---
title: "Ut Clause — AP Latin Definition, Uses & Exam Guide"
description: "An ut clause is a Latin subordinate clause introduced by ut, meaning \"so that\" with the subjunctive or \"as/when\" with the indicative, where it often launches similes in Ovid."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-latin/key-terms/ut-clause"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP Latin"
unit: "Unit 6"
---

# Ut Clause — AP Latin Definition, Uses & Exam Guide

## Definition

An ut clause is a Latin subordinate clause introduced by the conjunction ut, which takes the subjunctive to express purpose, result, or indirect command ("so that," "that") and the indicative to mean "as" or "when," the form that frequently introduces similes in poets like Ovid and Vergil.

## What It Is

Ut is one of the hardest-working little words in Latin, and an ut clause is simply any subordinate clause it introduces. The meaning depends entirely on the [mood](/ap-latin/key-terms/mood "fv-autolink") of the [verb](/ap-latin/unit-4 "fv-autolink") inside the clause. With the **subjunctive**, ut usually signals purpose ("he flew low *so that* the water would not weigh down his wings"), result ("he was *so* amazed *that* he froze"), or an indirect command ("she begged him *to* stay"). With the **indicative**, ut means "as," "just as," or "when," and this is the version poets love for comparisons.

That second use is why ut matters in the Unit 6 poetry sight-reading passages. When Ovid compares Narcissus, stunned by his own reflection, to a statue carved from Parian marble (*ut e Pario formatum marmore signum*), the word ut is the hinge of the simile. It does the same job English "like" or "as" does. So an ut clause isn't just a grammar checkbox; it's often the doorway into the stylistic devices the CED asks you to [analyze](/ap-latin/course-skills/analyze/study-guide/NHFeYJQL6aSUg2izGgT0 "fv-autolink").

## Why It Matters

Ut clauses live everywhere in the [AP Latin](/ap-latin "fv-autolink") syllabus, but they connect directly to [Unit 6](/ap-latin/unit-6 "fv-autolink") (Suggested Practice – Latin Poetry) and learning objective **AP Latin 6.9.A**, which asks you to describe similes and metaphors as stylistic devices. The CED defines a simile as an explicit comparison using words such as "like" or "as," and in Latin, ut (along with velut and qualis) is one of the main words that makes a comparison explicit. In the suggested sight-reading from Ovid's *Metamorphoses*, both the Narcissus and the Daedalus and Icarus episodes use comparison to build meaning, so spotting an ut + indicative clause is often your first clue that a simile has started. Meanwhile, ut + subjunctive clauses (purpose, result, indirect command) are core grammar for the literal-translation skill the exam tests on every passage, prose and poetry alike.

## Connections

### Similes and metaphors in Latin poetry (Unit 6)

LO AP Latin 6.9.A asks you to describe [similes](/ap-latin/key-terms/simile "fv-autolink"), and ut + indicative is the grammar that builds them. If a simile is an explicit comparison using "like" or "as," then ut is the Latin "as." See the comparison word, and you've found the device.

### Ovid Metamorphoses: Narcissus (Unit 6)

[Ovid](/ap-latin/key-terms/ovid "fv-autolink") freezes Narcissus at the pool with a simile launched by ut, comparing him to a statue of Parian marble. The ut clause isn't decoration. It turns a boy into stone in advance, hinting at his fate.

### Ovid Metamorphoses: Daedalus and Icarus (Unit 6)

This sight-reading episode pairs ut-style comparisons with purpose-driven action. Daedalus shapes wings and warns his son with instructions, exactly the situations where Latin reaches for ut clauses, so the passage is great practice for sorting indicative "as" from subjunctive "so that."

### Literal translation of subordinate clauses (Units 1-8)

Every translation passage on the exam, Caesar or [Vergil](/ap-latin/unit-3 "fv-autolink"), is full of ut + subjunctive clauses. Translating purpose as "so that... would" and result as "so... that" is the kind of precise rendering the literal-translation rubric rewards.

## On the AP Exam

No released FRQ asks you to define "ut clause" by name, but the skill shows up constantly. On translation FRQs, you have to render ut clauses precisely, so "misit milites ut oppidum caperent" becomes "he sent soldiers so that they might capture the town," not a vague paraphrase. Multiple-choice questions regularly ask you to identify the type of clause ut introduces or explain why its verb is subjunctive. And on analytical questions about poetry, an ut + indicative simile is exactly the kind of stylistic evidence (per LO AP Latin 6.9.A) you can quote, translate, and explain to support a point about how Ovid or Vergil characterizes a figure.

## ut clause vs Purpose clause vs. result clause

Both use ut + subjunctive, so they look identical at first glance. The difference is intent versus outcome. A purpose clause gives the reason an action was done ("he flew low *so that* he would stay safe"), while a result clause states what actually happened, usually flagged by a signal word like tam, ita, sic, adeo, or tantus in the main clause ("he flew *so* high *that* the wax melted"). The negatives also split them. Purpose uses ne, but result uses ut non. If you see a "so" word earlier in the sentence, bet on result.

## Key Takeaways

- An ut clause is a subordinate clause introduced by ut, and its meaning depends on the mood of its verb.
- Ut with the subjunctive expresses purpose ("so that"), result ("so... that"), or indirect command ("that/to").
- Ut with the indicative means "as," "just as," or "when," and this is the form that introduces similes in Latin poetry.
- Per LO AP Latin 6.9.A, a simile is an explicit comparison using "like" or "as," so an ut + indicative clause is often your textual evidence that a simile is happening.
- Signal words like tam, ita, sic, adeo, and tantus point to a result clause, and the negative ne (instead of ut non) points to purpose.
- In Ovid's Narcissus episode, an ut simile compares the boy to a marble statue, a stylistic move you can quote and analyze on poetry questions.

## FAQs

### What is an ut clause in Latin?

It's a subordinate clause introduced by the conjunction ut. With a subjunctive verb it expresses purpose, result, or indirect command, and with an indicative verb it means "as," "just as," or "when."

### Does ut always take the subjunctive?

No. Ut takes the indicative when it means "as" or "when," which is exactly how it works in similes. Only the purpose, result, indirect command, and fear-clause uses require the subjunctive.

### How do I tell an ut purpose clause from an ut result clause?

Look for signal words and the negative. Result clauses usually follow tam, ita, sic, adeo, or tantus ("so great... that") and negate with ut non, while purpose clauses give the goal of the action and negate with ne instead of ut.

### What does ut mean in Ovid's Narcissus passage?

In the famous line comparing Narcissus to a statue formed from Parian marble (ut e Pario formatum marmore signum), ut means "like" or "as" and introduces a simile. That makes it stylistic evidence for LO AP Latin 6.9.A, which covers similes and metaphors.

### Is the ut clause tested on the AP Latin exam?

Yes, just not by name. Translation FRQs require you to render ut clauses literally and accurately, multiple-choice questions ask you to identify the clause type, and poetry analysis questions reward you for citing ut-introduced similes as stylistic devices.

## Related Study Guides

- [6.9 Ovid Metamorphoses: Daedalus and Icarus Study Guide](/ap-latin/unit-6/ovid-metamorphoses-daedalus-and-icarus-study-guide/study-guide/a741a0b3403b2fcd)

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