Latin periphrases
In Latin, there are multiple periphrases for tense and mode. Here we list the most common.
| Latin grammar |
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Perfect periphrasis
The perfect periphrasis is composed of the sum auxiliary and a perfect participle such as ductus, ducta, ductum or by the īrī auxiliary and a supine such as ductum.
The auxiliary varies according to the speech role and number of the subject.
- ego : ā Caesare : ductus sum = I : was led : by Caesar
- tū : ā Caesare : ductus es = you : were led : by Caesar
- homō : ā Caesare : ductus est = the man : was led : by Caesar
Moreover, the participle varies according to the gender and number of the subject.
- homō : ā Caesare : ductus est = the man : was led : by Caesar
- mulier : ā Caesare : ducta est = the woman : was led : by Caesar
- puerī : ā Caesare : ductī sunt = the boys : were led : by Caesar
However, the supine in the 'īrī infinitive' paradigm does not vary.
- hominem : ā Caesare : ductum īrī = that : the man : would be led : by Caesar
- mulierem : ā Caesare : ductum īrī = that : the woman : would be led : by Caesar
- puerōs : ā Caesare : ductum īrī = that : the boys : would be led : by Caesar
| Paradigm | Latin Example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'indicative future' | divīsum erit | past in future | 'it will have been divided' |
| future | 'it will be divided' | ||
| 'indicative present' | divīsum est | past in present | 'it has been divided' |
| present | 'it is divided' | ||
| past | 'it was divided' | ||
| 'indicative imperfect' | divīsum erat | past in past | 'it had been divided' |
| past | 'it was divided' | ||
| 'indicative future perfect' | divīsum fuerit | past in past in future | 'it will have been divided earlier' |
| 'indicative perfect' | divīsum fuit | past in past in present | 'it has been divided earlier' |
| past in past | 'it had been divided' | ||
| 'indicative pluperfect' | divīsum fuerat | past in past in past | 'it had been divided earlier' |
| 'subjunctive present' | divīsum sit | -- | 'whether it is divided' |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | divīsum esset | -- | 'whether it was divided' |
| 'subjunctive perfect' | divīsum fuerit | -- | 'whether it was divided' |
| 'subjunctive pluperfect' | divīsum fuisset | -- | 'whether it had been divided' |
| 'infinitive īrī' | ductum īrī | future in present | 'that I will be led' |
| future in past | 'that I would be led' | ||
| 'infinitive fore' | ductum fore | past in future in present | 'that I will have been led' |
| past in future in past | 'that I was going to have been led' | ||
| 'infinitive present' | ductum esse | past in present | 'that I was led' |
| past in past | 'that I had been led' | ||
| 'infinitive perfect' | ductum fuisse | past in past in present | 'that I had been led' |
| past in past in past | 'that I had been led earlier' | ||
| Paradigm | Latin Example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'indicative future' | locūtus erō | past in future | 'I will have said' |
| 'indicative present' | locūtus sum | past in present | 'I have said' |
| past | 'I said' | ||
| 'indicative imperfect' | locūtus eram | past in past | 'I had said' |
| 'indicative future perfect' | locūtus fuerō | past in past in future | 'I will have said earlier' |
| 'indicative perfect' | locūtus fuī | past in past in present | 'I have said earlier' |
| past in past | 'I had said' | ||
| 'indicative pluperfect' | locūtus fueram | past in past in past | 'I had said earlier' |
| 'subjunctive present' | locūtus sim | -- | 'whether I said' |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | locūtus essem | -- | 'whether I had said' |
| 'subjunctive perfect' | locūtus fuerim | -- | -- |
| 'subjunctive pluperfect' | locūtus fuissem | -- | -- |
| 'infinitive īrī' | locūtum īrī | future in present | 'that I will say' |
| future in past | 'that I would say' | ||
| 'infinitive fore' | locūtum fore | past in future in present | 'that I will have said' |
| past in future in past | 'that I was going to have said' | ||
| 'infinitive present' | locūtum esse | past in present | 'that I said' |
| past in past | 'that I had said' | ||
| 'infinitive perfect' | locūtum fuisse | past in past in present | 'that I had said' |
| past in past in past | 'that I had said earlier' | ||
Habeō perfect periphrasis
The habeō perfect periphrasis is composed of the habeō auxiliary and a perfect participle such as occultum.
The auxiliary varies according to the speech role and number of the subject.
- ego : Caesarem : occultum habeō = I : held : Caesar : hidden
- tū : Caesarem : occultum habēs = you : held : Caesar : hidden
- homō : Caesarem : occultum habet = the man : held : Caesar : hidden
The participle varies according to the gender and number of the object.
- Caesar : hominem : occultum habet = Caesar : held : the man : hidden
- Caesar : mulierem : occultam habet = Caesar : held : the woman : hidden
- Caesar : puerōs : occultōs habet = Caesar : held : the boys : hidden
This became the regular way of forming the perfect in French and Italian.[1]
| Paradigm | Latin Example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'indicative present' | occultum habeō | past | 'I hid it' |
| 'indicative future' | occultum habēbō | past in future | 'I will have hidden it' |
| 'indicative imperfect' | occultum habēbam | past in past | 'I had hidden it' |
| 'indicative perfect' | occultum habuī | past in past | 'I had hidden it' |
| 'subjunctive present' | occultum habeam | -- | -- |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | occultum habēbam | -- | -- |
| 'subjunctive perfect' | occultum habuerim | -- | -- |
| 'subjunctive pluperfect' | occultum habueram | -- | -- |
| 'infinitive present' | occultum habēre | past in present | 'that I hid it' |
| past in past | 'that I had hidden it' | ||
| 'infinitive perfect' | occultum habuisse | past in past in present | 'that I had hidden it' |
| past in past in past | 'that I had hidden it earlier' | ||
Teneō perfect periphrasis
The teneō perfect periphrasis is composed of the teneō auxiliary and a perfect paticiple such as occultum.
The auxiliary varies according to the speech role and number of the subject.
- ego : Caesarem : occultum teneō = I : held : Caesar : hidden
- tū : Caesarem : occultum tenēs = you : held : Caesar : hidden
- homō : Caesarem : occultum tenet = the man : held : Caesar : hidden
The participle varies according to the gender and number of the object.
- Caesar : hominem : occultum tenet = Caesar : held : the man : hidden
- Caesar : mulierem : occultam tenet = Caesar : held : the woman : hidden
- Caesar : puerōs : occultōs tenet = Caesar : held : the boys : hidden
| Paradigm | Latin Example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'indicative future' | occultum tenēbō | present in future | 'I will be keeping it hidden' |
| future | 'I will keep it hidden' | ||
| 'indicative present' | occultum teneō | present in present | 'I am keeping it hidden' |
| present | 'I am keeping it hidden' | ||
| 'indicative imperfect' | occultum tenēbam | present in past | 'I was keeping it hidden' |
| 'indicative perfect' | occultum tenuī | past | 'I kept it hidden' |
| 'subjunctive present' | occultum teneam | -- | 'whether I am keeping it hidden' |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | occultum tenērem | -- | 'whether I was keeping it hidden' |
| 'subjunctive perfect' | occultum tenuerim | -- | 'whether I kept it hidden' |
| 'subjunctive pluperfect' | occultum tenuissem | -- | 'whether I had kept it hidden' |
| 'infinitive present' | occultum tenēre | -- | 'that I am keeping it hidden' |
| -- | 'that I was keeping it hidden' | ||
| 'infinitive perfect' | occultum tenuisse | -- | 'that I kept it hidden' |
| -- | 'that I had kept it hidden' | ||
Future periphrasis
The future periphrasis is composed of the sum auxiliary and a future paticiple such as ductūrus.
The auxiliary varies according to the speech role and number of also the subject.
- ego : Caesarem : ductūrus eram = I : would lead : Ceasar
- tū : Caesarem : ductūrus erās = you : would lead : Ceasar
- homō : Caesarem : ductūrus erat = the man : would lead : Ceasar
The participle varies according to the gender and number of the subject.
- homō : Caesarem : ductūrus erat = the man : would lead : Ceasar
- mulier : Caesarem : ductūra erat = the woman : would lead : Ceasar
- puerī : Caesarem : ductūrī sunt = the boys : would lead : Ceasar
| Paradigm | Latin example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'indicative future' | ductūrus erō | -- | 'I will be going to lead' |
| 'indicative present' | ductūrus sum | -- | 'I am going to lead' |
| 'indicative imperfect' | ductūrus eram | -- | 'I was going to lead' |
| 'indicative future perfect' | -- | -- | -- |
| 'indicative perfect' | ductūrus fuī | -- | 'I was going to lead' |
| 'indicative pluperfect' | ductūrus fueram | -- | 'I had been going to lead' |
| 'subjunctive present' | ductūrus sim | -- | 'whether I am going to lead' |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | ductūrus essem | -- | 'whether I was going to lead' |
| 'subjunctive perfect' | ductūrus fuerim | -- | 'whether I would have led' |
| 'subjunctive pluperfect' | ductūrus fuissem | -- | 'whether I had been going to lead' |
| 'infinitive present' | ductūrum esse | -- | 'that I am going to lead' |
| -- | 'that I was going to lead' | ||
| 'infinitive perfect' | ductūrum fuisse | -- | 'that I was going to lead' |
| -- | 'that I had been going to lead' | ||
Future infinitive periphrases
The future infinitive periphrases are composed of one of three auxiliaries (fore, futūrum or futūrum esse), the word ut and a verb from one of two verb paradigms ('present subjunctive' or 'imperfect subjunctive').[2]
The auxiliary does not vary.
The verb varies according to the speech role and number of the subject.
- fore ut : ego : Caesarem : dūcerem = that: I : would lead : Caesar
- fore ut : tū : Caesarem : dūcerēs = that: you : would lead : Caesar
- fore ut : homō : Caesarem : dūceret = that: the man : would lead : Caesar
| Paradigm | Latin example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'subjunctive present' | fore ut dūcam | future in present | 'that I will lead' |
| fore ut dūcar | future in present | 'that I will be led' | |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | fore ut dūcerem | future in past | 'that I was going to lead' |
| fore ut dūcerer | future in past | 'that I was going to be led' |
| Paradigm | Latin example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'subjunctive present' | futūrum ut dūcam | future in present | 'that I will lead' |
| futūrum ut dūcar | future in present | 'that I will be led' | |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | futūrum ut dūcerem | future in past | 'that I was going to lead' |
| futūrum ut dūcerer | future in past | 'that I was going to be led' |
| Paradigm | Latin example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'subjunctive present' | futūrum esse ut dūcam | future in present | 'that I will lead' |
| futūrum esse ut dūcar | future in present | 'that I will be led' | |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | futūrum esse ut dūcerem | future in past | 'that I was going to lead' |
| futūrum esse ut dūcerer | future in past | 'that I was going to be led' |
Gerundive periphrasis
The gerundive periphrasis (aka periphrastic conjugation of the passive[3]) is composed of the sum auxiliary and a gerundive such as dūcendus.
The auxiliary varies according to the speech role and number of the subject.
- ego : ā Caesare : dūcendus eram = I : needed to be led : by Caesar
- tū : ā Caesare : dūcendus erās = you : needed to be led : by Caesar
- homō : ā Caesare : dūcendus erat = the man : needed to be led : by Caesar
The participle varies according to the gender and number of the subject.
- homō : ā Caesare : dūcendus erat = the man : needed to be led : by Caesar
- mulier : ā Caesare : dūcenda erat = the woman : needed to be led : by Caesar
- puerī : ā Caesare : dūcendī erant = the boys : needed to be led : by Caesar
Although the gerundive periphrasis is similar to the future periphrasis in appearance, they are not parallel in meaning nor function. Woodcock writes of the gerundive periphrasis: 'But for the introduction of the idea of necessity, it would form a periphrastic future passive tense parallel to the periphrastic future active.'[4]
| Paradigm | Latin Example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'indicative future' | dūcendus erō | -- | 'I will need to be led' |
| 'indicative present' | dūcendus sum | -- | 'I need to be led' |
| 'indicative imperfect' | dūcendus eram | -- | 'I needed to be led' |
| 'indicative future perfect' | dūcendus fuerō | -- | 'I will have needed to be led' |
| 'indicative perfect' | dūcendus fuī | -- | 'I have needed to be led' |
| 'indicative pluperfect' | dūcendus fueram | -- | 'I had needed to be led' |
| 'subjunctive foret' | dūcendus forem | -- | 'whether I will need to be led' |
| 'subjunctive present' | dūcendus sim | -- | 'whether I need to be led' |
| 'subjunctive imperfect' | dūcendus essem | -- | 'whether I needed to be led' |
| 'subjunctive perfect' | dūcendus fuerō | -- | 'whether I have needed to be led' |
| 'subjunctive pluperfect' | dūcendus fuissem | -- | 'whether I had needed to be led' |
| 'infinitive fore' | dūcendum fore | -- | 'that I will need to be led' |
| -- | 'that I would need to be led' | ||
| future in present | 'that I will be led' | ||
| future in past | 'that I would be led' | ||
| 'infinitive present' | dūcendum esse | -- | 'that I need to be led' |
| -- | 'that I needed to be led' | ||
| 'infinitive perfect' | dūcendum fuisse | -- | 'that I needed to be led' |
| -- | 'that I had needed to be led' | ||
Coepī present periphrasis
The coepī present periphrasis is composed of the coepī auxiliary and an infinitive such as dūcere.
The auxiliary varies according to the speech role and number of the subject.
- ego : Caesarem : dūcere coeperam = I : was leading : Caesar
- tū : Caesarem : dūcere coeperās = you : were leading : Caesar
- homō : Caesarem : dūcere coeperat = the man : was leading : Caesar
The infinitive does not vary.
| Paradigm | Latin Example | Meaning | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'indicative future perfect' | dūcere coeperō | present in future | 'I will be leading' |
| 'indicative perfect' | dūcere coepī | present in present | 'I am leading' |
| 'indicative pluperfect' | dūcere coeperam | present in past | 'I was leading' |
| 'subjunctive perfect' | dūcere coeperim | -- | 'whether I am leading' |
| 'subjunctive pluperfect' | dūcero coepissem | -- | 'whether I was leading' |
| 'infinitive perfect' | dūcere coepisse | -- | 'that I am leading' |
| -- | 'that I was leading' | ||
References
- The development of these tenses is discussed in Pinkster (1987).
- Gildersleeve & Lodge (1895), pp. 165, 334.
- Gildersleeve & Lodge (1895), p. 166.
- Woodcock (1959), p. 163.
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