except in the 2nd and 3rd person singular of verbs, which have , , and in the 2nd and 3rd singular and 2nd plural of verbs, which have like the indicative. The order of the endings in the tables below is: "I", "you sg.", "he/she/it", "we", "you pl.", "they". A 2nd and 3rd person dual number (e.g. "you both may be", "they both may be") also exists but in most verbs it is rare. It is omitted from these tables. * "I go" is almost always used with a prefix (e.g. etc.) except in poetry. * The perfect subjunctive is very rare. It is usually made from the perfect participle plus the subjunctive of , although occasionally the endings are added directly to the stem. * Instead of and Homer has and . The New Testament has contracted forms and , which despite having the appearance of optatives are generally analysed as aorist subjunctive.Buttmann, A. (1873), translated Thayer, J.HReferences
{{Ancient Greek grammar Ancient Greek Greek grammar Grammatical moods