Transcript Complementary Infinitives

Chapter 5
What is an infintive?
 In English, an infinitive is “to”+ a verb.
 Examples:
to walk
to play
to live
to learn
to love
Latin Infinitives
 In Latin, an infinitive is the Second Principal
Part of the verb that you find in the dictionary
entry.
 All regular infinitives end in the letters –re.
 Examples:
amāre
monēre
capere
munīre
Complementary Infinitives
 Some verbs need an infinitive to finish the
thought. These are called “complementary”
infinitives, because they “complete” the
verb.
 Examples:
…want to play
…ought to run
…are able to read
Possum and the Complementary
Infinitive
 Possum is one of those verbs that is often
followed by a complementary infinitive.
 “I am able” doesn’t make a lot of sense on its
own. It needs an infinitive to complete the
thought.
 Example: I am able to climb a tree.
In Latin…
 In Latin, the infinitive is simply the second principal
part of a verb. You do NOT conjugate an infinitive.
 We were not able to hear. Audīre non poteramus.