Subjunctive mood - Subjunctive Mood. Subjunctive, conditional and desirable mood - Russian language

The mood category in English is one of the most difficult topics to study due to the cumbersomeness of grammatical structures, time periods, varieties of language units and the complexity of the semantic load of each individual sentence.

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What is inclination

This conjugated expressing the position of the speaker in relation to the action. Subjunctive Mood suggests intentions, recommendations, guesses, suspicion or impossibility, i.e. - some imaginary situations that are feasible under certain criteria.

Doesn't sound like past form of the verb with a particle "would".

Define Subjunctive I and Subjunctive II.

Attention! Subjunctive Mood is used in subordinate constructions, usually conditional (including the subjunctive “subjunctive after I wish”). Examples will be discussed next.

Sub. I is synthetic (plain) form, which is denoted in Present, Past and Perfect . The subjunctive verb is placed in the infinitive. Sub. I is more often used in scientific and formal business styles, for he is uncharacteristic of oral speech. Expresses (in)appropriate recommendations, requests, instructions, etc.

Present sub. I is used:

1. With emotional phrases God save the King/Queen, Heaven forbid, God bless, etc.
2. After order / command / recommendation verbs (advise - advise, recommend - recommend, etc.), etc. Ex .: Our boss demands that we prepare this presentation today. Our boss demands that we prepare a presentation today.
3. After stable phrases It is (was) necessary / It is (was) recommended / It is (was) curable / It is (was) better, etc. Ex .: It was recommended that patients should visit the doctor twice a year. Patients were advised to visit the doctor twice a year.

Past sub. I determines ir real action happening in the present or future tense. Corresponds to the second form of the verb. Ex.: If Susan had more experience, she would take this job. If Susan had been more experienced, she would have got this job.

perfect sub. I stands for surreal action in the past. Education: had + verb in the third form. Ex.: If you had seen him you would have known all the news. - If you met him, you would know all the news.

Past sub. I and Perfect Sub.I are used:

1. To express unreal, unrealizable facts. Ex.: If I were to tell you everything, you would be amazed. “If I had to tell you everything, you would be surprised.
2. Subjunctive after I wish. Ex.: I wish I had never met him. “I wish I had never met him.
3. In comparative constructions with unions as if / as though. Ex.: The girl spoke as if she had learned it all by heart. The girl spoke as if she had learned it by heart.
4. After set expressions It’s (about/high) time/If only, denoting regret. Ex.: If only she told me! “If only she told me.
5. In constructions had better/would rather + infinitive as advice. Ex.: You had better book hotel early. It would be better for you to book a hotel in advance.

Attention! Construction to wish smth. will be discussed in a separate paragraph below. Looking ahead, we note that the subjunctive mood after I wish is also translated by the past form of the verb with the particle “by”.

Subjunctive II - analytic (complex) form expressed in Present and Perfect. Expresses the intended action or regret, indignation, impatience, etc. to the action that took place.

Present sub. II stands for action synchronous with action in the main sentence. Education: would + infinitive. Ex.: It is strange that Bob behaves in such a way. It's not normal for Bob to behave like this.

perfect sub. II stands for previous period of time to another action in the main sentence. Education: shoud/would + have + third form verb. Ex.: It's strange that Anna shouldn't have done hometask. It is strange that Anna did not do her homework.

Subjunctive II is used:

1. After set phrases it is/was strange/necessary/important/impossible/a pity, etc. Ex.: It is important that all the pupils should be met after school. It is important that all students are met after school.
2. After the verbs wishes, indications, assumptions, recommendations, insistence, regrets, etc. ex.: Police suggested that he should be still in the town. The police assumed he was still in the city.
3. In Conditionals where the event is unlikely to happen. Ex.: If you should come up with it, will you inform me? “If you find another way, will you let me know?”
4. In emotional sentences expressing puzzlement, indignation, etc. Ex.: Why would you suspect me? Why do you suspect me?

Attention! The conditional moods in (Conditionals) will be dealt with in a separate paragraph below, since they are closely related to the subjunctive mood.

Conditional moods in English

Conditionals consists of a conditional (begins with if) and a result part.

Allocate 4 leading types of Conditionals in English. Is there some more mixed types conditional sentences, but we will not talk about them.

1. 0 (zero) Conditional (zero type) – well-known circumstances and facts, directions and instructions. If / When + Present Simple (condition), Pr. Simple (result). Ex.: Put on a warm coat, if you don't want to catch cold. - Put on your coat if you don't want to catch a cold.
2. 1st Conditional- real action, which may come true in the present or near future. If + Pr. Ind. (condition), Fut. Ind./Imperative/Pr. Ind. (result). Ex.: If you go shopping today, buy me some eggs. If you go shopping, buy me some eggs. If you see someone trying to break in, you will call the police. - If you see someone trying to get into (the house), you will call the police.
3. 2nd Conditional - "unreal present". This is an imaginary event that is opposed to real facts and is unlikely to happen. Also expresses regret about something. Education: If+ past simple(condition), would/could + verb without to (result). Ex.: If you would only come to our place, we would be very glad. “If you visit our places one day, we will be very glad. If I met Bred Pitt, I would ask for his autograph. - If I met Brad Pitt, I would ask for his autograph (but it is unlikely that I will meet him).
4. 3rd Conditional - "unreal past", i.e. regret about what happened and the lack of an opportunity to change something. Education: If + Past Perfect (condition), would have + verb in the 3rd form (result). Ex.: If he had told us he was coming over, we would have prepared something to eat. – If he had told us that he would join, we would have cooked something to eat (but he did not say and we did not cook food). If she hadn't gone through the traffic lights, she wouldn't have hit the pedestrian. – If she had not gone at the traffic light, she would not have run into a pedestrian (if she had braked at the right moment, she would not have hit a person).

The condition can appear in different parts of the sentence.

3 types of conditional sentences.

Attention! The If I were … (imagine yourself in someone else's place) condition is grammatically invariant for all persons and numbers. Ex.: Even if it were true, he couldn't say so. Even if it were true, he couldn't say it. If Tom were you, he would try to find a new job. If Tom were in your place, he would try to find another job.

Subjunctive after I wish

This type of sentence is also conditional, but they are studied separately from other conditional constructions due to their grammatical features. Typically, these sentences express regret, disappointment, or unfulfilled expectations. The subjunctive mood after I wish is formed as follows:

• wish + Past Simple/Continuous – desire for something to be different in the present. Ex.: I wish I were thinner. – I would like to be slimmer (but I am fat);
• wish + past perfect regret for a period of time that happened or did not happen in the past. Ex.: I wish I hadn't eaten so much at dinner. – I wish I didn’t eat so much for dinner (but I ate and it’s hard for me);
• wish + would expression of frustration or lack of hope. Ex.: I wish it would get warmer. I would like it to get warmer (but I'm afraid it won't).

The subjunctive mood after I wish is not in the main clause, but in the subordinate clause.

Subjunctive mood in English. Exercise

Conditional mood in English

Conclusion

The subjunctive mood after I wish in particular and in general in English is really difficult topic requiring a certain level of knowledge. But if you sit a little over the exercises, then everything will fall into place, and you no difficulty in understanding this topic.

If you are fantasizing, conjecturing, wishing, or just dreaming, then use Subjunctive Mood or Conditionals to express it in English.

Inclination is the main way of expressing modality, i.e. relation to reality (real and unreal reality). Real - indicative mood, irreal - imperative and conditional / subjunctive. Modality is a property of a sentence, but there is no reason to build a theory of mood entirely on a syntactic basis, it is necessary to study mood as a purely morphological category, although taking into account its syntactic role. When studying moods in the modern Russian language, it is necessary to ask 3 questions: How are mood forms built morphologically (how are they formed), what do they express (grammatical meaning), how are they used.

As for the term "subjunctive mood" itself, it was introduced into science by M. Smotrytsky (1619) and is a tracing-paper of Lat. conjunctivus (modus), where conjunctivus<сослагательный>, <соединительный>, from conjungere<соединять, сочетать>, from con-<со->, <вместе>and junger<связывать>, from jugum<ярмо, узы>; modus--<способ, наклонение>. For tracing lat. conjunctivus used: adj. co-<вместе>, the basis of the syllable is the verb. add up<соединять, прибавлять>, own<класть (положить) рядом, вместе>and suf. -teln-. Thus, the term subjunctive literally means<соединительное, связывающее>. The name reflects those cases when the forms of the subjunctive mood of the verb. used in subordinate clauses And<связываются>(correlate) with verb. main offer. And this is the conditional.

Meletiy Smotrytsky had indicative, subjunctive, imperative moods, he also recognized two more (it was before him) - desirable and indefinite (infinitive). The desirable mood rejected by Lomonosov is almost never mentioned in subsequent grammars before K. S. Aksakov and F. I. Buslaev. IN Lately acad. A. A. Shakhmatov restores and updates the term desirable mood. Under the influence of the grammars of Western European languages, mainly French, in Russian grammars from the end of the 18th century. there is also a conditional mood (conditionnel).

What do we have Today?The traditional term "subjunctive" is very convenient, covers all meanings, is accepted in the Academy of Sciences, although in the "Grammar of the r.ya." the term "conditional" is given in brackets, and some scientists call it conditionally desirable, occurs in scientific literature and the term "surreal-hypothetical" mood.

Meaning and usage. The forms of the subjunctive (in the school - conditional) mood of the verb denote a desirable or possible action under any conditions or an action in which the speaker doubts and only assumes it.

Bulanin L. L. distinguishes three main shades of the subjunctive mood:

1. A hint of desirability.

I would gnaw out bureaucracy like a wolf. (V. V. Mayakovsky)

1. A shade of conditional, possible action.

"Are you really in love with a smaller one?" - "What?" - "I would choose another, When I was like you, a poet." (A. S. Pushkin)

1. A shade of fear, doubt, assumption. I'm afraid: lingonberry water would not harm me. (A. S. Pushkin)

He fished for thirty years and three years And never heard the fish speak. (A. S. Pushkin)

So the morphologically conditional and subjunctive mood can be used by choice, but the desirable one has entered the subjunctive/conditional. And it is right. You can see the semantic difference between: (1) "would you go to the bathhouse" (something like a wish) and (2) "if you went to the bathhouse, you would take a steam bath" (condition), but this semantic difference is not expressed formally (one form - would go), therefore, lies outside the morphology, which means that these forms represent one morphological inclination. But cf. "go to the bath" - the meaning of "wishes" is expressed in a different form than in example (1), which means that we have different grammatical categories - conditional / subjunctive and imperative.

Subjunctive mood

The Subjunctive Mood is a system of verb forms opposed to the system of forms of the indicative mood. Both those and other forms are used only in the predicate, but the forms of the subjunctive mood, unlike the indicative, are used in reports of facts that are not real, but only mentally admitted, imaginary (cf. Russian I would go ...).

The subjunctive mood system includes two series of forms: analytical forms (subjunctive I) and synthetic forms (subjunctive II).

Some difference in the meaning of these forms is directly related to the difference in their use in the sentence: synthetic forms are used almost exclusively in subordinate clauses, that is, they refer to the structure of a complex sentence.

Like almost all verb forms, the forms of the subjunctive mood change in terms of types and voices and are always either perfect or non-perfect Bloch M.Ya. Theoretical grammar in English. - M., 1994. - S. 143 ..

Unlike the forms of the indicative mood, the forms of the subjunctive mood are not forms of the present, past, or future tense; temporal relations in them are expressed by the opposition of non-perfect and perfect forms.

Forms like (he) be and (he) were in traditional grammar are usually called the present and past subjunctive forms (Present Subjunctive and Past Subjunctive). However, such consideration should be recognized as erroneous. First of all, it is striking that the difference between the forms under consideration does not lie in terms of the category of time: for example, the form of the verb (he) were, called the past form of the subjunctive mood, can refer to both the present and the future. Moreover: upon closer analysis, it turns out that the so-called Present Subjunctive and Past Subjunctive differ in the line of modality, and thus should be attributed to the forms of different moods Smirnitsky A.I. Morphology of the English language. - M., 1959. - S. 345 ..

Some linguists, on the basis that for all verbs, except for be, the forms "Past Subjunctive" always coincide in sound with the past tense of the indicative mood, and for the verb be this coincidence is observed in colloquial speech, where was is sometimes used along with were, it is believed that word forms like (he) were, (he) knew, etc. are forms of the past tense of the indicative mood in a special modal use. Sweet calls them in connection with this Mood Tense Prokosh E. Comparative Grammar Germanic languages. - M., 1959. - S. 183., and Jespersen considers them as an imaginative use of the past tense Jespersen O. Philosophy of Grammar. - M., 1958. - S. 108 ..

In support of this point of view, it is usually pointed out that the idea of ​​unreality is easily associated with the past tense: since the past tense is not a reality for the present, it can easily be rethought, in this opinion, as unreality.

Indeed, in a language, some forms can be used instead of others, in particular, the forms of time; compare, for example, such use of present tense forms in Russian as Tomorrow I am going to Leningrad, Yesterday he comes to me and says, etc. A similar phenomenon is observed in English Koshevaya I.G., Dubovsky Yu.A. . Comparative typology of Russian and English languages. - Minsk, 1980. - S. 73 .. However, the meaning of the form of the present tense itself does not change as such in such cases, and the speaker is always aware that in them the form of the present tense, although it illuminates (though somewhat peculiarly) the facts future and past, remains the form of the present and only replaces the forms of the future or the past. The situation is different in the case of forms like (if I) knew (if) (I) knew, (if you) asked (if) (you) asked, etc.; here they cannot be regarded as simply replacing the present tense: these forms are regularly associated with a situation in the present or future, and therefore are used when talking about the present or future.

Table 1

As you can see, although knew appears in both rows, we actually have not one, but two, unrelated knew: knew 1 serves to denote real fact and has the meaning of the past tense, on the contrary, the form knew 2 denotes an unreal fact, and is not associated with the idea of ​​the past tense, since the idea of ​​unreality in the past tense is associated with another form, namely, with had known.

Thus, the following is obtained: where knew has the meaning of unreality, it is not connected with the idea of ​​the past; where knew refers to the past tense, it necessarily contains the idea of ​​reality. The meaning of past tense and unreality, therefore, prove to be incompatible in the same form.

In addition, it should be remembered that the verb be to denote an unreal fact in the present tense has the type form were (if I were asked ... If I were asked ...), and it can by no means be considered as dying and being replaced by the type form was: the latter, although used with the meaning of unreality for a very long time, still remains an attribute of lively careless speech and does not go beyond the scope of this speech.

The existence of the type form were also indicates that the forms of a verb like (if I) knew are not forms of tense in modal use, but special forms - mood forms.

From what has been said, it follows that the forms of the verb like (if I) knew cannot in any way be considered as forms of the past tense of the indicative mood, used in the meaning of unreality, since where the meaning of unreality is associated with a similar sound, the meaning of the past tense is absent everywhere. At the same time, these forms cannot be called the forms of the past tense of the subjunctive mood (Past Subjunctive), since the difference between the forms (it) be (the so-called Present Subjunctive) and (it) were not temporary, but modal Smirnitsky A.I. Morphology of the English language. - M., 1959. - S. 347 ..

Forms like (it) be are sometimes called forms of the conjunctive (Conjunctive) Barkhudarov L.S. Essays on the morphology of modern English. - M., 1975. - S. 124., and forms of type (it) were - forms of Optative (Optative) Vorontsova G.N. Essays on the grammar of the English language. - M., 1975. - S. 172 .. However, these terms also seem to be unsuccessful, since the difference in the forms under consideration bears little resemblance to the traditional difference in the forms of the conjunctiva and optative in Latin and in ancient Greek, from which these terms are borrowed. The term conjunctive emphasizes the idea of ​​the connection of two phenomena, the dependence of the designated action on something else. Indeed, in the case I suggest that he go there. I suggest that he go there. The process denoted by the verb go has not yet been carried out, and its implementation depends on the acceptance or non-acceptance of this proposal. This dependence to some extent justifies the term conjunctiva. However, as will be shown below, this is not the main meaning of these forms. The use of the term optative (desirable mood) is also not without foundation. In some cases, especially in subordinate clauses after verbs that have the meaning of desire, the optative forms do indicate the desired action: cf. I wish I were present “I wish I was present”, etc. However, it should be borne in mind that such proposals are just special case the use of these forms, and - and this is the main thing - the desire is expressed here lexically, with the help of the verb wish, and actually were appears with the meaning not of desire, but of the unreality of the desired action, indicates its impracticability. Consequently, the term optative does not quite accurately characterize the forms of the type (it) were - just as the term conjunctive does not reflect the most basic form in the meaning of the forms of the type (it) be. Therefore, it seems more convenient to retain the name of the subjunctive for these forms. However, since the difference between the forms (it) be and (it) were does not go along the line of time, one should refuse to oppose them as forms of the present and past tenses, distinguishing them by the terms "subjunctive I" and "subjunctive II" - similar to the one as, for example, in German grammar it is customary to call the participle Partizip I and Partizip II.

The main difference between subjunctive I and subjunctive II is that the forms of the first, unlike the second, do not characterize this statement as contradicting reality. The main idea expressed by the subjunctive I is uncertainty about reality this phenomenon. The latter is considered by the speaker as possible, hypothetical, permissible, but not as real, existing in reality, although there is no obvious contradiction with reality here. Usually the forms of the subjunctive I are used in subordinate clauses with conjunctions that and if: cf., for example, I suggest that he go there indicated by the corresponding verbs.

Thus, in the subjunctive I there is no question of either correspondence or opposition of what is being said to what is actually happening.

Unlike the subjunctive I, the main idea contained in the subjunctive II is the contradiction between what is being said and the actual state of things. When using forms of this mood, a negative conclusion is usually assumed: cf., for example, If I had time If I had time, which usually implies that the speaker does not have time. Thus, the main thing in the meaning of the forms of the subjunctive II is the idea of ​​the direct opposite of the reported reality. This determines the main difference between the forms subjunctive I and subjunctive II Smirnitsky A.I. Morphology of the English language. - M., 1959. - S. 349 ..

In modern English, under the influence of American English, there have been some changes associated with the forms of the subjunctive mood Veyhman G.A. New in English grammar: Proc. allowance. - M.: Higher. shk., 1990. - S. 84 .. The formal business style in modern American English is characterized by a synthetic form of the subjunctive mood, and in British English - analytical (which, under the influence of American English, is replaced by a more official synthetic). In colloquial style in American English, the analytic form of the subjunctive mood or the infinitive in the complex with for is used, and in British English the infinitive is used as part of a complex object, the complex with for or the indicative mood. In the transition from the official to the colloquial style, replacing the subjunctive mood with the indicative mood is not possible if this changes the meaning of the sentence. Wed: I insist that he take the medicine I insist that he takes the medicine

The frequency of use of was in combinations If I were / was... in British, American and Canadian English is up to 40% of cases, Australian and New Zealand English - more than 80% of cases. For written speech, the figures are as follows: British, American, Canadian, Australian versions of the English language - up to 30% of cases, the New Zealand version - more than 50% of cases Veykhman G.A. New in English grammar: Proc. allowance. - M.: Higher. school, 1990. - S. 85 ..

When expressing a low degree of probability, should in colloquial American English conditional clauses is sometimes replaced by would.

I should think and I should have thought are used as main parts of NGN with additional clauses to express assumptions. The combination I should have thought is also used (as the main part before an additional clause or as an introductory part) when making a critical remark.

Don "t know / see no reason / can" t think + why should be added to the well-known markers of the subjunctive mood forms (insist, suggest, etc.). For example: I don "t know / see no reason why you should think that I did it; I can" t think why he should have said that it was my fault.

Under the influence of American English in British English, should is replaced by would. Should is preserved mainly in formal business style. For example: I should be grateful if you would send me...

If advice is given such as If I were you, I should get that car serviced, the clause is often omitted and the main clause becomes a simple sentence, I should get that car serviced. In such cases, I should is effectively equivalent to You should, where should is modal verb expressing advice. That this is indeed the case is evidenced by sentences like I should wash first, change your dress and combine your hair, where I is combined with your.

The semantic difference between sentences like It is time + an infinitive complex with for and It is time + a clause with a predicate-verb in the subjunctive mood is as follows: in the first case, it means that the right moment has come, and in the second, which is already a little late. Wed: It "s time for you to start earning your own living It's time for you to earn a living yourself and It" s time you started earning your own living It's time for you to earn a living yourself.

mood verb grammatical

That's why it's so important. This part of speech is necessary in order to correctly name and describe the action. Like other parts of speech, it has its own morphological features, which can be permanent and non-permanent. So, to permanent morphological features include person, gender, time, number. Let's deal with such a concept as the inclination of a verb in Russian. How to define it? All these questions can be answered in this article.

In contact with

What is inclination?

This is a grammatical feature of the verb, which helps to change the word. This category is required for express process relation, which just calls this word, to reality.

Important! The verb forms are indicative, imperative and conditional.

.

Depending on how words express their attitude to those processes that actually occur, verbs have moods:

• direct;
• indirect.

By direct is meant the indicative mood, which allows you to objectively convey the action. Example: We watched a movie yesterday.

Indirect is an imperative or imperative mood. It serves to express those processes that do not coincide with reality. For example: I would read this novel tomorrow, but I will go to visit.

Thinking about the definition of a verb

Kinds

The classification is based on features and features lexical meaning verbs.

In modern times, there are three types:

1. Indicative.
2. Conditional.
3. Imperative.

The first type usually denotes the action that actually going on and could happen in the past, can happen in the present, and can happen in the future. For example: I will do my homework on Thursday.

The second type denotes an act that will be performed in the future, but already under a certain condition. For example: I would do my homework on Thursday, but I'm going to the theatre.

The third type is either an order to do something or a request. For example: Be sure to learn your lessons tomorrow.

Three types of verb mood

How to determine the mood of a verb

In order to determine this, it is necessary to understand how the action occurs and what grammatical characteristics it has. So, verbs in the indicative show a real act, so this word will change from time to time.

If the verb is in the imperative form, then it is the action will be performed by some other person. Such words usually encourage some kind of activity.

Therefore, the action will not be actually performed, but required. Most often, to get the imperative verb form, they use a specific tense, for example, the future or present, to which the suffix -i must be added. But it is possible without it. For example, catch, scream, die. If it is used in the plural, then the ending te is added respectfully to the ending of such a word. For example, catch, scream, die.

The conditional mood refers to those actions that could happen if all the necessary conditions were present. By the way, the conditional is also called the subjunctive. This form is easy to determine in the text, since it usually always has a particle would or b. For example, I would jump into the river if I had a swimsuit.

Important! Any verbal word form can be used in oral and written speech, not only in direct meaning but also in a portable way. Usually, the figurative meaning completely changes the meaning of the word, so this category also changes.

indicative

The most common verbal word form in Russian is considered to be indicative, since it allows us to say that what actually happens to a person, object, or person. Only the indicative time can be determined, and how this action is performed will depend on what it is: in reality or it will be in the future.

Another feature of this form is the change in persons and numbers. If the verb is perfective, then it can change over time:

1. The present.
2. Future.
3. Past.

Every time here is formed in its own way. So, the future tense is formed using the word "to be", which is added to the verb in indefinite form. But this is a complex form of the future tense, and a simple form is. For example: I clean my apartment all day long. (present time). I cleaned my apartment all day long. (past time). I'll be cleaning the apartment all day long. (bud. vr.).

The indicative mood can be found in various types of speech, and therefore in many speech situations these verb forms are the most common.

Conditional

Words that are used in a conditional form indicate those actions that can occur, but some conditions are necessary for this. For example: I would pass this test if they helped me. To form such forms, you just need to put the verb in the past tense and attach the particle would or b. The particle can be placed anywhere in the sentence. It is necessary in order to highlight the word you need, which can be any part of speech.

The subjunctive, or conditional, has its own peculiarities of use. It allows not only to express some kind of action that could occur if special facilities were created for this, but also helps to express desires and dreams, doubts and fears.

The subjunctive mood in Russian helps to express the shades of the action condition. Examples: I would like to go to the sea if my job didn't keep me going. There would be no trouble!

imperative

Imperative verbs induce the listener to do something. Such words, diverse in emotional and grammatical design, can be both polite when they contain some kind of request, and an order. For example: Please bring a book. Bring a book!

The verb performs an important function of designation various activities. In Russian, as in any other language, it is extremely difficult to do without it. What are its main forms, how are they formed and what are they used for?

About the verb

They can be static or dynamic, but they all express some kind of action. Of course, we are talking about verbs, which are an important part of the language. As a rule, they have a large number various forms denoting different time periods, activity or passivity, the subject and some other features. There are many such variants in Russian, although Europeans, as a rule, do not lag behind, but their grammatical constructions are built somewhat more logically. In addition, modality or linking verbs play a much smaller role for us, their use is not always clear and regulated.

Forms

Conjugation, that is, change in persons and numbers, as well as an indication of the period of time when an action is performed, is what most think about when it comes to metamorphoses of verbs. But these are not the only options. In addition, there are still active and as well as the infinitive, participle and participle, the latter two being sometimes separated into separate parts of speech, but more often they are considered special forms of the verb that express side effects.

And, of course, do not forget that there is such a category as indicative, imperative, subjunctive. Thus, they divide the entire set of verbs into three large groups and have serious differences among themselves. They will be discussed further.

About inclinations

One of the most important grammatical categories or classifications has its special property as a criterion. It's just about inclination. The subjunctive is when talking about events that may or could happen. It is this form that is used when it comes, for example, about dreams. In another way, it is called conditional. The indicative, or indicative, is used simply to describe what is happening or what was and will be, it is to it that most forms apply, including those obtained by conjugation. It is the most neutral. Finally, the imperative or imperative is used in incentive proposals, when issuing orders, formulating requests and for other similar purposes.

Thus, each of the moods has its own function and role, which are extremely difficult to transfer to other constructions, that is, to express the same thing, but in other ways. They all have their own characteristics, but the most interesting is the subjunctive. After all, it is with its help that unrealized events are expressed.

Signs of the subjunctive

First of all, it is the particle "would", which is in this case integral part of the verb form. Sometimes it can also join other words, forming a slightly different construction, for example, "to sing", "to be", etc. Both of these forms are complex compared to the others, which consist of only one grammatical unit.

In addition, the subjunctive mood is a construction that is easy to determine by meaning, because it denotes events that did not come true, that is, which are in the realm of unrealizable. Thus, it is not difficult to single out this form in the text.

Also, the subjunctive (or conditional), like the imperative, is an impersonal form of the verb. This means that it has only one form with minor changes in endings. What else is characteristic about it?

Peculiarities

The subjunctive mood is, although not a unique construction for the Russian language, but it has some interesting features and ways of using.

It seems rather strange that even if the subjunctive mood of the verb is used in relation to events in any tense, the form still expresses the past, although historically it had a slightly different meaning. On the other hand, this is quite logical, because we are talking about a situation that did not take place in the past and, perhaps, will not take place either in the present or in the future, that is, it has not been implemented. From this perspective, the subjunctive form of the verb in dependent sentences like "I want him to sing" also looks appropriate, since the action expressed with its help has not yet happened. All this should be remembered when compiling sentences, as well as when translating conditional constructions from foreign languages into Russian.

Unlike other languages, it is this verb form that is used in both parts of a complex conditional sentence - both in the main and in the dependent.

There are other interesting constructions, and philologists argue about whether they can be attributed to the subjunctive mood. An example might be:

Oh, I wish I had more money!

He would marry.

In the first example, there is not even a verb, although its residual presence is obvious. However, such a construction still belongs to the boundary and cannot be unambiguously determined. The second refers more explicitly to the conditional mood, although the infinitive is used instead of the past tense. There are many such constructions, and this only confirms the richness and variety of techniques in the Russian language.

In the past time

Whatever events are discussed, the same form is used in conditional sentences - the subjunctive mood. A table in this case would be inconvenient, so it's easier to explain it with examples.

If it hadn't rained yesterday, we would have gone to the cinema.

He would call if he knew your phone number.

Here, as you can see, the situation can illustrate both a completely unrealizable event due to the fact that there were no suitable conditions in the past, and something that can still be realized, but this has not yet happened.

Present

The subjunctive mood can also be used to express the current situation. The examples below have a slight shade of the past tense, but this is more likely due to the fact that a different situation was once realized, which led to circumstances that were not expected in the present.

If I had a dog now, I would play with it.

If I had not been injured then, I would be a famous football player now.

Thus, the subjunctive mood can also be used to denote possible development events in case something had not happened, or vice versa - happened in the past.

In future

In relation to events that have yet to be realized, but it is not known whether this will happen, the subjunctive mood is not directly used. It may be present, but then the attitude towards the future will be clear only from the context. In the usual case, instead, a simple conditional sentence is obtained, in which there are no difficulties or features:

If it's sunny tomorrow, we'll go to the beach.

If in next year we will go to London, you will have to learn English.

There is no question of the subjunctive mood here, although it is possible that the events in question will never be realized. This is the disadvantage - the inability to accurately express the certainty or doubt about whether this or that will take place.

Analogues in other languages

In English, there is no strict concept of inclination, but there are constructions expressing convention, that is, having the same function. They are called conditional or if clauses and are divided into several types. The first two varieties do not carry the same meaning as the subjunctive mood in Russian, but the rest are a complete analogue. In this sense, English is somewhat richer.

"Zero" and first types, in fact, reflect the events that can be and probably will be implemented. Here they belong to the subjunctive mood, but they will be translated through ordinary conditional sentences.

The second type expresses an action that seems unlikely, but still real. But the third - no, because it falls on the past. This is also the difference from the Russian language, because in English degree certainty that the event will take place is present. We don't have. Both of these varieties are translated into Russian, and the subjunctive mood of the verb is used for this. In other European languages, similar constructions are also present and actively used in speech. Moreover, the variety of verb forms in them, as a rule, is higher than in Russian.

There are also adverbs in which there are no moods at all or there are more than a dozen of them. Russian cannot be called a rich language in this respect, but for the needs of a fairly accurate expression of one's thoughts, this set is still quite enough. In the future, new forms may arise for even more appropriate formulations, but for now, the subjunctive mood is a somewhat reduced form of what can be.