(1) In conditional, comparative, and concessive sentences, both in the
protasis and apodosis. When used in the sentence introduced by =jos=, or
some similar particle, the present implies that the condition is not yet
realised, and the past that it has not been. But this distinction is not
always observed, the present being used of a condition not realized in
the past. =Jos menisitte tässä myrskyssä järvelle niin hukkuisitte=, _if
you were to go on the lake in this storm you would be drowned_. =Parempi
olisi ollut Ilman impenä eleä=, _it would have been better to live as
the virgin of the air_ (Kal. i. 161). =Jos varani myöntäisivät niin
matkustaisin ulkomaille=, _if my means allowed me I should go abroad_.
=Kukapa ... käkiä kukutteleisi, Lintusia laulattaisi, Jos minä menisin
muunne, Saisin marja muille maille. Jos tämä kana katoisi, Tämä hanhi
hairahtaisi=, etc. (Kal. x. 441 ff.).
The word =jos= is sometimes omitted and replaced by the interrogative
suffix =-ko= after the verb. Kal. xi. 95:—=Nauraisitko Saaren naiset,
Pitäisit pyhäiset piiat, Niin siitä tora tulisi, Sota suuri lankeaisi=,
_were you to seduce the maidens of the island a quarrel would come of it
and a great war fall on us_.
(2) In final sentences to express the object of an action. =Ilmoittakaat
minulle että minäkin tulisin ja kummartaisin häntä= (S. Matt. ii.
8), _bring me word that I may come and worship him also_. =Kirjoitan
hänelle että hän toimittaisi sen asian=, _I am writing to him that he
may undertake the affair_. =Olkaa hiljaa, lapset, että saisin rauhassa
työskennellä=, _be quiet, children, that I may work in peace_. =Ava suusi
suuremmaksi ... pääsisin mahasta maalle= (Kal. xvii. 583), _open thy
mouth ... that I may come forth from thy stomach_.
(3) In temporal and relative sentences when the temporal particle or
relative involves some idea of purpose, capacity, etc. =En tahtonut
ruveta kirjoittamaan ennenkuin saisin varman tiedon asiasta=, _I did not
wish to write before I received certain news of the affair_. =Päätin
lakkauttaa kauppaliikkeeni kunnes ajat paranisivat=, _I determined
to close my business till the times should be better_. =Sen mä
mieheksi sanoisin, Urohoksi arveleisin, Joka jouseni vetäisi, Kiveräni
kiinnittäisi.= (Kal. xxvi. 357). N.B. The conditional is used only if the
principal verb is in a past tense or conditional.
(4) In Oratio Obliqua.
_a._ After verbs of wishing, asking, commanding, etc. =Käske että
palvelija valjastaisi hevosen=, _tell the servant to get the horse
harnessed_. =Tahdotko että se heti tehtäisiin?= _do you wish it to be
done at once?_
_b._ To represent the imperative in the Oratio recta. =Isäntä sanoi että
rengit menisivät pellolle=, _the master told the servants to go to the
fields_. =Hän viitasi että he vaikenisivat=, _he motioned to them to be
silent_.
(5) As a polite form of statement, request, or question, from which, as
mentioned above, it often comes to be used as a future. =Minä luulisin
että hän ostaisi talonne=, _I should think he would buy your house_.
=Voisitteko kertoa minulle?= _can you tell me?_ =Tahtoisin puhua
kanssanne=, _I should like to talk to you_. =Näyttäisitte minulle=,
_please show me_. =Enkö saisi ...?= _can I have ...?_ =Menisitte
noutamaan yhdet hyyryvaunut=, _please go and call a cab_.
(6) To express a wish with such particles as =jos=, =jospa=, =kunhan=,
etc. =Jospa hän tulisi!= _if he would only come!_ =Jospa olisin
tietänyt!= _had I only known!_ =Kunhan tuttuni tulisi!= _if my friend
would but come!_
_Imperative and Optative._
Though these moods are given as two in the Accidence on account of
the slight difference in their form, they may be treated as one
syntactically, as they supply one another’s deficiencies, the imperative
being only used in the 2nd sing. and 1st and 2nd persons plur., and the
optative only in the 2nd sing. and the 3rd person singular and plural. In
poetry a 2nd pers. plur. optative ending in =otte= is occasionally found.
There is no difference between the meaning of the two in 2nd person
singular.