Note: The examples sometimes call for verbs to be inserted that aren’t subjunctive (in addition to verbs that are; there’s always at least one blank that calls for a subjunctive verb).
Reflect how long you have been doing the same thing.
More literally: Think how long you (sg.) already are doing the same.
Cōgitā is the singular imperative form of cōgitō, cōgitāre, cōgitāvī, cōgitātum (1): to think, reflect; plan, intend. Quamdiū (interrog. adv.): how long? Iam (adv.): already; now. Idem is the neuter accusative singular form of īdem/eadem/idem (pron.): the same. is the second person singular subjunctive form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question) (the Latin present tense is also used to denote an action that started in the past and is continuing into the present: what we express in English as have/has been doing X).
I fail to see why we should care for him.
More literally: I do not know why we should love him.
, nescīre, nescīvī/nesciī, nescītum (4): to not know. Cūr (interrog. adv.): why? Illum is the masculine accusative singular form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that, that one; he, she, it. is the first person plural subjunctive form of amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love (subjunctive because it’s part of an indirect question, and also a deliberative one).
No one falls down in such a way that he does not also drag another person with him.
Nēmō, nēminis (3m): no one. Ita (adv.): so, thus, in such a way. is the third person singular form of cadō, cadere, cecidī, cāsum (3): to fall. Ut (conj.): that, so that, with the result that. Nōn: not. Et (adv.): also; even. Alium is the masculine accusative singular form of alius/alia/aliud (1/2, irreg.): other, another. In (prep.): (with abl.) in, on; (with acc.) into, onto (or in or on with motion), toward. Sē: himself—the accusative form of the reflexive pronoun. is the third person singular subjunctive form of adtrahō, adtrahere, adtrāxī, adtractum (3—also attrahō): to draw or drag toward oneself, attract; draw together (subjunctive because it’s in a result clause).
I’m waiting for you and I beg you to come quickly.
More literally: I’m waiting for you and beg (you) that you (sg.) hurry to come.
Tē is the accusative form of tū: you. Exspectō, exspectāre, exspectāvī, exspectātum (1—also expectō): to wait for; expect. Et (conj.): and. Ōrō, ōrāre, ōrāvī, ōrātum (1): to pray (to), entreat, beseech, beg, supplicate; speak in court, plead, orate. Ut (conj.): that, so that, with the result that. is the second person singular subjunctive form of mātūrō, mātūrāre, mātūrāvī, mātūrātum (1): to bring to maturity, ripen; make haste, hurry, be quick (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect command). Veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come.
I fear that I’ll be living more carelessly.
(After the death of his mentor.) Vereor, verērī, veritus sum (2, deponent): to show reverence or respect for, stand in awe of, revere, respect; fear, be afraid. Nē (conj.): lest, that not (in a fear clause, that). Neglegentius (adv.): more carelessly, more negligently—the comparative form of neglegenter (adv.): carelessly, negligently. Vīvam is the first person singular subjunctive form of vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctum (3): to live (subjunctive because it’s in a fear clause).
Were you not to offer them, he would crave them.
More literally: If you (sg.) were not to give (them), he would wish (for them).
Sī (conj.): if. Nōn: not. is the second person singular subjunctive form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg. —but the form needed here is regular): to give; offer (subjunctive because it describes a potential; the sentence is a future-less-vivid conditional—see Chapter 18 of The Latin Tamer). is the third person singular subjunctive form of optō, optāre, optāvī, optātum (1): to wish for, pray for; choose (subjunctive because it describes a potential).
Something will happen to hinder me.
Alt. : Some chance event will hinder me.
Alt: Something will happen that gets in the way.
Incidet is the third person singular future form of incidō, incidere, incidī, incāsum (3): to fall into or upon; happen, befall. Aliquis/aliqua/ aliquid (pron.): someone, something. Quī/quae/ quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. is the third person singular subjunctive form of impediō, impedīre, impedīvī/impediī, impedītum (4): to impede, hinder, obstruct (subjunctive because it’s in a relative clause of characteristic).
Give it to me so I can look at it.
Cedo: give (me), bring (me), tell (me)—an irregular verb found only in the imperative (not to be confused with cēdō, cēdere, cessī, cessum (3): to go, move; go away, withdraw, retreat; yield, submit; result, turn out). Ut (conj.): that, so that, with the result that. is the first person singular subjunctive form of īnspiciō, īnspicere, īnspexī, īnspectum (3, –iō): to look at or into; inspect; inquire into (subjunctive because it’s in a purpose clause).
You inquire whether he is eloquent.
Quaeris is the second person singular form of quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to seek; see to know, ask, inquire. Num (interrog. particle): starts a question where the answer no is expected or where some tentativeness is expressed; when the question is indirect it gets translated as if or whether (by any chance). Disertus /diserta/disertum (1/2): skilled in speaking, eloquent. is the third person singular subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
I certainly don’t know yet what sort of a daughter you (sg.) have.
Ego: I. Certē (adv.): certainly, surely, of course; at any rate, at least. Adhūc (adv.): still, yet. , nescīre, nescīvī/nesciī, nescītum (4): to not know, be ignorant of. Quālem is the m/f accusative singular form of quālis/quālis/quāle (3, interrog. adj.): of what kind? what kind of? Fīliam is the accusative singular form of fīlia, fīliae (1f): daughter. is the second person singular subjunctive form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
I can move my feet without running, but I cannot run without moving my feet.
More literally: I am able to move my feet in such a way that I am not running; I am not able to run in such a way that I am not moving my feet.
Possum, posse, potuī, — (irreg.): to be able, can. Pedēs is the accusative plural form of pēs, pedis (3m): foot. Moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtum (2): to move. Ut (conj.): that, so that, such that, in such a way that, with the result that. Nōn: not. is the first person singular subjunctive form of currō, currere, cucurrī, cursum (3): to run (subjunctive because it’s in a result clause). Currō, currere, cucurrī, cursum (3): to run. is the first person singular subjunctive form of moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtum (2): to move (subjunctive because it’s in a result clause).
You ask how well she gives?
(He’s talking about sex.) is the third person singular subjunctive form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg. —but the form needed here is regular): to give (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question). Quam (interrog. adv.): how (much)? to what degree? Bene (adv.): well. Quaeris is the second person singular form of quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to seek; seek to know, ask, inquire.
(I am worried about him.) But I shall soon know how he is.
More literally: But soon I will know what he is doing.
Sed (conj.): but. Iam (adv.): already; now; soon. Sciam is the first person singular future form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know. Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the third person singular subjunctive form of agō, agere, ēgī, āctum (3): to drive, cause to move; do, perform, deal with; act (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question). Quid agis? quid agit? etc. are standard ways of saying how are you? how is he? etc.
Seek someone you (sg.) can conquer.
(Something defiant to say to Fortune: don’t mess with me.) Quaere is the singular imperative form of quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to seek; seek to know, ask, inquire. Quem is the masculine accusative singular form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. is the second person singular subjunctive form of vincō, vincere, vīcī, victum (3): to conquer, defeat; surpass; win, prevail, be victorious (subjunctive because it’s in a relative clause of characteristic).
Won’t you consider how small your bodies are?
Alt. : Are you not willing to reflect on how small your bodies are?
Very literally: Are you (sg.) not willing to consider how small bodies (i.e., what small bodies) are to you?
Nōn: not. Vultis is the second person plural form of volō, velle, voluī, — (irreg.): to want; be willing. Cōgitō, , cōgitāvī, cōgitātum (1): to think (about), reflect (on), consider; plan, intend. Quam (interrog. adv.): how (much)? to what degree? Parva is the neuter nominative plural form of parvus/parva/parvum (1/2): small; unimportant. Vōbīs is the dative form of vōs: you (pl.). Corpora is the nominative plural form of corpus, corporis (3n): body. is the third person plural subjunctive form of sum, esse, fuī, futūrus (irreg.): to be (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
It matters not what one says, but what one feels.
More literally: Not what he says, but what he feels, matters.
Nōn: not. Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? is the third person singular subjunctive form of dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question). Sed (conj.): but. is the third person singular subjunctive form of sentiō, sentīre, sēnsī, sēnsum (4): to feel; perceive, notice; think (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question). Rēfert, rēferre, rētulit, — (3, irreg. , impers.): it matters, it is important, it makes a difference.
You will ask how highly I value that privilege.
More literally: You will ask of how much (value) I reckon it.
(From a letter of Pollius to Cicero.) Quaerēs is the second person singular future form of quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī/quaesiī, quaesītum (3): to seek; seek to know, ask, inquire. Quantum, quantī (interrog. pron.): how much? how great an amount? (In the genitive it can mean of how great a price? of how much value? —the genitive of value (see Chapter 26 of The Latin Tamer).) Id is the neuter accusative singular form of is/ea/id (pron.): he, she, it; this, that. is the first person singular subjunctive form of aestimō, aestimāre, aestimāvī, aestimātum (1): to value, assess, reckon (subjunctive because it’s in an indirect question).
“Let them hate”; what? “So long as they obey”? No! “So long as they approve”? No! What then? “So long as they fear!”
(Recounting a saying from a play from the age of Sulla, to which he adds, “I would not want even to be loved on those terms.”) Ōderint is the third person plural subjunctive form of ōdī, ōdisse, ōsum (irreg. ; perfect forms with present meaning): to hate (subjunctive because it’s jussive). Quis/quis/ quid (pron.): who? what? Dum (conj.): while; until; so long as, provided that (verbs go in the subjunctive with dum to convey intention or expectancy; thus for example dum is always followed by the subjunctive when it means so long as or provided that). is the third person plural subjunctive form of pāreō, pārēre, pāruī, pāritum (2): to obey, submit. Nōn: not; no. is the third person plural subjunctive form of probō, probāre, probāvī, probātum (1): to approve; test; prove. Ergō (particle): therefore, so, then. is the third person plural subjunctive form of timeō, timēre, timuī, — (2): to fear.