qui + Subjunctive (Purpose)

Who Is to: Qui with the Subjunctive

Level 5

Qui plus the subjunctive can replace ut and a pronoun.

How It Works

Purpose with utPurpose with qui
Legatos mittit ut pacem petant.Legatos mittit qui pacem petant.
Nuntium misit ut auxilium peteret.Nuntium misit qui auxilium peteret.

Use this form when the clause has a noun to point back to: the ambassadors, the messenger. The relative pronoun agrees with that noun in gender and number, and its case is the case of its job in the clause.

The tense follows the main verb: petant after a present verb, peterent after a past one. The main verb is usually one of sending, choosing, finding or giving.

Examples (5)

  1. Legatos mittit qui pacem petant.

    He sends ambassadors to ask for peace.

    Qui is the subject of petant, and the subjunctive gives the purpose.

  2. Caesar nuntium misit qui auxilium peteret.

    Caesar sent a messenger to ask for help.

    The main verb is past, so the purpose verb is the imperfect subjunctive peteret.

  3. Mater filium misit qui panem emeret.

    The mother sent her son to buy bread.

    Emeret is the imperfect subjunctive of emo. The son is the one who is to buy.

  4. Deus angelum misit qui Mariam salutaret.

    God sent an angel to greet Maria.

    The angel is sent for a purpose, so qui takes the subjunctive salutaret.

  5. Sacerdos pueros eligit qui cantent.

    The priest chooses boys to sing.

    Cantent is the present subjunctive after the present eligit.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the indicative in the relative clause.

    Legatos mittit qui pacem petunt.
    Legatos mittit qui pacem petant.

    With petunt the sentence is correct Latin for a different meaning: he sends ambassadors who are asking for peace. To say he sends them in order to ask, the verb is subjunctive: petant.

How It Connects

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qui + Subjunctive (Purpose)Level 5Who Is to: Qui with the Subjunctive

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Qui can do the work of ut in a purpose clause.

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Words in This Pattern

qui