Impersonal Verbs

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Impersonal Verbs

• Our last grammar PowerPoint!

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What is an Impersonal Verb?

• An impersonal verb always occurs in the 3rd
  person singular, e.g., licet.
• The subject of an impersonal verb is technically
  an infinitive.
• When we translate in English, we often rearrange
  to make another word the subject.
• Example Vobis licet hic cenare.
• It is permitted for you to dine here. Or You are
  allowed to dine here.

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Lots of vocabulary

• Impersonal verbs can be categorized by the case
  that accompanies them
• Dative necesse est (it is necessary), licet (it
  is allowed), placeo (to please)
• Accusative decet (it is becoming, should),
  oportet (it is fitting, ought)
• Multiple cases taedet (it makes one acc.
  tired of something gen.)

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Examples

• Nobis necesse est statim discedere.
• To leave immediately is necessary for us.
• It is necessary for us to leave immediately.
• Papirio non licuit rem enuntiare.
• To divulge the matter was not permitted for
  Papirius.
• Papirius was not allowed to divulge the thing.

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More examples

• Placuitne tibi cena, Gai?
• Did the dinner please you, Gaius?
• Did you like the dinner, Gaius?
• Non decet patrem despondere filiam, inscia matre.
• To betroth a daughter with the mother not knowing
  is not fitting.
• A father should not betroth his daughter without
  the mother knowing.

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Still more!

• Festinare te oportet.
• That you hurry is fitting.
• It is fitting that you hurry.
• You ought to hurry.
• Me taedet solitudinis.
• It tires me of loneliness.
• I am tired of/bored with loneliness.

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Practice

• Papirii responsum matri non placuit.
• Papiriuss response did not please his mother.
• Papirio tamen necesse erat rem celare.
• It was necessary, however, for Papirius to hide
  the matter.
• Puero non decuit rem matri enuntiare.
• A boy should not divulge the matter to his mother.

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More practice

• Matrem taesum est silentii Papirii.
• The mother is tired of Papiriuss silence.
• Loqui te oportet, inquit mater.
• You ought to speak, said his mother.
• Papirio placuit ut aliam rem matri narraret.
• It was decided that Papirius should tell another
  thing to his mother.