Note: Some blanks will need to be filled with verbs that aren’t pluperfect subjunctive (but at least one blank per exercise requires a pluperfect subjunctive verb).
What would you (sg.) do if you had lost a friend?
Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the second person singular imperfect subjunctive form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact). Sī (conj.): if. Amīcum is the accusative singular form of amīcus, amīcī (2m): friend. is the second person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of perdō, perdere, perdidī, perditum (3): to destroy; waste, squander; lose (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact).
If only you had heard him in person!
More literally: What if you (pl.) had heard him himself!
Quis/quis/ quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? Sī (conj.): if. Ipsum is the m/n accusative singular form of ipse/ipsa/ipsum (pron.): (he) himself, (she) herself, (it) itself; he/she in person; that very person or thing. is the second person plural pluperfect subjunctive form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact).
When they were disinherited, I advised them to keep quiet.
More literally: When they had been disinherited, I recommended to them that they should keep quiet.
Cum (conj.): when; since; while; although. is the third person masculine plural pluperfect passive subjunctive form of abdicō, abdicāre, abdicāvī, abdicātum (3): to repudiate; disinherit (subjunctive because it’s in a historical cum clause). Ego: I. Illīs is the m/f/n dative plural form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that, that one; he, she, it. Suādeō, suādēre, suāsī, suāsum (2): to recommend, advise, urge (with dative of the person advised or urged). Ut (conj.): that, so that. is the third person plural imperfect subjunctive form of taceō, tacēre, tacuī, tacitum (2): to be silent, keep quiet (subjunctive because it’s an indirect command).
After a fruitless wait, Polyxenidas also went back to Ephesus.
More literally: Polyxenidas too, when he had stood (i.e., lain at anchor) in vain, went back to Ephesus.
(He had been waiting with a fleet.) Polyxenidās, Polyxenidae (1m). Quoque (adv.): too, as well; even. Cum (conj.): when; since; while; although. Frūstrā (adv.): in vain; uselessly. is the third person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of stō, stāre, stetī, statum (1): to stand; lie at anchor (subjunctive because it’s in a historical cum clause). Ephesum is the accusative singular form of Ephesus, Ephesī (2f): a city in Anatolia—modern Turkey (names of cities often don’t take prepositions when motion “to” them is expressed; thus to Ephesus is conveyed by the accusative alone). is the third person singular perfect form of redeō, redīre, rediī, reditum (irreg.): to go back, return.
If there had been any more in the bottle, we would have killed you.
More literally: If the bottle had not run out, we would have killed you.
Nisi (conj.): if not, unless; except. Lagēna, lagēnae (1f—also lagōna or lagoena or lagūna): flask, bottle. is the third person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of dēficiō, dēficere, dēfēcī, dēfectum (3, –iō): to run out; fail (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). is the first person plural pluperfect subjunctive form of occīdō, occīdere, occīdī, occīsum (3): to kill (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Tē is the accusative form of tū: you.
I should have preferred to offer than to relinquish.
(A brave man talking to the gods about giving up his life when they demand it.) is the first person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of mālō, mālle, māluī, — (irreg.): to prefer (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Offerō, offerre, obtulī, oblātum (3, irreg.): to offer. Quam (rel. adv.): than. Trādō, trādere, trādidī, trāditum (3): to give over, hand over; surrender.
You would have seen the tomb really violated if the enemy had reached it.
More literally: You (sg.) would have seen the tomb be truly violated if the enemy had come there.
is the second person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum (2): to see (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Vērē (adv.): truly. Violārī is the passive infinitive form of violō, violāre, violāvī, violātum (1): to violate; treat with violence. Sepulchrum is the accusative singular form of sepulchrum, sepulchrī (2n—also sepulcrum): grave, tomb, sepulchre. Sī (conj.): if. Illō (adv.): there (as a destination), to that place, thither. is the third person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Hostis, hostis (3m/f): enemy.
You should have summoned me to the same fate.
Eadem is the neuter accusative plural form of īdem/eadem/idem (adj.): the same. Mē is the accusative form of ego: I (me). Ad (prep.): to (takes the accusative). Fāta is the accusative plural form of fātum, fātī (2n): fate. is the second person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum (1): to call; summon (subjunctive because it’s a kind of wish or command).
If you (pl.) had not done that he would still be alive.
More literally: . . . he would live.
Nisi (conj.): if not, unless; except. Vōs: you (pl.). Illud is the neuter accusative singular form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that, that one; he, she, it. is the second person plural pluperfect subjunctive form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). is the third person singular imperfect form of vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live (imperfect subjunctive because it’s present contrary to fact).
I inquired if they reached Agrigentum.
More literally: I inquired if they had arrived in Agrigentum.
Rogō, rogāre, rogāvī, rogātum (1): to ask, inquire, request. is the third person plural pluperfect subjunctive form of perveniō, pervenīre, pervēnī, perventum (4): to come all the way (to a place), arrive (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question); the enclitic particle –ne makes the word part of a question (here the question is indirect, so – ne gets translated as whether or if). Agrigentum is the accusative form of Agrigentum, Agrigentī (2n): Agrigento (a city in Sicily) (the accusative of end of motion with no preposition because it’s the name of a city).
I would have been most fortunate if the robbers had killed me.
Fēlīcissimus /fēlīcissima/fēlīcissimum (1/2): most fortunate—the superlative form of fēlīx, fēlīcis (3, adj.): lucky, fortunate. is the first person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Sī (conj.): if. Mē is the accusative form of ego: I (me). Latrōnēs is the nominative plural form of latrō, latrōnis (3m): robber, brigand, bandit. is the third person plural pluperfect subjunctive form of occīdō, occīdere, occīdī, occīsum (3): to kill (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact).
He was a trifle out of humor with me because I appeared for the defense.
More literally: He was slightly angry with me because I had defended.
Mihi is the dative form of ego: I (to/for/with me). Quod (conj.): that; the fact that; regarding the fact that; in that; because. is the first person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of dēfendō, dēfendere, dēfendī, dēfēnsum (3): to defend. (The subjunctive means that Cicero is reporting what the angry man said; it’s a type of indirect speech. If Cicero had been stating his own supposition as to the cause of the man’s anger, the verb would have been indicative.) Leviter (adv.): lightly; slightly, somewhat. Suscēnsuit is the third person singular perfect form of suscēnseō, suscēnsēre, suscēnsuī, — (2—also succēnseō): to be angry (with = dative).
What a feast of fun, laughter and learning we were going to have.
Alt. : How much play, laughing, and studying we would have had!
More literally: How much we would have played, laughed, studied!
Quantum (interrog. adv. , here used in an exclamatory way): how much? Nōs: we. is the first person plural pluperfect subjunctive form of lūdō, lūdere, lūsī, lūsum (3): to play (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). is the first person plural pluperfect subjunctive form of rīdeō, rīdēre, rīsī, rīsum (2): to laugh (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). is the first person plural pluperfect subjunctive form of studeō, studēre, studuī, — (2): to be eager, be diligent, apply oneself (to); study (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact).
However sorry one was to have been to hear him, one was glad to go again.
More literally: However much there had been regret to have heard, there was a desire to hear.
(He’s talking about a gloomy but appealing orator.) Quamvīs (rel. adv. , often with subjunctive): however (much); although. is the third person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of paeniteō, paenitēre, paenituī, paenitūrus (2): (personally, rare) to regret, repent; (impersonally—the more frequent usage) it causes regret, there is regret, one regrets (the person feeling regret, when mentioned, goes in the accusative). is the perfect infinitive form of audio, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear. Libēbat is the third person singular imperfect form of libet, libēre, libuit/libitum est (2, impersonal): there is a desire (to do something), it pleases (one to do something), one feels like (doing something) (the person feeling the desire, if mentioned, goes in the dative). Audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear.
For you (sg.) would have known and told me.
is the second person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Enim (particle): for, indeed. Mihique: mihi is the dative form of ego: I; the enclitic conjunction –que adds and. is the second person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say, tell (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact).
That would have rounded it off properly.
More literally: The matter would have been completed.
is the third person feminine singular pluperfect passive subjunctive form of cōnficiō, cōnficere, cōnfēcī, cōnfectum (3, –iō): to complete; perform, accomplish; produce, make (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Rēs, reī (5f): thing; matter, affair; fact; circumstance; property. .
Had another year been added, it would merely have been like the past.
More literally: If he had added anything, it would have been similar to the past.
(Why it doesn’t matter how long the sage lives.) Sī (conj.): if. Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/qua/quid (indef. pron): (in some clauses, especially after sī, nisi, num and nē) anyone, anything; someone, something. is the third person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of adiciō, adicere, adiēcī, adiectum (3, –iō): to throw (at or on top of); add (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). is the third person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Similis/similis/ simile (3): similar. Praeteritō is the m/n dative singular form of praeteritus/praeterita/praeteritum (1/2): past, bygone (neuter used substantively: the past).
If I had known you were there, I would have come to you myself.
Sī (conj.): if. Ibi (adv.): there. Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. Esse: to be. is the first person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact). Ad (prep.): to, toward (takes the accusative). Ipse /ipsa/ipsum (pron. or adj.): himself/herself/itself/oneself/myself/etc. ; in person. is the first person singular pluperfect subjunctive form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come (pluperfect subjunctive because it’s past contrary to fact).