Monday, August 25, 2025

26.11.25: Level 3; Theodorus [2]; notes [ii] imperative of passive and deponent verbs

[i] The imperative (command form) of the verb tells somebody actively to do something, for example: “Finish your homework”, “Give me the money”, “Go away”.

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/220324-imperatives-1-telling-people-to.html

portō, -āre [1] > portā! (sg.) / portāte! (pl.) │ carry!

maneō, -ēre [2] > manē! (sg.) / manēte! (pl.) │ carry!

scrībō, -ere [3] > scrībe! (sg.) / scrībite! (pl.) │ write!

capiō, -ere [3-iō] > cape! (sg.) / capite! (pl.) │ take!

audiō, -īre [4] > audī! (sg.) / audīte (pl.) │ listen!

[ii] The imperative passive is when somebody is commanded to do an action to him/herself. It is a rare construction, but it does exist:

“Please be advised that there will be a meeting at 15.00.”

“Please be assured that we will do everything to help.”

“I’ve already told you twice. Be warned, I won’t tell you again.”

Likewise, the imperative passive in Latin is uncommon. It is formed as follows:

Present active infinitive: laudāre │ to love > active imperative: laudā! (sg.) / laudāte! (pl.) │ praise!

Present passive infinitive: laudārī │ to be loved > passive imperative: laudāre! (sg.) / laudāminī (pl.) │ be praised!

i.e. the 2nd person singular of the passive imperative is the same as the present active infintive. Therefore, in context, laudāre could mean either (1) to praise or (2) be praised! In practice, it is (1) that will by far most commonly occur

The 2nd person plural of the passive imperative is the same as the 2nd person plural of the passive verb. Therefore, in context, laudāminī could mean either (1) you (pl.) are praised or (2) be praised! (pl.)

moneō, -ēre [2]: warn > monēre! (sg.) / monēminī! (pl.) │ be warned!

doceō, -ēre [2]: teach > docēre! (sg.) / docēminī! (pl.) │ be taught!

regō, -ere [3]: rule > regere! (sg.) / regiminī! (pl.) │ be ruled!

capiō, -ere [3-iō]: capture > capere! (sg.) / capiminī (pl.) │ be captured!

audiō, -īre [4]: hear > audīre! (sg.) / audīminī (pl.) │ be heard!

puniō, -īre [4]: punish > punīre! (sg.) / punīminī! (pl.) │ be punished!

Video link: present passive infinitive

The uploaded video has been edited to include only the topic discussed here. The full video is at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qzhpm1hoo4&t=4s



[iii] The imperative of deponent verbs

“istīs,” inquit “ista crūdelia mināre prīmōribus tuīs” │ Threaten these cruelties to those nobles of yours.

As has already been covered, deponent verbs are passive in form but active in meaning. Therefore, the imperative forms are active i.e. telling somebody actively to do something

minārī │ to threaten > imperative: mināre! (sg.) │ threaten! (not *be threatened*)

[i] In the 1st, 2nd and 4th conjugation of the deponents, the 2nd singular and plural imperative is formed with the stem vowel of the infinitive + -re / -minī

minor, minārī [1/deponent] > mināre! / mināminī! threaten!

polliceor, pollicērī [2/deponent] > pollicēre! / pollicēminī! promise!

potior, potīrī [4/deponent] > potīre! / potīminī! take possession!

[ii] In the 3rd / 3-iō conjugations, the formation is a little different:

Remove the -ī from the infinitive

sequor, sequī (to follow) > sequ-

For 2nd singular add -e+re > sequere! follow! (sg.)

For 2nd plural add -i+minī > sequiminī! follow! (pl.)

Below are further examples of the imperative of deponent verbs:

hortor,  hortārī [1/dep] > hortāre! (sg.) / hortāminī! (pl.) │ encourage!

misereor, miserērī [2/dep] > miserēre! (sg.) /miserēminī! (pl.) │ take pity!

____________________

loquor, loquī [3/dep] > loquere! (sg.) / loquiminī! (pl.) │ speak!

proficīscor, proficīscī [3/dep] > proficīscere! (sg.) / proficīsciminī! (pl.) │ set out!

ingredior, ingredī [3-iō/dep] > ingredere! (sg.) / ingrediminī! (pl.) │ go in!

____________________

orior, orīrī [4/dep] > orīre! (sg.) / orīminī! (pl.) │ arise!

mentior, mentīrī [4/dep] > mentīre! (sg.) / mentīminī! (pl.) │ lie!



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