GERUNDS- VERBAL NOUNS

Consider this sentence

Discere est utilis- to learn is fun or learning is fun

The infinitive is functioning as a subject To put discere in any other case than the

nominative a gerund is used

Formation

Add the ending – ndi to the stem of 1st, 2nd and 3rd conjugation and

Add the ending –endi to the stem of 4thconjugation and 3rd -io

Conjugation Gerund in the genitive

1st conjugation Parandi

2nd conjugation Tenendi

3rd conjugation Colendi

4th conjugation Audiendi

3rd io capiendi

Then decline it like a neuter noun 2nd declension

Case Gerund Translation

(Nominative) (Discere) To learn/ learning

Genitive Discendi Of learning

Dative Discendo For learning

Accusative Discendum (used with ad)

Learning

Ablative Discendo By learning

Irregular Gerunds

Eo, ire- eundi- of going Fero, ferre- ferendi- of carrying/bearing

Summary of Gerunds Form by adding- ndi to stem of 1/2/3 and –endi to stem of 4/ 3io

Conjugate it like a 2nd conjugation neuter

The nominative of the gerund is the infinitive- to verb/ verbing

Irregular verb Gerund in the gen

Eo, ire, ivi, itum eundi

Fero, ferre, tuli, latum

ferendi

Exercise 1 page 340

1. Animadverto, ere – to noticeanimadvertendi- of noticing

2. Appropinquo, are- to approachAppropinquandi- of approaching

3. Cerno, ere- to see, distinguishCernendi- of seeing

4. Clamo, are- to shoutClamandi- of shouting

5. Fingo, fingere- to imagine, form in mindFingendi- of imagining

6. Impingo, ere- to strike, push Impingendi- of pushing

7. infligo, infligere- to strike, inflictinfligendi- of striking

8. percutio, percutere-to strike throughpercutiendi- of striking through

9. repello, repellere- to thrust back, push backrepellendi- of pushing back

10. rideo, ridere- to laugh, smileridendi- of laughing, smiling

11. veho, vehere- to drive, carryvehendi- of driving, carrying

Uses of the gerund

Genitive- the gerund is used with nouns or adjetives that take the genitive Studiosus- eager for

Eram discendi studiosus- I was found of learning

Allen & Greenough's NEW LATIN GRAMMAR 504. The Genitive of the Gerund and Gerundive

is used after nouns or adjectives, either as subjective or objective genitive:--

Dative

Used to indicate the purpose of the action Quaero locum aedificando

I am looking for a place for building ie: I am looking for a place to build

Accusative

Usually accompanied by the preposition “ad” indicates the purpose of the action Paratus sum ad pugnandum- I am ready for fighting

Ablative

Used for means or instrument Discimus legendo We learn by reading

Exercise 3- Translate into English1. Consilium cepi appropinquandi ad oppidum

I made a plan of approaching i.e. to approach

2. Postquam diu curcumivi, tandem inveni locum descendendo After I went around for a long time, I finally found a place for descending.

3. Multi amici venerant ad spectandum.Many friend had come to watch.

4. Apectando intellexi me esse in caelo cum sideribus

By watching I understood that I was in the sky with the stars.

Exercise 5

1. Multi sund studiosi caeli spectandiMany people are fond of watching the sky.Nicolaus erat studiosus speluncae investigandae

nicolas was fond of searching into the caveSederibus cernendis ille intellexit se esse in caelo.

by seeing constellations he understood that he was in the sky.

Gerundive- a verbal adjective Formed identical to the gerund Is a 1st and 2nd declension adjective

Example- parandus, a, um The basic meaning of the gerundive is

PASSIVE Puella laudanda- a girl to be praised Liber legendus- a book to be read Puella amanda- a girl_________________

If the gerund has a direct object it becomes a gerundive

Eram studiosus videndi- I was eager of seeing ie. I was eager to see.

Eram studiosus videndae speluncae- I was eager to see the cave- “for the cave

to be seen” Videndae= gerundive modifying speluncae

feminine genitive singular

Exercise 5

1. Gerund: Multi sunt studiosi spectandi- many are eager of seeing. i.e. many are eager to see

Gerundive: Multi sunt studiosi spectandi caeli.

Passive Periphrastic

Gerundive + verb to be Denotes necessecity- “ought,” “must,”

“had to,” etc…. Examples

Puella est amanda- the girl must be loved Carthago delenda est- carthage must be

destroyed Res factae a nobis laudandae sunt- Our

actions (things done by us) must be praised

More examples

Hoc faciendum est this must be done

Liber cum cura legendus est the book must be read with care

Pueri sunt puniendi- the boys must be punished

Dative of Agend

Remember, in a passive sentence, to express the doer, previously the __________case was used Proelia sunt pugnata a hoc duce. Battles must be fought by this leader Ablative of Agent

With passive periphrastics, the agent is expressed in the dative Proelia pugnanda sunt duci.

It is like litterally saying: For the leader are battle to be fought.

Examples of Dative of Agent with Passive Periphrastics

Hoc tibi faciendum est this must be done by you

Liber cum cura mihi legendus est the book must be read by me with care

Pueri magistris sunt puniendi- the boys must be punished by the teachers

Less awkward translations are “ok” if done correctly…but I would encourage you with passive periphrastics to stick with the literal translation

Hoc tibi faciendum est this must be done by you You must do this.

Liber cum cura mihi legendus est the book must be read by me with care. I must read the book with care.

Pueri magistris sunt puniendi- the boys must be punished by the teachers. The teachers must punish the boys.

Note- the passive periphrastic can appear with other tenses of the verb “to be”

Past- Libri legendi erant Books had to be read

Future- Libri legendi erunt books will have to be read

In my experience these are not as common…

Sometimes the Pperiphrastic is used impersonally- no person is specified.

In this case the gerundive is neuter Legendum est-

There must be reading People must read One must read

Exercise 6, page 347Change the following sentences so that the duty expressed by debeo becomes obligation expressed by the passive periphrastic. Translate the sentences.

2. Amici funem bene tenere debebant.The friends ought to hold the rope well. The rope must be held well by the friendsAmicis funis erat tenendus.

3. Funis rumpi non debebat. The rope ought not to be broken The rope must not be brokenFunis non erat rumpendus.

4. Nicolaus monstrum repellere debebatNicolaus ought to repell the monster. The monster ought to be repelled by NicolausMonstrum Nicolao erat repellendum.

5. Deinde is illum planetam fingere debuit.Then he had to imagine that planet. Then that planet had to be imagined by himIlle planeta ei finctus fuit.

6. SKIP 7. Nicolaus non debebat in arborem ascendere.

Nicolaus ought not to descend into the tree It must not be ascended by Nicolaus into the treeNicolao non erat ascendum in arborem.

8. Arbores de Nicolao iudicare debebantThe trees ought to judge about Nicolaus. It must be judged about Nicolaus by the trees.Arboribus erat de Nicolao iudicandum