# Latin/Lesson 7-The Gerund and Participles

# Participles

**Participles** are verbs which function grammatically like adjectives.
English, aided by auxiliary participles, is able have participle phrases
in many tenses. Latin has participles that do not have auxiliary
supplementary participles. This limits the usage of the participle in
Latin, according to some wiki-scholars of Classical Studies.

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## Present Active Participles

Present participles are formed by adding -ns to the stem of the verb.

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  `<B>`{=html}Forming the Present Imperfect Participle`</B>`{=html}
  1st Conjugation
  2nd Conjugation
  3rd Conjugation
  4th Conjugation
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Present Participles are declined like 3rd declension adjectives. In
cases besides the nominative, the -s becomes -t.

Examples:

1\. ferens, ferentis 2. capiens, capientis 3. ens, entis

### Exercises

Form the Present Participle and translate of the following Latin verbs:

-   meto, messui, messum, ere
-   metuo, metum, ui, ere
-   milito, avi, atum, are
-   postulo, avi, atum, are
-   sulco, avi, sulcum, are
-   iacio, ieci, iactum, ere

### Uses

The examples will show participles of the verb *amo, amare, amavi,
amatum* (to love).

-   **present active**: base + \'ns.\' This forms a two-termination 3rd
    declension adjective. In the case of *amare*, the participle is
    *amans, amantis* (loving).
-   **perfect passive**: fourth principle part, with appropriate first
    or second declension endings: *amatus, -a, -um*.
-   **future active**: fourth principle part, minus \'m\', add \'rus,
    -a, -um\' This forms a 1st-2nd declension adjective: *amaturus, -a,
    -um* (about to love).

In deponent verbs, the perfect passive participle is formed in the same
way as in regular verbs. However, since the nature of the deponent verb
is passive in form and active in meaning, the participle is translated
actively.

Remember that participles are adjectives, and therefore must be declined
to agree with the noun which they modify in case, number and gender.

## Gerund

The gerund is a verbal noun which is used to refer to the **action** of
a verb. For example: ars **scribendi** = the art of **writing**. The
gerund is declined as a second declension neuter noun. It is formed by
taking the present stem and adding -ndum.

  ------------ ------------ --------------- -------------- --------------- ---------------
  **Verb**     amo, amare   video, videre   rego, regere   capio, capere   audio, audire
  **Gerund**   amandum      videndum        regendum       capiendum       audiendum
  ------------ ------------ --------------- -------------- --------------- ---------------

\
==== Meanings of the gerund ====

-   Genitive: ars legendi - The art of reading / to read
-   Accusative: ad puniendum - to punish, for punishing
-   Ablative: saepe canendo - through frequently singing; in legendo:
    while reading
-   Genitive with *causa*: puniendi causa - in order to punish

## Gerundive

The gerundive is a 1st/2nd declension adjective formed the same way as
the gerund, and its function overlaps somewhat with the gerund, but
otherwise differs. The literal translation of the gerundive is with \"to
be\", eg. defendendus, -a, -um = \"to be defended\".

-   Accusative: ad ludos fruendos - to the games to be enjoyed - to
    enjoy the games (Note that if this were a gerund construction, it
    would be ad lud**is** fruend**um** since *fruor, -i* takes the
    ablative case. In the gerundive construction, both noun and
    gerundive are governed by the preposition *ad*)
-   Gerundive of obligation, which is constructed with the verb \'est\'
    or \'sunt\', according to the subject\'s number: Carthago delenda
    est - Carthage is to be destroyed - Carthage must be destroyed. Note
    that if there is an object (eg. Carthage is to be destroyed **by
    us**), it goes into the dative case (eg. Carthago delenda **nobis**
    est).

# Exercises

1\. Convert the following subjunctive purpose clauses into gerund or
gerundive clauses with the same meaning. For example: militabat ut
patriam defenderet → militabat ad patriam defendendum *or* militabat
patriam defendendi causa *or* militabat ad patriam defendendam. Try to
use each construction twice.

-   casam exit ut patrem adiuvet
-   mater in casam rediit ut cenam pararet
-   hostes vincebant ergo scutum abieci (*I threw away my shield*) ut
    celerius fugerem
-   in silvas currimus ut nos celemus
-   hostes in silvas ineunt ut nos invenirent
-   Brutus Iulium Caesarem occidit ut Romam liberaret

2\. Translate into Latin. For example: I must see the temple -\> templum
mihi videndum est

-   We must build a large city.
-   Julius Caesar must lead an army into Greece.
-   Scipio (*Scipio, -ionis*) must defeat Hannibal.

