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8/10/2019 Ch 14 Sum and Possum
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Chapter 14: Sum and Possum
Sum and its compounds are called irregularverbsbecause, as you can tell from their infinitives, they do notbelong to any of regular conjugations.
Because these verbs are irregular they do not follow anytraditional rules.
Each tense is different and must be memorizedseparately. There is no simple or easy trick to it.
Caution! Sum is one of the most common verbs and isused for 4 independent functions in Latin. If you do notmemorize it and its compounds, you are asking for agreat deal of trouble and frustration as we use it in itsother capacities.
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sum, esse, fui, futurus -- be
Present tense:
sum - I am
I am being
es - you are
you are being
est - h/s/i is
h/s/i is being
sumus - we are
we are being
estis - you are
you are being
sunt - they are
they are being
Notice that there are both the simple and progressive translations, but there
is no emphatic translation. You cant use the doform with sum.
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Possum
Possum will do the same things as sum,but it has the added problem of the prefix.
As it conjugates, the prefix jumps around.
Sometimes it is spelled pos- and
sometimes it is spelled pot-. You cantpick whichever one you want, you have tomemorize which one goes in which place.
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There is a trick!
I have a little rhyme that I used when I was
trying to memorize possum. It is quite
corny, but it worked for me and maybe it
will work for you.
I noticed that each conjugated form of
possumwas made up of 2 parts:
Prefix + sum (be)
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Here is the rhyme:
Whenever the form of bestarts with an -e, you change
the -s to a -t.
Lets see it in action:
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possum, posse, potui --- - can, be able
possumI can
I am able
potes - you can
you are able
potesth/s/i canh/s/i is able
possumuswe can
we are able
potestisyou can
you are able
possuntthey canthey are able
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Did you see it?
Whenever the prefix came in front of an
-e, the prefix changed from pos- to pot-.
Its not too difficult, but you do have to pay
attention.
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Now lets try it in the imperfect tense:
Sum:
eram
eraserat
Possum:
poteram
poteraspoterat
eramus
eratis
erant
poteramus
poteratis
poterant
I was
I kept on being
I used to be
I was being
I was able
I kept on being able
I used to be able
I was being able
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Caution!
Possum is often accompanied by an
infinitive in Latin.
Sometimes this causes students trouble in
translation, because the infinitive works in
English ONLY if you use the meaning be
able
Hoc agere possum.
I am able to do this.
I can do this.
Notice how I have translated the
infinitive as a general verb in the
second example because the
infinitive would not make sense.
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