How to Participle

If you see… You are in the… That means that the events in the clause happen And should translate it as…
______ the main verb…
Principal Parts 1&2 Present system1 … At the same time as… (Contemporary) “While verbing”
“during X verbing”
Principal Parts 3&4 Perfect system … Before … (Prior) “had/have <been> verbed”
“after X happened”
Anything future Future!!!! … After … “going to verb”
“about to verb”
“intending to verb”
Yes, but how do I translate….
Participles! Active Deponent Passive
Future fixin’ to verb, fixin’ to verb, To be verbed,
4th pp+ur+ -us –a –um about to verb about to verb Must be verbed2
(-us –a –um endings) amaturus = fixin’ to love 4th pp+ur+ -us –a –um 1pp + ndus –a –um
Locuturus = fixin’ to speak Amandus = to be loved
Present (same time as the main verb) (while) verbing (while) verbing
Present stem + -ns, -ntis amans = while loving loquens = while speaking
(3rd declension endings) amantes loquentes
Perfect (Before the main verb) Having verbed (be)Verbed (beloved, toasted)
4th pp After s/he verbed Having verbed
(-us –a –um endings) S/he verbed, then… After s/he verbed, …
Locutus = having spoken S/he verbed, then…
amatus = beloved, He was
loved, then…

Ablative absolutes come in two tenses and are just a fancy circumstantial ablative, usually the ablative time when.3
Present abl. absolute = "While the noun is/was verbing"

Perfect abl. absolute = "After the noun has/had been verbed"

Perfect abl. absolute deponent = "After the noun  has/had verbed."

You can sometimes begin an AA with “Since” or “Although,” much like a cum + subjunctive clause.

Ablative Absolute Pro-tip: ablative absolutes are their own little clause, so treat them like an independent clause. The
clause usually begins and ends with the two ablatives (noun and participle), so think of them as brackets for whatever
stuff is between them. Translate them, then move on with the main sentence.
Caesare ā Brutō gladiō Romae ante omnes trucidatō libertas restituta est.
After Caesar had been killed by Brutus with a sword in Rome in front of everybody liberty was restored.

Short version of Latin Participles:

Future participle = “about to”
Present participle = “while”
Perfect participle = “after”
Fabula: Creusa heros puellam amissam servat.
1
- Future comes from sum, esse, fui, futurus.
- Present comes from prae+est = praesens = ‘being in front of.’ The 3rd declension genitive of that is ‘Praesentis’
- Perfect comes from perficio, perficere, perfeci, perfectus. Mind blown?
2
You will learn this next semester, but need not worry about it now.
3
You have seen Circumstantial ablatives used for manner, time (ablative of time when) and description. Eg.
“Gladiō strictō Quinus currit = Quintus runs with his sword drawn (manner)”
“Primā luce proficiscitur. He sets out at first light. (time)”
“Animal nasō magnō est elephans = The animal with a big nose is an elephant. (description)”
 Fugio fugere = run away Dum – while Sine mora – without Timor, timoris – fear Carissimus –a-
Fero, ferre, tuli, latum delay um – dearest
Servo servare = save Deinde – then Stringo -ere = draw from a sheath
Amitto amittere amisi = lose Ploro -are = cry, weep Saevio -ire = to rampage, do lots of
Arma – arms, weapons n. Pl. Taceo -ere = to be quiet violent stuff
Ensis, ensis m. – sword Mecum = cum me Metuo -ere = to be afraid
Ardeo, ardere – burn, be on fire Trudo -ere = poke out Via, viae = road
Terreo, terrere – to terrify, frighten Tremeo -ere = to tremble Portae, portarum – city gates
Clamo, -are = shout Moveo -ere = to move, motivate Aperio -ire = to open
Auxilium –i n. – help Solus –a –um – alone Ecce autem – Oh no, look out!
Ater atra atrum - dark Salvo -are = save, rescue Peto -ere = head for, go to get
Nescio –īre – to not know Nondum = not yet Cado –ere cecīdi casum – fall, die
Celo celare – hide, conceal Carus -a -um = dear, beloved Nomino –are – to name
Festino -are - hurry Fortasse – perhaps, maybe Do dare dedi datum
Mi – vocative of meus –a-um Extra + acc – outside of Venio venire vēni ventum
Armis belloque Troia tenebatur cum Aeneas familiaque fugituri eius ex urbe exibant. Creusam, uxorem suam, post se
ambulare Aeneas iussit. Ei gladium dans dixit, “Patrem filiumque laturus te tenere non possum. Tu enim post me
ambulans gladium meum tene.”

Per pulverem moventem et umbras silentes post virum Creusa ambulabat, territa sed fortis. Subito in ruinis ardentibus
vocem parvam clamantem audivit. “Auxilium!” vocavit puella territa, “Mihi veni, Mater! Te invenire non possum, nam
ater nox hīc est, et Graeci plures celati nos necaturi in urbe sunt! Sola sum, mater, territaque et viam celatam quae ex
urbe ducit nescio.”

Deinde, Creusa puellam audiens Aeneae festinanti dixit, “Mane, mi vir amate, dum puellae territae auxilum fero.” Sine
mora Creusa in umbras vēnit et puellam plorantem petivit. Tandem, parvam manum 4 in ardenti casā trudentem vīdit.
Mota, Creusa, “Adsum!“ dixit, “te salvatura manum tibi do.“ Creusa manum trementem sustulit, deinde puellam ē casā
territam extulit. ”Salvatam nondum es, cara mea. Veni mecum tacita, manui 5 meae tenens. Fortasse nunc mater tua te
filiam ei amatam extra muros expectat!“

Sed, cum Creusa ad Aeneam rediit, eum non vīdit; Aeneas ablatum fuit. Timebat enim Creusa, sed timorem alto in corde
tremente pressit dum puellae salvatae dixit, “Tacita mecum veni, carissima. Ecce, mihi gladium strictum est! Graecos
celatos non timeo. Timesne Graecos saeventes?”

“Nullo modo Graeci isti metuti a me sunt, et gladios ferentes,” dixit puella, territa sed fortis. Ergo, viae per urbem ab illis
ambulatae sunt, tacitis, et mox portas apertas vīdērunt. 

Ecce autem! Graeci milites terrentes ex umbris vēnerunt! Nunc Creusam puellamque vīdērunt; nunc eas petivērunt.

“Celeriter abi, carissima,” clamavit puellae Creusa, et gladium trementem sustulit, “Aperiuntur portae! Festina et salvata
matrem tuam plorantem extra portas pete!” Festinaverat puella cum Creusa pugnam in Graecos intulit.

Fortiter Creusa gladio pugnavit. Fortiter Creusa in morte cecīdit. Puella extra muros matrem gaudentem tandem invēnit.
Multos annos post, puella – nunc femina – filiam suam “Creusam” nominavit.

4
Manus is feminine (it’s from a declension we’ll learn soon)
5
Dative feminine