Can you translate this sentence? Click on each part to reveal its meaning.
Starter Sentence:
hostibus oppugnaturiscives portas clauserunt
Breaking it down:
hostibus oppugnaturis→with the enemy about to attack (ablative absolute with FAP)
cives portas clauserunt→the citizens closed the gates
The Three Participles
Click on each participle to reveal how it's formed and what it means:
Present Active
portans
carrying
present stem + -ns, -ntis
Perfect Passive
portatus
having been carried
4th principal part
Future Active
portaturus
about to carry
future stem + -urus, -a, -um
Click to reveal the key difference →
The Key Difference
The Future Active Participle expresses intention or something about to happen. It's the only participle that looks forward in time!
The Future Active Participle is formed from the future stem (= 3rd principal part without the -o) + -urus, -a, -um
Verb
Future Stem
Future Active Participle
porto, portare
portat-
portaturus, -a, -um
moneo, monere
monit-
moniturus, -a, -um
mitto, mittere
mitt-
missurus, -a, -um
audio, audire
audit-
auditurus, -a, -um
capio, capere
capt-
capturus, -a, -um
Click to reveal agreement rules →
Agreement
Like all participles, the FAP agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it describes. It declines like bonus, -a, -um.
Click to see translation patterns →
Common translations:
about to carry
going to carry
intending to carry
on the point of carrying
Ablative absolutes can use all three participles. Watch how the same basic sentence changes meaning depending on which participle is used:
Present Active Participle
hostibus oppugnantibus, cives portas clauserunt
With the enemy attacking, the citizens closed the gates
Perfect Passive Participle
hostibus victis, cives portas aperuerunt
With the enemy having been defeated, the citizens opened the gates
Future Active Participle
hostibus oppugnaturis, cives portas clauserunt
With the enemy about to attack, the citizens closed the gates
Click to see the time relationships →
Time Relationships
PAP: action happening at the same time as the main verb PPP: action completed before the main verb FAP: action about to happen (usually just before the main verb)
Click to see translation options →
Ablative Absolutes can be translated as:
with X about to...
since X was about to...
because X was about to...
when X was about to...
although X was about to...
Identify the Participle
Click to reveal which type of participle is being used.
1. militibus pugnantibus
Present Active Participle (soldiers fighting)
2. nuntio venturo
Future Active Participle (messenger about to come)
3. epistula scripta
Perfect Passive Participle (letter having been written)
4. feminis dormituris
Future Active Participle (women about to sleep)
5. servo laborante
Present Active Participle (slave working)
Translation Practice
Click each sentence to reveal the translation.
1. duce moriturum, milites desperabant.
With the leader about to die, the soldiers were despairing.
2. sole oriente, nautae navigare coeperunt.
With the sun rising, the sailors began to sail.
3. urbe capta, hostes templum incenderunt.
With the city having been captured, the enemy burned the temple.
4. matre discessura, puer lacrimabat.
With his mother about to depart, the boy was crying.
5. rege redituro, cives gaudebant.
With the king about to return, the citizens were rejoicing.