Indirect Commands

An indirect command reports an order or request. After verbs of ordering, asking, and persuading, Latin uses ut (positive) or nē (negative) + subjunctive.

How it works

Trigger verbs

Verbs of ordering, asking, urging, and persuading introduce indirect commands: rogō (ask), imperō (order), hortō/hortor (urge, encourage), persuādeō (persuade), moneō (advise, warn), ōrō (beg).

Structure

Positive command: ut + subjunctive — "to [verb]" / "that [subject] should [verb]"
Negative command: nē + subjunctive — "not to [verb]" / "that [subject] should not [verb]"

Exception: iubeō

iubeō (order) is an exception — it takes accusative + infinitive, not ut + subjunctive. This is the same pattern as indirect statement.

Example: iussit mīlitēs discēdere. = He ordered the soldiers to leave.

Sequence of tenses

The tense of the subjunctive depends on whether the main verb is primary or secondary. See the Sequence of Tenses reference page.

Worked examples

1. imperō mīlitibus ut discēdant.
I order the soldiers to leave. (ut + present subjunctive — primary sequence)

2. rogāvī amīcum nē id faceret.
I asked my friend not to do that. (nē + imperfect subjunctive — secondary sequence)

3. hortātus est nōs ut fortiter pugnārēmus.
He encouraged us to fight bravely. (ut + imperfect subjunctive — secondary sequence)

4. iussit mīlitēs discēdere.
He ordered the soldiers to leave. (iubeō + accusative + infinitive — not ut)

Exam tip: nē after a verb of ordering means "not to" (negative indirect command). Don't confuse it with nē after a verb of fearing, which means "that" (positive fear). The trigger verb is your first clue: ordering verbs → indirect command; fearing verbs → fearing clause.