Ch 14 Sum and Possum

8/10/2019 Ch 14 Sum and Possum

1/9

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.


2/9

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.


3/9

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.


4/9

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)


5/9

Here is the rhyme:

Whenever the form of bestarts with an -e, you change

the -s to a -t.

Lets see it in action:


6/9

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


7/9

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.


8/9

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


9/9

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.

Documents

Ch 14 Sum and Possum