Latin with Foster

Experience III, Lesson 19: The Sequence of Tenses

Some general principles

It is not arbitrary.
There is a definite system for using Subjunctive Times.
The system is used to create Latin and to understand Latin.
The Time of the Subjunctive does not depend on English translation!
A Subjunctive can depend on any verb: an indicative, another subjunctive, an infinitive, or a participle

The system is called the Consecutio temporum - The Sequence of Tenses (the following of times).

For a Subjunctive depending on an Indicative, one must ask: what is the main indicative verb?
Recall: this main verb could be anywhere in the sentence, even last.
Analyze the action of the subjunctive in relation to the main verb: it is contemporaneous (same time), antecedent (before), or subsequent (after)

The system is divided into two parts or tracts: the primary sequence and the secondary or historical sequence.

Tract 1: Primary Sequence
Indicative Times	Subjunctive Times	Concept
T.1 T.3 T.4a T.6	T.1s	contemporaneous, incomplete, ongoing, perpetual, open-ended, or FUTURE
T.1 T.3 T.4a T.6	T.3s	antecedent, completed, previous, future completed

Tract 2: Secondary/Historical Sequence
Indicative Times	Subjunctive Times	Concept
T.2 T.4b T.5	T.2s	contemporaneous, incomplete, ongoing, perpetual, open-ended, or FUTURE
T.2 T.4b T.5	T.4s	antecedent, completed, previous, future completed (future perfect)

In sum: the subjunctive that is used will depend on the main indicative verb.
E.g. if my indicative is T.1, I'm in Tract 1, and my subjunctive must be T.1s or T.3s:: nescio (T.1) quid dicant (T.1s) - I don't know what they were saying/are saying/will say.; nescio (T.1) quid dixerint (T.3s) - I don't know what they said/had said/will have said.
If my indicative is T.2, I'm in Tract 2:: nesciebam (T.2) quid non facerent (T.2s) - I was not aware what they were doing/used to be doing.; nesciebam (T.2) quid non fecissent (T.4s) - I was not aware what they did/had done.

A simple chart of the two tracts for memorization:

This system will cover 97% of all Subjunctives which depend on Indicatives.