Download Chapter 25 Infinitives

CAPUT XXV Review
Infinitives & Indirect Statement
Infinitives
An infinitive, as a verbal noun, can function in a number of ways. It can be the subject of a clause
(Errāre est humānum) or a complement to certain verbs (Rīdēre debētis). An infinitive also functions in
various constructions, such as indirect statements (below).
Present
Perfect
Future
Active
-āre,-ēre,-ere,-īre
perfect stem + isse
future act. part* + esse
Passive
-ārī,-ērī,-ī,-īrī
perfect pass. part.* + esse
supine (-um) + īrī
* The participle must agree with the subject of esse in case number and gender.
Ex. amo, amare, amavi, amatus
Active
Present
amāre
Perfect
amāvisse
Future
amāturus esse
Passive
amārī
amātus-a-um esse
amātum īrī
Translation
Present
Perfect
Future
Active
to love
to have loved
to be about to love
Passive
to be loved
to have been loved
to be about to be loved
*The translations of the infinitives are conventional. They are rarely translated literally, but rather according to the
construction to which they belong.
Indirect Statements
Indirect statements follow verbs of speech, mental activity, and perception and they report something that
has been seen, heard, thought, perceived, said, etc.
Ex. We think that you are wrong. We had heard that the city was being destroyed.
• The subject of this clause is put into the accusative case and the verb of this clause is put into an
infinitive form.
• The subject of the indirect statement is always expressed even if the subject of the indirect
statement is the same as the subject of the main clause.
Ex. The girl says that the boy is evil.
Puella dicit puerum esse malum.
Translation into English usually requires that the indirect statement be put into a subordinate clause
introduced by “that”.
CAPUT XXV Review
The tense of the infinitive of the indirect statement is relative to the verb of the main clause.
Present- time contemporaneous with the verb of the main clause
Ex.
The sailors knew that the ship sailed without the king.
Nautae scīvērunt navem sine rege navigāre.
Perfect- time prior to the action of the verb of the main clause
Ex.
The sailors knew that the ship had sailed without the king.
Nautae scīvērunt navem sine rege navigāvisse.
Future- time subsequent to the action of the verb of the main clause
Ex.
The sailors knew that the ship would sail without them.
Nautae scīvērunt navem sine rege navigātam esse.