Latin Almanac: Guide to Twelve Important Constructions in Latin
indirect statement
● accusative + infinitive (one of six) ● se refers back to subject of the main verb ● present infinitive = occurs at same time as main verb ● deep past (double perfect) = had…
present active infinitive: portare present passive infinitive: portari future active infinitive: portaturus esse future passive infinitive: portatum iri perfect active infinitive: portavisse perfect passive infinitive: portatus esse
iubeo + object (accusative) + infinitive (present)
ablative absolute
both the participle and subject agree, and are placed in the ablative
present participle: portante (from portans) (with me carrying) perfect passive participle: portato (from portatus) (with me having been carried) future active participle: portaturo (from portaturus) (with me about to carry)
connecting relative ● the relative becomes ‘this’ or ‘these’, or ‘he’, ‘him’ if it is a person ● quo dicto = with this said ● refers back to concept from previous sentence
conditional clause
si if nisi unless, if …not
definite: indicative indefinite: subjunctive; contain ‘might’ or ‘would’
pluperfect subjunctive = had … would have imperfect subjunctive = were … would be present subjunctive = were to … would be
purpose clause
present subjunctive: tense of main verb is present or future imperfect subjunctive: tense of main verb is past
ut (positive), ne (negative) + subjunctive qui (relative pronoun) + subjunctive quo (adverb) + comparative adverb + subjunctive
indirect command
impero + dat I order moneo I warn oro I beg persuadeo + dat I persuade rogo I ask hortor I exhort
indirect command verb + object (accusative/dative) + ut/ne + subjunctive se refers back to subject of main verb
present subjunctive tense of main verb is present or future imperfect subjunctive tense of main verb is past
indirect question
main clause + interrogative word + subjunctive (all four tenses)
interrogative pronouns: quis, quid (who, what) interrogative adverbs: quot how many cur why ubi where (when in a statement, where in a question) quando when quo modo how num whether unde whence (from where) quo whither (to where) utrum…an whether…or
consecutive (result) clause
main clause + so + adverb/adjective + that + consecutive clause (subjunctive)
tam + adjective so + adjective tantus-a-um so great tot so many totiens so often ita thus, so, in such a way talis-e such adeo to such an extent sic in this way
ut + subjunctive positive ut … non + subjunctive negative
present subjunctive tense of main verb is present or future perfect subjunctive tense of main verb is past, and the result is a quick, short action imperfect subjunctive tense of main verb is past, and the result is a long action or a state
verb of fearing clauses
timeo/vereor + ne + subjunctive positive timeo/vereor + ne … non + subjunctive negative
subject of subjunctive clause is in the nominative
present subjunctive with present indicative, ne = fear that … will imperfect subjunctive with past indicative, ne = feared that … would perfect/pluperfect subjunctive with any indicative, ne = fear for past
temporal clauses
cum + subjunctive when, since
gerundives
a gerundive is a passive verbal adjective
portandus needing to be carried, monendus, capiendus, audiendus
gerundive + esse obligation or necessity; needing to be, must be; gerundive changes dative agent obligation by agent, or agent must … a/ab + ablative patient if the verb takes the dative
ad + noun + accusative gerundive expresses purpose; noun is accusative unless verb + dat genitive noun + genitive gerundive + causa (abl) for the sake of … the …
gerund
a gerund is a verbal noun
neuter singular of the gerundive portandum (accusative) portandi (genitive), art of writing portando (dative), gave attention to writing portando (ablative), passed his time by writing
impersonal verbs
impersonal verb + accusative + infinitive it … noun to … impersonal verb + dative + infinitive it … for noun to …