Chapters 26 and 271. Comparison of Adjectives
2. Comparison of Adverbs
3. The Subjunctive in English
4. The Present Subjunctive (including sum)
5. Independent Uses of the Subjunctive
6. The Perfect Subjunctive (including sum)
1. Comparison of AdjectivesPositive Comparative Superlative
blurry blurrier blurriestyellow yellower yellowestlong longer longest
expensive more expensive most expensive
In English, we form the comparative by adding the suffix “-er” or the word “more,” and the superlative by adding the suffix “-est” or the word most.
1. Comparison of AdjectivesPositive Comparative Superlative
laetus, -a, -um blurrier blurriestcarus, -a, -um yellower yellowest
tristis, -e longer longestsapiēns, sapientis more fun most fun
In Latin, there is only one way to form the comparative and superlative!
-comparative: add –ior, -ius to the stemdign- + -ior = dignior (m. + f) dign- + -ius = dignius
(n.)
-superlative: add –issim- to the stem, add –us, -a, -um (1st and 2nd declension endings
dign- + -issim- + -us = dignissimus, -a, -um
1. Comparison of Adjectivesm. and f. n.
Singularnom. tristior tristiusgen. tristiōris tristiōrisdat. tristiōrī tristiōrīacc. tristiōrem tristiusabl. tristiõre tristiõre
Pluralnom. tristiõrēs tristiõragen. tristiōrum tristiōrumdat. tristiōribus tristiōribusacc. tristiōrēs tristiōraabl. tristiõribus tristiõribus
Comparatives decline like third-declension nouns:so you get abl. sing. in –e, not -ī, and gen. pl. in –um, not īum like in third-declension adjectives
Superlatives (-issimus, -a, -um) you already know how to decline!
1. Comparison of AdjectivesIn Latin, you can compare two items in two ways:
1. Using quam (than): quam links the two items being compared; both items are in the same case
ex. illa fortior est quam ille, she is braver than he isex. Sapientiorem virum quam tē cognōvī, I knew a man wiser than you are
2. Using the ablative of comparison: if the first item is in the nominative or the accusative, you can leave out quam and put the second item in the ablative:
ex. illa fortior est illõ, she is braver than he isex. sapientorem virum illō cognovī, I knew a man wiser than that other guy
1. Comparison of Adjectives
Positive Comparative Superlativemiser, -a, -um miserior, miserius miserrimus, -a, -um
pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum
pulchrior, pulchrius pulcherrimus, -a, -um
ācer, ācris, ācre ācrior, ācrius ācerrimus, -a, -umfacilis, facile facilior, facilius facillimus, -a, -umsimilis, simile similior, similius simillimus, -a, -um
dissimilis, dissimile dissimilior, dissimilius disimillimus, -a, -um
As usual, there are exceptions in forming the superlative:-adjectives in –er add –rimus, -a, -um to the positive stem
-four adjectives in –lis (facilis, difficilis, dis/similis) add –limus, -a, -um
*the comparatives are formed in the regular way!
1. Comparison of Adjectives
Positive Comparative Superlativebonus, -a, -um
goodmelior, melius
betteroptimus, -a, -um
bestmagnus, -a, -um
bigmāior, māius
biggermaximus, -a, -um
biggestmalus, -a, -um
badpēior, pēius
worsepessimus, -a, -um
worstmultus, -a, -um
much, manyplūs, plūris
moreplūrimus, -a, -um
mostparvus, -a, -um
smallminor, minus
smallerminimus, -a, -umsmallest, least
superus, -a, -umupper
superior, superiushigher
summus, -a, -umsuprēmus, -a, -um
highest, furthest, top, last
As usual, there are irregular comparatives and superlatives!Notice that the words are often (not always) the same words that have irregular forms in English!
1. One More Thing…
plūs, plūris behaves a little differently in the singular and in the plural
-in the singular, it is used as a neuter noun and often takes a partitive genitive:
ex. plūs pecūniae
lit. “more of money”
-in the plural, it is an adjective and must agree with its noun
ex. plūres amīcī
“more friends”
2. Comparison of AdverbsPositive Comparative Superlative
cārēexpensively
cāriusmore expensively
cārissimēmost expensively
dignēworthily
digniusmore worthily
dignissimēmost worthily
celeriterquickly
celeriusmore quickly
celerrimēmost quickly
sapienterwisely
sapientiusmore wisely
sapientissimēmost wisely
-comparative: add –ius to the adjective stemcit- + -ius = citius alt- + -ius = altiusfort- + -ius = fortius
-superlative: add –ē to the superlative form of the adjectivedign- + -issim- + -ē = dignissimē
2. Comparison of Adverbs
Positive Comparative Superlativebenewell
meliusbetter
optimēbest
malēbadly
pēiusworse
pessimēworst
parumlittle
minusless
minimēleast
multummuch,
plūsmore (quantity)
plūrimummost, very much
magnoperegreatly
magismore (quality)
maximēmost, especially
As usual, there are irregular comparatives and superlatives!Notice that the words are often (not always) the same words that have irregular forms in English!
quam + superlative adverb = as ___________ as possible“quam celerrimē,” as quickly as possible
3. The Subjunctive in English
person number tense voice mood1st
2nd
3rd
singularplural
presentimperfect
future
perfectpluperfect
future perfect
activepassive
indicativesubjuncti
veimperativ
einfinitiveparticiple
3. The Subjunctive in EnglishSo far, you’ve been making statements in the indicative about reality and facts, or events that are certainly going to happen.
It is raining. I like rain.It is going to rain. It rained all night.
But what about all the things we say that do not refer to facts, actual events, reality, or that refer to events or situations that are contingent on other events/situations/conditions???
I wish it would stop raining!If it were going to rain, it would have started by now.What should we do if it rains?
To talk about these (and other) types of unreal or contingent situations, Latin uses the subjunctive mood.
3. The Subjunctive in EnglishEnglish actually has a subjunctive too!
What are the situations expressed in the following sentences:
“I would not do that if I were you!”
“She looked as if she had seen a ghost.”
“If I might be so bold….”
“I could have wished that you had gotten here earlier.”
“The pirates eat Brussels sprouts in order that they not get scurvy.”
4. The Present SubjunctiveStem Vowels in the Indicative
1st Conj. 2nd Conj. 3rd Conj. 3rd –io 4th Conj.amō,
amāremoneō, monēre
vincō, vincere
capiō, capere
audiō, audīre
-a- -ē- -e- -e- -ī-
Stem Vowels in the Subjunctive1st Conj. 2nd Conj. 3rd Conj. 3rd –io 4th Conj.
amō, amāre
moneō, monēre
vincō, vincere
capiō, capere
audiō, audīre
-e- -ea- -a- -ia- -ia-
The sign of the subjunctive is an -a-
Except in the first conjugation, which already has an –a- in the indicative: instead it switches to –e-
4. The Present Subjunctive…PRESENT INDICATIVE ACTIVE
amō, amāre moneō, monēre
vincō, vincere capiō, capere audiō, audīre
amōamāsamat
amāmusamātisamant
moneōmonēsmonet
monēmusmonētismonent
vincōvincisvincit
vincimusvincitisvincunt
capiōcapiscapit
capimuscapitiscapiunt
audiōaudīsaudit
audīmusaudītisaudiunt
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE ACTIVEamemamēsamet
amēmusamētisament
moneammoneāsmoneat
moneāmusmoneātismoneant
vincamvincāsvincat
vincāmusvincātisvincant
capiamcapiāscapiat
capiāmuscapiātiscapiant
audiamaudiāsaudiat
audiāmusaudiātisaudiant
Remember:We beat a
liar
4. …Including sumPRESENT
INDICATIVE ACTIVE
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
ACTIVEsum simes sīsest sit
sumus sīmusestis sītissunt sint
sum in the present subjunctive is regular! The subjunctive is signaled by an -ī-
5. Uses of the Subjunctive: IndependentCertain types of sentences in Latin use a subjunctive main verb—this is called an independent use of the subjunctive.
The main types of independent subjunctives are:
1. Hortatory (1st pl)/Jussive (3rd pl): urging or demanding an actionex. “Let’s go to the mall.”ex. “Let them eat cake!”
2. Optative: wishing for something (“if only,” “would that,” “may…,”)ex. “If I only had a brain.”ex. “Would that I were low laid in my grave.”
3. Deliberative: asking advice, expressing surprise, expressing doubt
ex. “What should we eat?”ex. “Who would have thought?”
5. Uses of the Subjunctive: IndependentThe hortatory or jussive subjunctive urges or demands an action
ex. “Let’s go to the mall.”ex. “Let them eat cake!”
In Latin, a hortatory subjunctive is used for the first person (usually) plural (let’s….). A jussive subjunctive is used for third person (let him…, let them….).
ex. hōs latrōnēs interficiāmus, let us kill these robbers. (hortatory)
ex. omēs civēs veniant, let all the citizens come. (jussive)
Instead of nōn, these subjunctives use nē for a negative.ex. ā lēgibus nē recēdāmus, let us not abandon the lawsex. nē domum redeat, let him not return home.
5. Uses of the Subjunctive: IndependentThe optative subjunctive expresses a wish
ex. “If I only had a brain.”ex. “Would that I were low laid in my grave.”
Optative subjunctives are often accompanied by the word utinam.
ex. utinam fugiat hostēs, (I hope/if only/would that) he escapes the enemy!
ex. sint incolumēs, May they be safe!/Would that they are safe!
The negative is nē.ex. nē vivam, sī sciō, May I not live, if I knowex. nē ille pereat, Would that he not die!
5. Uses of the Subjunctive: IndependentThe deliberative subjunctive can ask advice, or sometimes, can behave more like a rhetorical question or an exclamation expressing doubt or disbelief
ex. “What should we eat?”ex. “Who would have thought?”ex. “Where could he be?”
ex. quid agam? quō mē vertam?, what I am to do? To where should I turn?
ex. eam salūtem? Should I greet here?
The negative is nōn.ex. an ego nōn veniam?, or should I not come?
6. The Perfect Subjunctive…PERFECT INDICATIVE ACTIVE
amō, amāre moneō, monēre
vincō, vincere capiō, capere audiō, audīre
amāvīamāvistīamāvit
amāvimusamāvistis
amāvērunt
monuīmonuistīmonuit
monuimusmonuistis
monuērunt
vīcīvīcistīvīcit
vīcimusvīcistis
vincērunt
cēpīcēpistīcēpit
cēpimuscēpistis
cēpērunt
audīvīaudīvistīaudīvit
audīvimusaudīvistis
audīvērunt
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE ACTIVEamāverimamāverīsamāveritamāverīm
usamāverītisamāverint
monuerimmonuerīsmonuerit
monuerīmus
monuerītismonuerint
vīcerimvīcerīsvīcerit
vīcerīmusvīcerītisvīcerint
cēperimcēperīscēperit
cēperīmuscēperītiscēperint
audīverimaudīverīsaudīveritaudīverīm
usaudīverītisaudīverint
To form the perfect subjunctive:perfect stem + -eri- + personal endings (-m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt)
6. …Including sumPERFECT
INDICATIVE ACTIVE
PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE
ACTIVEfuī fuerim
fuistī fuerīsfuit fuerit
fuimus fuerīmusfuistis fuerītis
fuērunt fuerint
sum in the perfect subjunctive is regular! The subjunctive is signaled by an -ī-
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