Deponent & Semi-Deponent Verbs

Can you translate this sentence? Click on each word to reveal its meaning.

Starter Sentence:

servus fugit sed custodes celeriter sequebantur

Breaking it down:

servus → slave (nominative singular)

fugit → fled (perfect tense, regular verb)

sed → but

custodes → guards (nominative plural)

celeriter → quickly (adverb)

sequebantur → were following (imperfect, deponent verb - passive form but active meaning!)

What are Deponent Verbs?

Deponent verbs are passive in form but active in meaning. The term "deponent" literally means "laying aside" - these verbs have "laid aside" their active forms!

The Key Rule

Even though deponent verbs look passive (they have passive endings), you must translate them as active. For example, conor means "I try" not "I am tried".

Click to see a comparison →

Regular Verb

porto = I carry

portor = I am carried

Active form → active meaning
Passive form → passive meaning

Deponent Verb

conor = I try

(no active form exists!)

Passive form → active meaning

Click to see how they behave →

A deponent verb behaves in a sentence just like an ordinary active verb. It can take a direct object and is conjugated according to its conjugation pattern (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th).

Deponent verbs exist in all four conjugations. Here are examples from each:

Click on a verb to see its conjugation:

1st Conjugation

conor

I try

2nd Conjugation

videor

I seem

3rd Conjugation

loquor

I speak

4th Conjugation

morior

I die

conor, conari, conatus sum (1st conjugation)

Tense

Latin (1st person)

English

Present

conor

I try

Imperfect

conabar

I was trying

Future

conabor

I will try

Perfect

conatus sum

I tried

Pluperfect

conatus eram

I had tried

Click to see principal parts →

Deponent verbs have three principal parts (not four):

1st person singular present: conor
Present infinitive: conari
Perfect: conatus sum

Note: The perfect form uses the perfect passive participle (conatus) + the present tense of sum.

Click to see GCSE deponent verbs →

conor, conari, conatus sum - I try

hortor, hortari, hortatus sum - I encourage, I urge

miror, mirari, miratus sum - I wonder at, I admire

precor, precari, precatus sum - I pray (to)

videor, videri, visus sum - I seem

loquor, loqui, locutus sum - I speak

sequor, sequi, secutus sum - I follow

proficiscor, proficisci, profectus sum - I set out

egredior, egredi, egressus sum - I go out

ingredior, ingredi, ingressus sum - I go in

progredior, progredi, progressus sum - I advance

regredior, regredi, regressus sum - I go back

morior, mori, mortuus sum - I die

patior, pati, passus sum - I suffer, I endure

Semi-Deponent Verbs

Semi-deponent verbs are a small group that are active in the present, imperfect, and future, but become deponent (passive form, active meaning) in the perfect tenses.

gaudeo, gaudere, gavisus sum

Present: gaudeo = I rejoice
Perfect: gavisus sum = I rejoiced

The present system uses regular active forms, but the perfect system uses passive forms with active meaning.

soleo, solere, solitus sum

Present: soleo = I am accustomed
Perfect: solitus sum = I was accustomed

Like all semi-deponents, the present system uses regular active forms, but the perfect system uses passive forms with active meaning.

Click to see the key difference →

The Key Difference

Full deponents: passive form throughout all tenses
Semi-deponents: active in present system, passive in perfect system

Both have active meanings despite passive forms!

Click to see all three GCSE semi-deponents →

gaudeo, gaudere, gavisus sum - I rejoice

audeo, audere, ausus sum - I dare

soleo, solere, solitus sum - I am accustomed

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.

Exercise 11.3: Tell-tale Birds

Read this passage and identify all the deponent and semi-deponent verbs. Use the button below to reveal where they appear.

Click buttons to reveal features • Hover over orange dotted underlines for hints

Octavian is flattered by a talking bird and amused when he discovers its owner has hedged his bets.

Octavianus, postquam ad Actium Antonium proelio superavit, Romam rediit. cum in urbem advenissetCum Clause (circumstantial): "when" or "after", senem in via conspexit qui corvum in cavea habebatRelative Clause: "who..." - describes the old man. corvus 'salve,' inquit 'Caesar, victor, imperator!' Octavianus miratus dixit se corvum emere velleIndirect Statement (accusative + infinitive): "that he...". senex respondit se corvum magno pretio venditurum esseIndirect Statement (accusative + infinitive): "that he...".

Octavianus corvum emit; senex laetus discessit. postridie tamen vicinus quidam dixit illum senem alterum corvum habereIndirect Statement (accusative + infinitive): "that that old man...". 'hic corvus' inquit 'melius loqui potest.' Octavianus respondit se libenter auditurum esse illum corvumIndirect Statement (accusative + infinitive): "that he..."; quem senex statim ferre iussus estRelative Clause: "which..." - refers to the raven. corvus statim 'salve' inquit 'Antoni, victor, imperator!' senex perterritus dixit se ad utramque rem paratum esseIndirect Statement (accusative + infinitive): "that he...". Octavianus ridens promisit se alterum corvum eodem pretio empturum esseIndirect Statement (accusative + infinitive): "that he...".

Vocabulary

Octavianus -i m Octavian

Actium -i n Actium (port in north-west Greece)

Antonius -i m Antony

corvus -i m raven

cavea -ae f cage

salve! greetings!

Caesar -aris m Caesar

victor -oris m victor, winner

pretium -i n price (here: ablative of price)

vicinus -i m neighbour

uterque utraque utrumque either

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