quasi, tamquam si, velut si (As If)

As if

Level 5

As if: quasi, tamquam si or velut si, then the subjunctive.

How It Works

Words	Example	English
quasi	Marcus loquitur quasi sapiens sit.	Marcus speaks as if he were wise.
tamquam si	Iulia ridet tamquam si omnia sciat.	Iulia laughs as if she knew everything.
velut si	Puer currit velut si lupus eum sequatur.	The boy runs as if a wolf were chasing him.

After a past main verb, use the imperfect: Marcus loquebatur quasi sapiens esset.

Quasi has another job in the Vulgate. With a number word and no verb it means like or about: hora autem erat quasi decima (it was about the tenth hour, John 1:39). No subjunctive follows there.

Examples (5)

Marcus loquitur quasi sapiens sit.
Marcus speaks as if he were wise.
Quasi starts the comparison, and sit is the present subjunctive after loquitur.
Iulia ridet tamquam si omnia sciat.
Iulia laughs as if she knew everything.
Tamquam si is two words in one meaning: as if. Sciat is the present subjunctive.
Puer currit velut si lupus eum sequatur.
The boy runs as if a wolf were chasing him.
Velut si means as if. Sequatur is the subjunctive of the deponent sequor.
Marcus loquebatur quasi sapiens esset.
Marcus was speaking as if he were wise.
The main verb is past, so the imperfect subjunctive esset follows.
Omnes tacent quasi Deum audiant.
Everyone is silent as if they were hearing God.
Quasi with audiant gives a comparison, not a fact.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

quasi, tamquam si, velut si (As If)Level 5As if

Learn This First

As if takes the subjunctive tense that fits the main verb, so the sequence of tenses comes first.

Words in This Pattern

quasitamquamsivelut

Practice quasi, tamquam si, velut si (As If) in Bubblegum

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