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Topic · 2 parts
Verb – Subjunctive: all parts
The textbook teaches this topic in 2 parts across lessons 29.3, 30.3. Here they are together, in order.
SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Subjunctive (2 – Cohortative)
A sentence like Let’s eat this fig is called a cohortative. A cohortative is when the subject expresses their desire to do something and invites someone else to do it with them. This is a very common use of the subjunctive:
SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Subjunctive (5 – Questioning obligations)
Subjunctives are often used in interrogative clauses to question obligations. One of the most famous examples of this is where Jesus is questioned about whether the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar or not:
δῶμεν ἤ μὴ δῶμεν; (Mark 12:14)
Should we give or not give ?
In this context, the use of the subjunctive means ‘Are we obligated to give or not?’ The subjunctive is not used to place someone under an obligation, but it is used to reference an obligation that is being questioned.
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New Testament text shown on hover: Greek from the SBLGNT, © 2010 Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0; English from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain).