gerunds Flashcards
gerund
‘the act of -ing’.
it is always neuter sg. and isn’t passive, like the gerundive.
never used in nominative.
(gen) ars amandi - the art of loving
(dat) operam dat amando - he gives attention to loving
(abl) effugi currendo - I escaped by running
in acc + prep.
pareo ad currendum - I am ready for running
(is equivalent to ut currendum)
dat. of gerund is relatively uncommon but follows words that take the dat.
the abl. is usually instrumental
- docendo multo disco (I learn many things by teaching)
Because it is part of a verb it is qualified by an adverb, rather than adj.
ars bene canendi difficilis est
- the art of singing well is difficult.
things the gen. gerund goes with
nouns -
ars (art)
occasio (opportunity)
signum (signal/sign)
spes (hope)
tempus (time)
adj -
cupidus (eager)
peritus (skilled)
causa/gratia (for the sake off)
- causa and gratia always comes after the thing it is controlling
these are all followed by the gen. (of definition) which can be translated as
for
in
at
to
gerund of eo
is eundum
and is often found in compounds
occasionem abeundi peto
- I am seeking an opportunity to go away.
Gerund + direct object
ars scribendi -
the art of writing (ars in nom. scrib is neut, because gerunds are neuter)
-then it is given an object.
ars scribendi epistulam