Infinitive Flashcards
Present active
are/ere/ere/ire
To desire
Present passive
Ari/eri/i/iri
To be desired
Perfect active
3rdPP + isse
To have desired
Perfect passive
4thPP (-us -a -um) + esse
To have been desired
Future active
Urus/ura/urum + esse
To be going to desire
Infinitives can also be translated as
Optare= To desire/desiring
What is an infinitive
Not limited by person, number, mood
Does show tense and voice
Complementary/object infinitive
Verbs that express ability, will, desire
Infinitives required to complete the idea of the verb
Object infinitives if they function as the direct object of the transitive verb
How should a present active infinitive be translated
To desire
How should a present passive infinitive be translated
To be desired
How should a perfect active infinitive be translated
To have desired
How should a perfect passive infinitive be translated
To have been desired
How should a future active infinitive be translated
To be going to desire
Future active periphrastic infinitive (+present)
How should it be translated
4PP (-urus -ura -urum) esse (same as the future active infinitive)
To be going to desire
Future active periphrastic infinitive (+perfect)
How should it be translated
4PP (-urus -ura -urum) + fuisse
To have been going to desire
Future passive periphrastic infinitive (+present)
How should it be translated
Present stem (-ndus -nda -ndum) + esse
To have to be desired
Future passive periphrastic infinitive (+perfect)
How should it be translated
Present stem (-ndus -nda -ndum) + fuisse
To have had to be desired
what actually is an infinitive
it is actually a neuter noun
videre est credere
to see is to believe
–> seeing is believing
if an infinitive is used as a noun it can be modified by
an adjective appearing in the neuter
Libros legere bonum est
reading books is a good thing
to read books is good
it is a good thing to read books
we know that reading books is a good thing
–> we know that to read books is good
Scimus bonum esse libros legere
(legere is the subject accusative of the infinitive esse)
The historical infinitive
Used instead of a finite verb, emphasise the pure verbal action rather than its agents
The subject of historical infinitive
In the nominative
In viis urbis heri currere, clamare, fortiter pugnare
In the streets of the city yesterday (men/they) were running, shouting, fighting, bravely
(Historical infinitive)
