To help you quickly get a feel for verb forms, remember this rule:
If a verb is in any of the PERFECT tenses and is PASSIVE, then it will take TWO PARTS. One part will be the fourth principal part of the verb, and the other will be derived from the verb to be.
Study this table carefully:
| PERFECT and ACTIVE |
| PERFECT and PASSIVE | |
Present Perfect Indicative: | x has loved | amâvit | x has been loved | amâtus est |
Past Perfect (=Pluperfect) Indicative: | x had loved | amâverat | x had been loved | amâtus erat |
Future Perfect Indicative: | x will have loved | amâverit | x will have been loved | amâtus erit |
Perfect Subjunctive: | [I ask what] x has loved | amâverit | [I ask who/what] has been loved | amâtus sit |
Past Perfect (=Pluperfect) Subjunctive: | x would have loved | amâvisset | x would have been loved | amâtus esset |
Perfect Infinitive: | to have loved | amâvisse | to have been loved | amâtus esse |
Therefore, when you need the passive form of any verb that you know to be in one of the perfect tenses, you can start immediately with the fourth principal part of that verb and then attach the correct form of the verb to be (e.g., est, erat, erit, sit, esset, esse). Be sure to make the necessary adjustments for number, person, and gender.
NOTE: This rule does not work in the reverse direction; that is, if you have a verb with two parts, you do not necessarily have a form that is perfect and passive:
amâtûrus esse | to be about to love | future active infinitive | |||
amâtum îrî | to be about to be loved | future passive infinitive | |||
amandum est | x must be loved | future passive periphrasitic | |||
Of course, if you need a form that you know is perfect and active, you should go immediately to the stem taken from the third principal part, e.g, amâv- .
Latin Teaching Materials at Saint Louis University: © Claude Pavur 1997 - 2010. This material is being made freely available for non-commercial educational use.
