INFINITIVA

FORMS:

USAGE:

 Infinitives: (in-finire; not limited) are VERBAL NOUNS:

  • Although infinitives are nouns, they DO NOT decline.
  • Infinitives occur only in three tenses: PERFECT, PRESENT, and FUTURE.

NOTA BENE:

  • The precise translation of an infinitive in INDIRECT SPEECH depends on the tense of the verb which initiates that construction.
  • Deponent verbs have only PASSIVE forms with ACTIVE meanings.

 Tempus/Vox  Activa  Passiva
 Futurum

 amat-ur-um esse

to be about to love

 amat-um iri

to be about to be loved

 Praesens

 ama-re

to love

 ama-ri

to be loved

 Perfectum

 amav-isse

to have loved

 amat-um esse

to have been loved

 

 PRESENT INFINITIVE: VERBAL NOUN

present verb stem + [-re] for the active, or [-ri] for the passive.

 Vox/Coniugatio  1st Coniugatio  2nd Coniugatio  3rd Coniugatio  4th Coniugatio
 Activa  ama-re  habe-re  leg-e-re  dormi-re
 Passiva  ama-ri  habe-ri  leg-i  dormi-ri
 Deponentia  horta-ri  pollice-ri  loq-i  menti-ri

NOTA BENE:

  • The passive infinitive of the 3rd conjugation appends an [-i] directly to the stem.

 

 PERFECT INFINITIVE: VERBAL NOUN

ACTIVE: perfect verb stem + [-isse]

PASSIVE: perfect passive participle & [esse]

 Vox/Coniugatio  1st Coniugatio  2nd Coniugatio  3rd Coniugatio  4th Coniugatio
 Activa  amav-isse  habu-isse  leg-isse  dormiv-isse
 Passiva  amat-um esse  habit-um esse  lect-um esse  dormit-um esse
 Deponentia  hortat-um esse  pollicit-um esse  locut-um esse  mentit-um esse

NOTA BENE:

  • Since the perfect passive and deponent infinitives employ the perfect participle, it is necessary for the case, number, and gender of the participle to match that of its subject: e.g. Ea pueros [clamatos esse] dicit. She says that the boys [have been called.] Clamatos is accusative, plural, masculine to agree with pueros.

 

 FUTURE INFINITIVE: VERBAL NOUN

ACTIVE: future active participle & [esse]

PASSIVE: supine & [iri]

 Vox/Coniugatio  1st Coniugatio  2nd Coniugatio  3rd Coniugatio  4th Coniugatio
 Activa  amaturum esse  habiturum esse  lecturum esse  dormiturum esse
 Passiva  amat-um iri  habit-um iri  lect-um iri  dormit-um iri
 Deponentia  hortaturum esse  polliciturum esse  locuturum esse  mentiturum esse

NOTA BENE:

  • The literal meaning of the future passive infinitive is that "there is a motion for the purpose of X-ing," rendered more fluidly in to English by "to be going to be X-ed." This form is extremely rare.

 USAGE of the INFINITIVE:

INFINITIVE in INDIRECT SPEECH:

 

SUBSTANTIVAL INFINITIVE:

  • The infinitive can function substantively as a subject-noun. e.g. [Amare] gaudium est. [To love] is a joy.

 

COMPLEMENTARY INFINITIVE:

  • Some verbs require an infinitive to "fill-up" (com-plere) their meaning, i.e. posse, velle, debere et cetera. In this instance the infinitive is able to function as an object-noun. e.g. Marcus non [legere] bene potest. Marcus is not able [to read] well.

 

OBJECTIVE INFINITIVE:

  • An infinitive which is the object of a verb and is itself functioning verbally by taking an object is termed an objetive infinitive. e.g. Aemilia [habere] ornamentum alterum vult. Aemilia wants [to have] another ornament. Habere is the object of the verb vult and itself takes the object ornamentum.

 

Liber Grammaticus Latinus /\\||\\/ Classis Latina MIII Pagina Villae