Latin Infinitives Present Active Present Passive Future Active Perfect Active Perfect Passive

Present Active Infinitive Translated as “to……something.” Is the 2 nd principal part of the verb Used to illustrate an action that takes place at the same time as the main verb. Portare =to carry videre to see Mittere = to send Audire = to hear

Present Passive Infinitive Translated as “to be…. “ Formed from the 2 nd principal part. Take off the “re” and add “ri”. Exception: 3 rd conjugation. Take off the “re” and add “i” Portari = to be carried Videri = to be seen, to seem Mitti = to be sent audiri = to be heard

Perfect Active Infinitive Translated as “to have…” Formed from the perfect active stem plus isse. Portavisse = to have carried. Used to illustrate an action that took place before the time of the main verb. Dux hostes vicisse dicitur. (The general is said to have conquered the enemy.)

Perfect Passive Infinitive Translated as “ to have been…” Formed from the 4 th principal part plus esse. Portatus esse = to have been carried Urbs capta esse dicitur. The city is said to have been captured.

Future Active Infinitive Translated as “to be about to…, would, going to” Formed from the future active participle (4 th principal part minus us plus urus) and esse. Dux nuntiat milites cras adventuros esse. The general announces that the soldiers will arrive tomorrow.

Indirect Statements Direct statements are the words directly from the speaker. “The soldiers are brave.” Indirect statements announce, see, hear, know, etc. that something is so. The subject of an indirect statement is in the accusative case and the verb is in the infinitive. Dux dicit milites fortes esse. (The general says that….)

Tense of Infinitive The tense of the infinitive depends on its relation to the time of the action of the main verb. Same time as Main verb=Present Inf. Previous to this time = Perfect Infinitive Future to this time = Future Active inf.

Further examples Present Video te esse felicem. I see that you are happy. Vidi te esse felicem. I saw that you were happy. Rex dicit oppidum ab hostibus oppugnari. The king says that the town is being attacked by the enemy. Rex dixit oppidum oppugnari. The king said the town was being attacked.

Further examples: Perfect Nuntius dicit urbem captam esse. The messenger says that the town has been captured. Nuntius dixit urbem captam esse. The messenger said that the town had been captured.

Further examples: Future Scio amicum meum mox adventurum esse. I know that my friend will arrive soon. Sciebam amicum meum mox adventurum esse. I knew that my friend would arrive soon.