⚠️ Remember: For sum, the pluperfect subjunctive is fuissem, fuissēs, fuisset, fuissēmus, fuissētis, fuissent
Part 3: Purpose Clauses with ut
What is a Purpose Clause?
One of the most common uses of the imperfect subjunctive is in a purpose clause, explaining the aim or intention behind an action – why something was done.
English Example:
I went to Rome to see the emperor.
He worked hard in order to get an A*.
Latin does not use the infinitive for this as you might expect from English, but instead uses the word ut (= in order to) with the imperfect subjunctive.
English
"to" + infinitive
to see, to buy, to hear
Latin
ut + subjunctive
ut vidēret, ut emeret, ut audīret
Examples
Example 1:
senex ad urbem ambulāvit ut lībrum emeret.
Click to reveal translation
The old man walked to the city in order to buy a book. or: The old man walked to the city to buy a book.
Example 2 (with new subject):
fēmina tōtum diem labōrābat ut līberī cibum habērent.
Click to reveal translation
The woman was working all day so that her children could have food.
💡 Translation Tip
If the purpose clause has a new subject, translate with "in order that" or "so that", and add "might" or "could" before the verb.
Negative Purpose Clauses
A negative purpose clause uses nē (= in order not to) instead of ut:
Example with nē:
noctem exspectāvimus nē ab hostibus vidērēmur.
Click to reveal translation
We waited for night in order not to be seen by the enemy.
Exercise 61: Purpose Clauses
Click each sentence to reveal the translation.
1. puerī in viā manēre volēbant ut puellās spectārent.
The boys wanted to remain in the street in order to watch the girls.
2. Rōmam īre cōnstituit ut frātrem meum vidērem.
I decided to go to Rome in order to see my brother.
3. fēmina clāmāvit ut ab omnibus audīrētur.
The woman shouted so that she might be heard by everyone.
4. servī diū labōrābant ut novōs mūrōs aedificārent.
The slaves were working for a long time in order to build new walls.
5. in tabernā manēbam nē verba imperātōris audīrem.
I was staying in the tavern in order not to hear the words of the emperor.
6. rēx illōs custōdēs habuit nē ab hostibus necārētur.
The king had those guards in order not to be killed by the enemy.
7. amīcī fidēlēs advēnerunt ut nōs adiuvārent.
Faithful friends arrived in order to help us.
8. senex pecūniam in terrā celāvit nē uxor invenīret.
The old man hid the money in the ground so that his wife would not find it.
9. hī mortuī sunt ut nōs vīverēmus.
These men died so that we might live.
10. vōs docēbāminī ut aliōs docērētis.
You were being taught so that you might teach others.
Part 4: Use of quī for Purpose
The relative pronoun quī, quae, quod (= who, which) is often used with the imperfect subjunctive instead of ut to express purpose. This must be carefully distinguished from an ordinary relative clause, telling us a fact about the person or thing mentioned.
The Key Distinction
Ordinary Relative Clause
Indicative verb
States a fact
quī Purpose Clause
Subjunctive verb
Expresses purpose
Compare These Examples
Example 1 – Ordinary relative clause (indicative):
mīsit nūntiōs quī rēgem necāvērunt.
Click to reveal translation & explanation
He sent messengers who killed the king.
This tells us they were the people who went ahead and did it.
Example 2 – quī with imperfect subjunctive expressing purpose:
mīsit nūntiōs quī rēgem necārent.
Click to reveal translation & explanation
He sent messengers to kill the king.
This tells us the intention in sending them, but not whether they actually did it.
💡 Key Distinction
This second example could also be analysed as who were to kill the king, or who could kill the king (showing again how the subjunctive refers to a possibility rather than a fact, and also showing its flexibility), but it would be translated like a normal purpose clause.
More Examples
mīlēs gladium ferēbat quō sē dēfenderet.
Click to reveal translation
The soldier was carrying a sword with which to defend himself.
ancillās petere cōnstituit quae in villā meā labōrārent.
Click to reveal translation
He decided to look for slave-girls to work in my house.
📌 Technical note: The relative pronoun in this construction is very often nominative, but not necessarily. As in a relative clause, it agrees with its antecedent in number and gender, but takes its case from the job it does in its own clause.
Exercise 62: Use of quī for Purpose
Click each sentence to reveal the translation.
1. mīlitēs mīsī quī ducem hostium necārent.
I sent soldiers to kill the enemy leader.
2. senātor servum quī equōs suōs cūrāret ēmit.
The senator bought a slave to look after his horses.
3. ancillās petere cōnstituit quae in villā meā labōrārent.
He decided to look for slave-girls to work in my house.
Always look for ut, nē, or quī followed by a subjunctive verb. These are your clues that you're dealing with a purpose clause! The subjunctive endings (-rem, -rēs, -ret, -rēmus, -rētis, -rent) are distinctive markers.