Ch. 50?
What’s
in
GERUNDS
I.
(page 169-170)
 Gerunds decline like 2nd Declension neuter nouns, only in the singular
(page 169)
 If the gerund is the subject or direct object, the infinitive is used instead
of an –nd- form.
 Use of the gerund with ad to show purpose (page 170)
 Use of the gerund in the genitive case preceding causā to show purpose
(page 170)
 The gerund in the ablative case usually expresses cause or means (page
170)
 NB 1: The gerund of eō, īre “to go” : īre, eundī, eundō, eundum,
eundō (page 170)
 NB 2: Be sure to distinguish between the English gerund and the
present participle, which both end in “-ing” in English (page 170)
 P.S. Funerary Inscription for a Vestal Virgin, and one for a British lady
(page 171)
 Vixi puellis (page 102)
mūtō, mūtāre, mūtāvī, mūtātus/a/um = to change
dēsīderō, dēsīderāre, dēsīderāvī, dēsīderātus/a/um = to miss, long for
mīror, mīrārī, mīrātus sum = to wonder at admire
causa, causae F. = cause, reason; court case
causā + GENITIVE = for the sake of
scrība, scrībae M = scribe
dēsīderium, dēsīderiī N = longing
maestus, maesta, maestum = sad
modestus, modesta, modestum = moderate, modest
praesēns, praesēntis = present
similis, similis, simile (+ DATIVE) = similar (to), like
I. Gerunds (-nd-) …What are gerunds? Gerunds are
.
 Translation into English: use “-ing” : dragging, Fishing, Defending,
Traveling, Learning, Speaking, Fighting, Spelling, Cooking, Eating, etc.
Caesar dandō, sublevandō, ignōscendō, Cato nihil largiendō glōriam
adeptus est. = Caesar won fame by giving, assisting, forgiving, Cato (won
fame) by giving away nothing.
English Example from Latin: What is your modus operandi? = “method of
operating” = M.O.
Don’t confuse the English gerund with the English present active participle.
…Why?
Declension of the Latin Gerund:
Nominative Singular1:
pugnāre
fighting
Gen Sing2:
pugnandī
of fighting
[Dat Sing:
[ pugnandō
to/for fighting (rare)]
Accusative Sing3:
pugnandum
fighting
Ablative4:
pugnandō
by fighting
Gender of the Gerund
Number of the Gerund
Declension # of the Gerund
1. Use the infinitive for any subject or direct object use of the gerund.
2. The genitive is typically used to show purpose with causā or gratiā with a
preceding gerund = pugnandī causa = ‘for the sake of fighting”
3. Only used with ad and a verb of motion = “for the purpose of…”
4. Ablative usually shows means.
Gerunds
(1)Nominative: subject [infinitive in form]
– special
notes on (2)Genitive: whenever you need “of” or “for” (objective
cases
genitive); often shows purpose with causā or gratiā “for
the sake of”
Ch. 50
(3)Dative: rare; only with verbs that take a dative
(4)Accusative:* the –ndum form is NOT for DIRECT
OBJECTS: only with ad “for the purpose of” [for direct
objects use the infinitive]
(5)Ablative: usually shows means – “by means of”; often
manner/respect with preposition in - “in”
Gerunds –
special
note on the
accusative
* case
Ch. 50
The accusative* case (–ndum
form) only with ad “for the purpose
of” and a verb of motion NOT for
DIRECT OBJECTS
o Ille domum ad puliendum rediit. = He
returned home to clean^ (for the purpose of
cleaning).
o The direct object is an objective infinitive.
In English we can say either (1) I like
swimming, or (2) I like to swim. In Latin, it
will always be the objective infinitive (I
like to swim)
^ remember that in Latin, do not use the infinitive to show
purpose
Gerunds –
basic Latin
declension
Ch. 50
Latin
Nominative S. Infinitive
Genitive Sing -ndī
Dative Singular
-ndō
Accusative S -ndum
Ablative Sing -ndō
English
verbing
of (for) verbing
to/for verbing (rare)
verbing*
WFBI verbing
1st
2nd
3rd-io
--andum
3rd
-endum
4th
-endum
-iendum
-iendum
The Skinny on Gerunds: = Gerunds are Verbal Nouns.
 Only neuter singular as follows…(Infinitive, -ī, -ō, -um, -ō).
 Active.
 Gerunds never agree w/ anything.
 For nominative, use the infinitive.  Vidēre est credere. = Seeing is believing

Deponent verbs do have gerund forms : sequī, sequendī, sequendō, sequendum, sequendō
Gerunds – Latin declension of 1st
Conjugation Verbs
[Infinitive: -āre/ Deponent: -ārī]
Ch. 50
Latin
English
Nominative S. portāre
Genitive Sing portandī
Dative Singular
portandō
Accusative S portandum
Ablative Sing portandō
carrying
of (for) carrying
to/for carrying
carrying*
WFBI carrying
Gerunds – Latin declension of 2nd Conjugation Verbs
[Infinitive: -ēre/ Deponent: -ērī]
Ch. 50
Latin
English
Nominative S. monēre
Genitive Sing monendī
Dative Singular
monendō
Accusative S monendum
Ablative Sing monendō
warning
of (for) warning
to/for warning
warning*
WFBI warning
Gerunds – Latin declension of 3rd Conjugation
Verbs
[Infinitive: -ere/ Deponent: -ī]
Ch. 50
Latin
Nominative S. trahere
Genitive Sing trahendī
Dative Singular
trahendō
Accusative S trahendum
Ablative Sing trahendō
English
dragging
of (for) dragging
to/for dragging
dragging*
WFBI dragging
Gerunds – Latin declension of 3rd-io Conjugation
Verbs
[Infinitive: -ere/ Deponent: -ī]
Ch. 50
Latin
English
Nominative S. facere
Genitive Sing faciendī
Dative Singular
faciendō
Accusative S faciendum
Ablative Sing faciendō
doing
of (for) doing
to/for doing
doing*
WFBI doing
Gerunds – Latin declension of 4th Conjugation Verbs
[Infinitive: - īre/ Deponent: -īrī]
Ch. 50
Latin
English
Nominative S. pulīre
Genitive Sing puliendī
Dative Singular
puliendō
Accusative S puliendum
Ablative Sing puliendō
cleaning
of (for) cleaning
to/for cleaning
cleaning*
WFBI cleaning
Gerunds – Latin declension of eō, īre “to
go”
Ch. 50
Latin
English
Nominative S. īre
going
Genitive Sing eundī
of (for) going
Dative Singular
eundō to/for going
Accusative S
eundum going*
Ablative Sing eundō WFBI going
Gerunds – deponent
Deponent verbs have gerunds:
verbs
(Example using loquor,
loquī, locutus sum = to
speak)
Latin
English
Nominative S. loquī
Genitive Sing loquendī
Dative Singular
loquendō
Accusative S loquendum
Ablative Sing loquendō
speaking
of (for) speaking
to/for speaking
speaking*
WFBI speaking
Fill in the missing forms of the gerunds per conjugation:
1st Conjugation
2nd Conjugation
Nom
Gen
Dat
Acc
Abl
terrendum
natandō
Fill in the missing forms of the gerunds per conjugation:
3rd Conjugation
3rd-io Conjugation
Nom
Gen
Dat
Acc
Abl
faciendī
trahendō
Fill in the missing forms of the gerunds per conjugation:
4th Conjugation
Nom
Gen
Dat
Acc
Abl
pulīre
(eō, īre)
exīre
Fill in the missing forms of the gerunds per conjugation:
Nom
Gen
Dat
Acc
Abl
1st Conjugation Depon
2nd Conjugation Depon
morārī
verērī
Fill in the missing forms of the gerunds per conjugation:
3rd Conjugation Depon 3rd-io Conj. Deponent
Nom
Gen
Dat
Acc
Abl
sequī
morī
Fill in the missing forms of the gerunds per conjugation:
4th Conjugation Depon 3rd Conjugation
Nom
Gen
Dat
Acc
Abl
orīrī
agere
Nominative Examples
of Gerunds:
(Subject/Predicate
Nominative)
Ch. 50
Vidēre est credere. = Seeing is believing
Mensās movēre est nōn gratum. =
Moving tables is not fun.
 Esse quam vidērī = To be rather than to
seem. Or, Being rather than seeming.
Genitive
Examples of
Gerunds: (1)
(1) modus operandī =
“method of operating”
(1) Perita erat loquendī =
She was skilled at speaking.
“of” / “for” used
after certain
(2) Agricola in agrum arandī causā (or
adjectives & nouns, gratiā) iit. = The farmer went into the field to
especially (2) gratiā plow (it)/for the sake of plowing. [Think of gratiā
and causā as frozen forms that exist to show
& causā - show
purpose with a preceding genitive.]
purpose)
Ch. 50
Dative Examples of Gerunds:
 nōn satis otiī habēbō carmina scrībendō. = I shall not have
rare- only with special verbs or
enough leisure (free time) for composing poems.
adjectives that take the dative
Ch. 50
Accusative
Examples of
Gerunds: with ad
(or in) to show
purpose.
Ch. 50
Ablative Examples
of Gerunds: most
usually as ablative
of MEANS.
Ch. 50
o Translate “for the purpose of”;
“to”
Agricola ad arandum in agrum iniit = The
farmer went into the field to plow (it)/for the
purpose of plowing.
Rīdendō cūrās dimittimus. = We send away our
cares by laughing.
carmina scrībendō Horātius fāmam meruit. =
Horatius won fame by writing poems.
in carmina scribendō ille praestat. =
Horatius excels in writing poems.
Gerunds
o Be careful NOT to confuse the English gerund and the
vs.
present active participle, b/c they both end in “ing.”
Participles
o Remember that the gerund is a verbal NOUN, and the
present participle is a verbal ADJECTIVE:
o Horatia sat in the garden singing. (Participle)
o Horatia warmed up her voice by singing scales. (Gerund)
Review
of the
o causā + a preceding genitive = “for
the sake of verbing”, “to verb”
ways to
show
purpose
with the
o gratiā + a preceding genitive = “for
the sake of verbing”, “to verb”
gerund
o ad + accusative = “for the purpose
of verbing”, “to verb”
TRANSLATE into your composition books:
1.Imperātor fugiendō odium mīlitum mōvit.
2.Imperator urbem capiendī causā milites suos promisit.
3.Ille sapiēns librōs legendō plūra cognoscet.
4.Cicerō loquendī causā in forō stetit.
5.Cupidi erāmus multa audiendī.
6.Ad rem pūblicam servandum Cicerō Catilinam petēbat.
TRANSLATE into your composition books:
1.Rōmānī propter studium vincendī bella in multīs gerēbant.
2.Cupida erat domum redeundī.
3.Cupida eram domum redeundī.
4.Hic est peritus pugnandī; ille (est peritus) scrībendī.
5.Mea uxor philosophiam legendō studet.
6.Sapientiā ūtere ad vītam bene agendum. (vītam agere = to live)
Finis