PARTICIPLES AND ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE

PARTICIPLES Participles are verbal adjectives. As adjectives they are declined like regular adjectives. The perfect passive participle and the future active participle are declined like first and second declension adjectives. The present active participle is declined like a third declension I-stem adjective except in the ablative singular which usually ends in –e.

Present active participlepresent stem + -ns, -ntis Perfect passive participlefourth principal part of verb Future active participleparticiple stem + -urus, -ura, -urum

Portans, portantis, present active Portatus, portata, portatum; perfect passive Portaturus, portatura, portaturum; future perfect

Fugientes servi capti sunt. AdjectiveThe fleeing slaves were caught. ParticipleWhile fleeing, the slaves were caught. Fleeing, the slaves were caught. Subordinate clause TemporalWhile they were fleeing, the slaves were caught. When they were fleeing, the slaves were caught. As they were fleeing, the slaves were caught. ConcessiveAlthough they were fleeing, the slaves were caught. ConditionalIf they were fleeing, the slaves were caught. RelativeThe slaves who were fleeing were caught.

Copiae victae erant miserae. AdjectiveThe conquered troops were unhappy. ParticipleThe troops conquered were unhappy. The troops being conquered were unhappy. The troops on being conquered were unhappy. The troops after being conquered were unhappy. The troops having been conquered were unhappy. Subordinate clause TemporalThe troops when they were conquered were unhappy. The troops after they had been conquered were unhappy. CausalThe troops since they had been conquered were unhappy. ConcessiveThe troops although they had been conquered were unhappy. ConditionalThe troops if they had been conquered were unhappy. RelativeThe troops who had been conquered were unhappy.

Translate as: About to Going to Intend to This roundabout way of expressing the concept is called the periphrastic. When used with the verb to be, the system is called the active periphrastic conjugation. Discessurus est. He is about to leave. Discessura erat.She was going to leave. Discessuri fuerantThey had intended to leave.

The ablative absolute is a construct in which a noun is in the ablative case and it is accompanied by a participle which is also in the ablative case. The phrase serves to modify the verbal predicate of a sentence almost in the fashion of an adverb. Although the ablative absolute usually uses a participle, an adjective or another noun can be used.

Pomis acceptis, discessit. Literal translation: The apples having been received, he departed. As a subordinate clause: TemporalWhen the apples had been received, he departed. After the apples had been received, he departed. CausalSince the apples had been received, he departed. Because the apples had been received, he departed. As the apples had been received, he departed. ConcessiveAlthough the apples had been received, he departed. ConditionalIf he received the apples, he departed.