Gerundives - A gerundive is a future passive participle. Notice the spelling of gerundive. It ends in the letters -ive, just like the part of speech it represents - the adjective. It is rarely used literally as an adjective (about to be -ed) but instead serves an important role in expressing an obligation or the purpose of an action.
Formation
Gerundives are 1st/2nd declension adjectives. The nominative form of the gerundive is created by adding the following endings to the present stem:
- 1st/2nd conjugation: -nd-
- 3rd/4th conjugation: -end-
To this, the 1st/2nd declension adjective endings -us, -a, -um are added:
- 1st/2nd conjugation: -ndus, nda, ndum
- 3rd/4th conjugation: -endus, enda, endum
The dictionary entry for the gerundive will be written:
- amandus, amanda, amandum - about to be loved
To obtain the base for the gerundive, remove -a from the feminine form.
Forming the Gerundive
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Conjugation
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Gerundive
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Gerundive Base
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1st Conjugation: amo, amare, amavi, amatus
2nd Conjugation: video, videre, vidi, visus
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add -ndus, nda, ndum to the present stem
- 1st Conjugation Present stem: ama-
- 2nd Conjugation Present stem: vide-
- videndus, videnda, videndum
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Remove -a from feminine (middle) form
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3rd Conjugation: duco, ducere, duxi, ductus
3rd-io Conjguation: capio, capere, cepi, captus
4th Conjugation: audio, audire, audivi, auditus
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add -endus, enda, endum to the present stem
- 3rd Conjugation Present stem: duc-
- ducendus, ducenda, ducendum
- 3rd-io Conjugation Present stem: capi-
- capiendus, capienda, capiendum
- 4th Conjugation Present stem: audi-
- audiendus, audienda, audiendum
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Remove -a from feminine (middle) form
- ducenda - a
- capiend - a
- audiend - a
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N.B. GeruNDives have an adjective base ending in -ND. In fact, the English word gerundive is a derivative of a Latin gerundive: gerendus, gerenda, gerendum - about to be done, from the verb gero, gerere, gessi, gestus - to bear, carry on, wage.
The Passive Periphrastic - expressing obligation
When a gerundive is paired with a form of sum, we call it the Passive Periphrastic. Compare this to the Active Periphrastic, which uses the future active participle:
- Active Periphrastic: future active participle + form of sum
- Passive Periphrastic: future passive participle (gerundive) + form of sum
Unlike the active periphrastic, which states a simple future event, the passive periphrastic is used to express obligation or necessity. The gerundive will agree with the subject in case, number, and gender. Examples:
- Active Periphrastic
- Caesar bellum inlaturus est. = Caesar is going to wage war.
- Passive Periphrastic
- Bellum Caesari inferendum est. = War must be waged by Caesar.
- Alternative Translation: Caesar must wage war.
The translation (must) implies obligation or necessity. The gerundive is used with a form of sum (in this example: est). The agent or doer of the obligation (Caesari) is written in the dative case , and so is called the the dative of agent.
Expressions of Purpose using Gerundives
Gerundives are rarely used as a normal participle or adjective. The gerundive is commonly used to express obligation in the nominative case and to express purpose in the genitive, dative, accusative, and ablative cases. Let's look at some examples of how we use it in each of the various cases.
For all cases other than the nominative, gerundives are used to express purpose. Let's explore examples in each case.
Expressions of Purpose with the Gerundive
| Case |
Explanation |
Latin Example |
Translation |
| Genitive |
The genitive noun + gerundive is used with causa or gratia which means for the sake of. The genitive form of the gerundive always goes before causa or gratia. |
Caesar ad Galliam hostium vincendorum causa profectus est. |
Translation 1: Caesar traveled to Gaul for the sake of conquering the enemy.
Translation 2: Caesar traveled to Gaul to conquer the the enemy.
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| Dative |
The dative case is used as the indirect object or with certain adjectives expressing utility, like utilis. |
Indirect Object: Caesar multum tempus militibus exercendis dedicavit.
Adjective: Caesar putat milites esse utiles proeliis oppugnandis.
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Indirect Object: Caesar devoted a lot of time to training his soldiers.
Adjective: Caesar thinks that the soldiers are useful for fighting battles.
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| Accusative |
If the gerundive modifies a noun in the accusative case, it is used as the object of the preposition ad. |
Caesar ad Galliam ad hostes vincendos profectus est. |
Caesar traveled to Gaul to defeat the enemy. |
| Ablative |
If the gerundive modifies a noun in the ablative case, it is used as an ablative of means, which means there will be no preposition. |
Caesar hostibus vincendis Galliam conficere paravit. |
Caesar planned to completely subdue Gaul by (means of) defeating his enemies. |
Additional Notes
The noun with which the gerundive agrees in these constructions is treated as the object of the action. For example, the phrase: hostes vicendos = the enemy who is to be defeated. When expressed as a purpose, that phrase would be translated: to defeat the enemy.
Gerunds - verbal nouns. Gerunds are the substantive (noun) form of the gerundive, are only singular and only appear in the neuter gender, but do not include a nominative form.
Formation
Gerunds are 2nd declension neuter singular nouns. To form the gerund, add the following endings to the present stem:
- 1st/2nd conjugation: -nd-
- 3rd/4th conjugation: -end-
The gerund does not appear in the nominative case, which is instead handled with an infinitive. Therefore, the gerund has just four forms:
Gerund Forms
| Case |
1st/2nd Conjugation |
3rd/4th Conjugation |
| Nominative |
NONE |
NONE |
| Genitive |
-ndi |
-endi |
| Dative |
-ndo |
-endo |
| Accusative |
-ndum |
-endum |
| Ablative |
-ndo |
-endo |
Expressions of Purpose using Gerunds
Gerunds are used in the same manner as gerundives, but most often when the phrase does not require a direct object. The gerund generally expresses purpose in the genitive, dative, accusative, and ablative cases. Let's look at some examples of how we use it in each of the various cases.
Expressions of Purpose with the Gerund
| Case |
Explanation |
Latin Example |
Translation |
| Genitive |
The genitive gerund is used with causa or gratia which means for the sake of. The genitive form of the gerund always goes before causa or gratia. |
Caesar ad Galliam pugnandi causa profectus est. |
Translation 1: Caesar traveled to Gaul for the sake of fighting.
Translation 2: Caesar traveled to Gaul to fight.
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| Dative |
The dative case is used as the indirect object or with certain adjectives expressing utility, like utilis. |
Indirect Object: Caesar multum tempus exercendo dedicavit.
Adjective: Caesar putat milites esse utiles pugnando.
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Indirect Object: Caesar devoted a lot of time to training.
Adjective: Caesar thinks that the soldiers are useful for fighting.
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| Accusative |
The gerund is used with the preposition ad. |
Caesar ad Galliam ad pugnandum profectus est. |
Caesar traveled to Gaul to fight. |
| Ablative |
The ablative gerund is used as an ablative of means, which means there will be no preposition. |
Caesar pugnando Galliam conficere paravit. |
Caesar planned to completely subdue Gaul by (means of) fighting. |
Additional Notes - Reminder on Objects
Gerunds very rarely take a direct object because Latin authors preferred to use a gerundive. The noun with which the gerundive agrees is treated as the object of the action. Compare these two English sentences:
- I left my house to walk around. (Latin would use a gerund, as there is no direct object for "walk around").
- Domum meum ad circumambulandum reliqui.
- Caesar went to Gaul to defeat the enemy. (Latin would use a gerundive, since defeat takes a direct object).
- Caesar ad Galliam ad hostes vicendos profectus est.