A few chapters ago, we learned how Latin uses an accusative-infinitive construction for indirect statements, that is, for quoted statements. But sometimes authors will quote questions or commands, and in these instances of indirect discourse, Latin uses the subjunctive mood.  

Indirect commands

Indirect commands in Latin work in a similar way to purpose clauses, that is, there’s a main clause that uses the indicative and then the quoted command is introduced by either an ut or ne and uses a subjunctive verb (typically only in the present or imperfect subjunctive). 

For example: 

         We asked the farmer to save the pigs.          agricolam rogabamus ut porcos iuvaret.

So, pulling this apart, you can understand that:

“we asked the farmer” = main clause. The indirect command is essentially, "that he might save the pigs."

"the farmer" = direct object of "we asked," so he is in the accusative. 

                     ut signals the shift into indirect command 

                 "to save" becomes iuvaret = 3rd person, singular imperfect active subjunctive because "the farmer" is the implied subject in the ut clause. And porcos is the direct object in the ut clause.

Note—in English, we usually use an infinitive construction here (i.e. “to save the pigs”). Latin does not. You’ll need to think about who the subject is in the indirect command and shift the verb into the correct person/number. 

Verbs that commonly introduce subjunctive indirect commands: 

hortor, hortari, hortus sum                              to urge 

impero, imperare, imperavi, imperatus +dat  to order 

oro, orare, oravi, oratum                                 to implore, to beg 

precor, precari, precatus sum   to implore, to beg, to pray 

rogo, rogare, rogavi, rogatum                                 to ask 

moneo, monere, monui, monitum                  to warn 

persuadeo, persuadere, persuasi, persuasum +dat       to persuade 

suadeo, suadere, suasi, suasum +dat                              to urge 

peto, petere, petivi, petitum +a/ab +abl         to seek, to ask 

quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitum +a/ab +abl       to seek 

                   note that many of these verbs take other cases for direct objects! 

Here are some more examples of indirect commands: 

I warned you not to eat that.                                                te monui ne illud ederes.

            (literally, “I warned you that you should not eat that”) 

The farmers urged us not to go in the woods.                   agricolae nobis suadebant ne in silvam iremus. 

 (literally, “The farmers warned us that we shouldn’t go into the woods.”)

That man will not persuade us to drink so much wine. ille nobis persuadet ut tam vinum bibamus

            (literally, “…that we should not drink so much wine.”)

Indirect questions

Indirect questions are formed in a similar way to indirect commands, namely, with the subjunctive, but rather than using ut or ne, they are marked by question words: 

           Direct question                                   Indirect question 

          Why are you hitting yourself?          Your brother asked you why you were hitting yourself. 

            cur te pellis?                                        Frater te rogabat cur te pelleres.

Typically, verbs of acting or knowing introduce indirect questions: rogo, posco, scio, nescio. These will be in the indicative mood. 

Examples of words that signal questions include: 

cur why

num whether/if (note that Latin never uses si in an indirect question) 

quid what

quis who

quomodo how

ubi where 

Negative indirect questions will use non or numquam, nemo, etc. 

Example using “whether”: 

         I don’t know whether she drank the wine.     nescio num illa vinum biberet.

In English, we might have written “I don’t know if she drank the wine.” In this case, we’re Englishing poorly. In indirect questions, that “if” should be a “whether” in English. 

You’ll use “whether”, or num for any indirect question that doesn’t use one of the other question words, basically for any direct question that would have used ne or just a question mark.  

                      e.g est stulta? Is she dumb?     becomes      nescio num sit stulta. I don’t know whether she’s dumb. 

Latin can use all subjunctive tenses in indirect questions. Here are some more examples: 

I know where the wild beasts are. scio ubi sint ferae.

I know where the wild beasts were. scio ubi fuerint ferae. 

I knew where the wild beasts were.      sciebam ubi essent ferae. 

I knew where the wild beasts had been. sciebam ubi fuissent ferae. 

I’ll ask where the wild beasts were. rogabo ubi fuerint ferae.

In summary, here’s a table that lays out the differences between the three kinds of indirect discourse: