Lesson 42
Forms of “possum”
possum, posse, potui, ---- : can, be able
• Possum is a form of “sum.”• Possum’s BFF is an infinitive.• I can swim = I am able to swim.• She can dance = she is able to dance.
PRESENT TENSE Singular Plural
1st person possumI can, am able
possumusWe can, are able
2nd person potesYou can, are able
potestisY’all can, are able
3rd person potestHe/she/it can, is able
possuntThey can, are able
PRESENT TENSE
Singular Plural
1st person possumI can, am able
possumusWe can, are able
2nd person potesYou can, are able
potestisY’all can, are able
3rd person potestHe/she/it can, is able
possuntThey can, are able
Present Tense Chart for “possum”
Time To Practice!
• Ambulare possum.• I am able to walk./I can walk.• Potesne legere?• Are you able to read?/Can you read?• Puella dicere potest.• The girl is able to speak./The girl can speak.• Pugnare possumus.• We are able to fight./We can fight.
IMPERFECT TENSE
Singular Plural
1st person poteramI could, was able
poteramusWe could, were able
2nd person poterasYou could, were able
poteratisY’all could, were able
3rd person poteratHe/she/it could, was able
poterantThey could, were able
Imperfect Tense Chart for “possum”
Practice!
• Magister discipulos docere poterat.• The teacher was able to teach the students.
FUTURE TENSE Singular Plural
1st person poteroI shall be able
poterimusWe will be able
2nd person poterisYou will be able
poteritisY’all will be able
3rd person poteritHe/she/it will be able
poteruntThey will be able
Future Tense Chart for “possum”
Practice!
• Agricola carrum trahere non poterit.• The farmer will not be able to drag the cart.• Femina liberos monere non poterit!• The woman will not be able to warn the
children!
PERFECT TENSE
Singular Plural
1st person potuiI was able, have been able
potuimusWe were able, have been able
2nd person potuistiYou were able, have been able
potuistisY’all were able, have been able
3rd person potuitHe/she/it was able, has been able
potueruntThey were able, have been able
Pluperfect/Future Perfect
• The pluperfect and future perfect tenses use the same stem, POTU-.
• They use the regular pluperfect endings (-eram, -eras, etc., HAD BEEN ABLE…) and regular future perfect tendings (-ero, -eris,
etc., WILL HAVE BEEN ABLE)
Practice!
• Populus ducem videre non potuit.• The populace was not able to see the general.• Cibum portare potuimus.• We have been able to carry the food.