---
title: "Priusquam — AP Latin Definition, Mood Rules & Exam Guide"
description: "Priusquam means \"before\" and introduces temporal clauses in Latin. It takes the indicative for facts and the subjunctive for anticipation, a favorite AP syntax question."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-latin/key-terms/priusquam"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP Latin"
---

# Priusquam — AP Latin Definition, Mood Rules & Exam Guide

## Definition

Priusquam is a Latin subordinating conjunction meaning "before." It introduces a temporal clause and takes the indicative for an actual event but the subjunctive when the action is anticipated or prevented ("before X could happen"), a mood distinction AP Latin syntax questions love to test.

## What It Is

Priusquam is a [conjunction](/ap-latin/unit-3 "fv-autolink") meaning "before," and it kicks off a temporal clause that tells you what happens (or almost happens) before the main action. The catch, and the reason it shows up on the AP exam, is [mood](/ap-latin/key-terms/mood "fv-autolink"). When the clause describes something that actually occurred, priusquam takes the **indicative**. When the clause describes something anticipated, intended, or prevented, it takes the **subjunctive**. Think of the subjunctive version as "before X *could* happen." If Caesar attacks *priusquam hostes se reciperent*, the enemy never got to recover. That's the whole point of the subjunctive there.

One more quirk you'll see in real Latin: priusquam is literally *prius* ("earlier") + *quam* ("than"), and authors love to split it. You'll find *prius* sitting in the [main clause](/ap-latin/unit-2/pliny-letter-6-20-11-20-study-guide/study-guide/f49ccafdfb28994d "fv-autolink") and *quam* introducing the subordinate clause several words later. If you spot a lonely *prius*, start scanning ahead for its *quam*. The same behavior applies to its near-twin *antequam*.

## Why It Matters

[AP Latin](/ap-latin "fv-autolink") builds everything on two skills: translating literally and explaining syntax. Priusquam tests both at once. The required readings from Caesar's *Gallic War* and Vergil's *Aeneid* are full of temporal clauses, and Caesar in particular uses anticipatory priusquam clauses constantly in military [narrative](/ap-latin/unit-4 "fv-autolink"), because war is all about doing things before the other side can react. On the exam, the mood inside the clause is not decoration. A subjunctive after priusquam changes the meaning of the sentence, and a translation that ignores it (rendering "before they recovered" when the Latin means "before they could recover") loses the nuance graders are checking for. Recognizing priusquam also feeds the broader CED skill of reading Latin in word order, since the split *prius...quam* forces you to hold the sentence structure in your head.

## Connections

### Subjunctive mood in subordinate clauses (Units 1-8)

Priusquam is one of several constructions (alongside cum clauses, purpose clauses, and indirect questions) where the subjunctive signals something beyond plain fact. If a [syntax](/ap-latin/key-terms/syntax "fv-autolink") question asks why a verb is subjunctive, "anticipation after priusquam" is a legitimate answer, just like "purpose after ut."

### Postquam and temporal conjunctions (Units 1-8)

Postquam ("after") is priusquam's mirror image, but it almost always takes the [indicative](/ap-latin/unit-6 "fv-autolink") because the action already happened by definition. Comparing the two makes the logic click. You can't anticipate something that's already over, which is exactly why priusquam gets the subjunctive option and postquam doesn't.

### [Ablative Absolute (Units 1-8)](/ap-latin/key-terms/ablative-absolute)

[Caesar](/ap-latin/key-terms/caesar "fv-autolink") has two go-to tools for sequencing events: the ablative absolute (a compressed phrase like "these things having been done") and temporal clauses with conjunctions like priusquam or postquam. Spotting both lets you reconstruct the timeline of a passage, which is half the battle in a Caesar translation FRQ.

### Caesar's military narrative style (Units 2, 4, 6)

Anticipatory priusquam clauses are practically a Caesar signature. He's constantly striking camp, crossing rivers, or attacking "before the enemy could" do something. When you see priusquam plus subjunctive in the Gallic War, it usually marks Caesar outpacing his opponents.

## On the AP Exam

Priusquam shows up two ways. In multiple choice, expect syntax questions on a sight or required passage asking why a verb is in the subjunctive, with "anticipation after priusquam" or a similar phrasing as the answer, or a comprehension question hinging on the order of events. In the literal translation FRQs, a priusquam clause has to be rendered precisely. Translate the conjunction as "before," keep the tense of the verb, and capture the anticipatory force of a subjunctive ("before they could flee," not just "before they fled") when the context calls for it. No released FRQ is built around the word itself, but temporal clauses are standard material in the Caesar and Vergil passages chosen for translation, so treating priusquam as a fixed pattern you can decode on sight pays off directly in points.

## priusquam vs Postquam

They look like a matched pair, but they behave differently. Postquam means "after" and takes the indicative, because the subordinate action is already a done fact by the time the main clause happens. Priusquam means "before" and can take either mood. Indicative when the event really happened, subjunctive when it was merely anticipated or never got the chance to happen. If you mix them up in translation, you reverse the timeline of the whole sentence, which is a comprehension error, not just a vocab slip.

## Key Takeaways

- Priusquam is a conjunction meaning "before" that introduces a temporal subordinate clause.
- It takes the indicative when the clause states an actual event and the subjunctive when the action is anticipated, intended, or prevented.
- A subjunctive after priusquam should be translated with anticipatory force, like "before the enemy could recover," not just "before the enemy recovered."
- Authors often split it into prius...quam, with prius in the main clause and quam introducing the subordinate verb, so watch for the two pieces.
- Antequam works almost identically to priusquam, while postquam ("after") is the opposite in meaning and sticks to the indicative.
- Caesar uses anticipatory priusquam clauses constantly in the Gallic War to show himself acting before the enemy can respond.

## FAQs

### What does priusquam mean in Latin?

Priusquam means "before." It's a subordinating conjunction built from prius ("earlier") + quam ("than"), and it introduces a clause describing what happens, or almost happens, before the main action.

### Does priusquam always take the subjunctive?

No. Priusquam takes the indicative when the clause reports a real event, and the subjunctive only when the action is anticipated or prevented. The mood is a meaning choice, not an automatic rule, which is exactly why AP syntax questions test it.

### What is the difference between priusquam and antequam?

Almost nothing in practice. Both mean "before," both follow the same indicative-versus-subjunctive logic, and both can be split (prius...quam, ante...quam). Treat them as interchangeable when translating.

### How is priusquam different from postquam?

Priusquam means "before" and postquam means "after," so confusing them flips the order of events in your translation. Grammatically, postquam takes the indicative, while priusquam can take the subjunctive to show anticipation.

### Why is priusquam sometimes split into prius and quam?

Because it's literally two words, "earlier than," Latin authors freely separate them for emphasis or rhythm. You might see prius early in the main clause and quam several words later starting the subordinate clause. Reading them as one unit is the fix.

### Is priusquam on the AP Latin exam?

Yes, as part of the grammar and translation skills tested throughout. Temporal clauses with priusquam appear in the required Caesar and Vergil readings, and you may need to translate one literally or explain why its verb is subjunctive.

## Related Study Guides

- [Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ)](/ap-latin/ap-latin-exam/ap-latin-mcq/study-guide/ap-latin-mcq)

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