Latin present participles

Latin present participles

Although this is a new aspect of grammar, there is nothing additional for you to learn.

PARTICIPLES ARE ADJECTIVES.

THEY COME FROM VERBS (and so contain an element of action)

THEY BEHAVE LIKE 3rd DECLENSION NOUNS.

Poll

PARTICIPLES behave just like 3rd declension adjectives & nouns. Focusing upon the following endings only, which of these COULD BE a present participle....?

• pugnatae

• duxerunt

• currentibus

• ancilla

How to spot a present participle. The following combination of letters gives us a clue...

• ns

• nt---

• 
  

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a PRESENT PARTICIPLE?

• altus

• magni

• amans

• portabatis

Here is an example of the present participle in full

'The hurrying slave saw the master'

servus festinans dominum vidit

'Hurrying' agrees with 'slave' in CASE, NUMBER, GENDER

Another example

'I gave money to the hurrying slave'

pecuniam servo festinanti dedi

Both 'hurrying' and 'slave' agree in CASE, NUMBER, GENDER. This time, the DATIVE case is relevant...

Multiple Choice

Best translation of:

'We saw the fighting sailors'....?

• naves pugnantem vidimus

• nautas pugnantes vidimus

• naves pugnantes videbamus

• none of these

Multiple Choice

Now have a go at these:

I used to watch the fighting gladiator (or, indeed, 'gladiators fighting')

• conspeximus gladiatos pugnans

• gladius vidit pugnantem

• gladiatores pugnantes spectabam

• ego vidi gladiatorem pugnavit