MS: Lesson - Conventional Infinitives Translation Review
Conventional Infinitives Translation Review
Recall that conventional infinitives are those used as the subject of a linking verb, the direct object of a transitive verb or the complement of a modal verb (those last two uses are collectively called the complementary infinitive). Let's explore the various tenses of the infinitive in Latin being used in conventional examples.
|
Tense/Voice |
Examples |
Type (subject or complementary) |
Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Active |
Omnes Marcellum convenire voluerunt. |
Complementary (direct object) |
Everyone wanted to meet Marcellus. |
|
Est iniquum sequi malum virum. (deponent) |
Subject |
It is wrong to follow a bad man. Following a bad man is wrong. |
|
|
Present Passive |
Aliqua videri difficiliter possunt. |
Complementary (complement) |
Somethings are not easily able to be seen. |
|
Perfect Active |
Iulia Marcellum magis amavisse debet. |
Complementary (complement) |
Julia ought to have loved Marcellus more. |
|
Erat bonum de temporibus felicioribus arbitratum esse. (deponent) |
Subject |
It was good to have thought about happier times. |
|
|
Perfect Passive |
Cognotum esse a hostibus tuis erat certa mors. |
Subject |
To have been recognized by your enemies was certain death. |
|
Future Active |
Periturum esse non erat fatum Pseudoli. |
Subject |
Being about to perish was not Pseudolus' fate. |
|
Gaviturum esse volui. (semi-deponent) |
Complementary (direct object) |
I wanted to be about to rejoice. |
|
|
Future Passive |
Nemo necatum iri mavult. |
Complementary (direct object) |
No one wants to be about to be murdered. |
Nota Bene
- Notice that any sentences formed using perfect and future tense conventional infinitives, whether active or passive, are a bit awkward in English. Most conventional infinitives in Latin are in the present tense, either active or passive voice. In the next lesson, you will learn a much more common use for perfect and future infinitives.