Latin Participles

[usariodelforo]

Hey, People:

I'm wondering if you of you could explain how you would translate the genetive "about to do" and "about to be done" (participles) in Latin into English. How would they read? I'm a bit confused about the four participles in general. I know they have to match the noun, but I sometimes don't get how they read, especially when using the future and passive perfect. If you have any info. on this, that would be most appreciated!

PS I'm using Wheelock, so please don't refer me to him again. jajajajaja.

[chileno]

"about to do" = por hacer

"about to be done"= por terminar/por hacerse

[pjt33]

Why is the declension relevant? Surely it's declining in agreement with a noun, and it's that noun whose being in the genitive matters?

Can you give an example of a phrase which is giving you trouble?

[usariodelforo]

Errr. I was thinking in Latin, not Spanish. jajajaja. What I mean is that I don't fully understand participles in Latin (not Spanish). I thought there might be someone who also is studying Latin and would want to reply....

[JPablo]

The point is that your question can probably be answered if you give a specific example of one of the words you don't understand.

What is the word or symbol you don't get about Latin participles?

On the other hand "If you can ask the question properly, it is already 99 percent answered"...

[usariodelforo]

I'm always at a loss for examples when I have to give them, but I'm not short of any when I run into them in stories! Let's see....well, let me put it this way: If "rus" is declined like magna, mangus,magnum, then the genetive of "urus" would be "uri" but in English I gather that would mean "of about to do." That sounds awkward to me....

I found an example! jajaja:

"Graeci nautae, visuri Polyphemum, tremunt." So, apparently this reads: "The Greek sailors, about to see Polyphemus, tremble." But my question is, why is "visuri" in the genetive and not put as "visurus" as the nominative? And why does it not read "of about to see" if it's in the genetive?

That's the part of the declension of participles that I don't get. Any help?

Just an update....The "visuri" in the sentence is in the nominative, plural, male, not the genetive, singular, male! So that clears things up.

But I'm still at a loss for an example where there would be a genetive, singular in the "urus". I don't know how that would read in English. Maybe someone else can provide an example of that...

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by usariodelforo

But I'm still at a loss for an example where there would be a genetive, singular in the "urus". I don't know how that would read in English. Maybe someone else can provide an example of that...

Let's adapt your example:

Gladius Graeci nautae visuri Polyphemum tremit.

The sword of the Greek sailor about to see Polyphemus trembles.

The noun, which is now singular genitive, can be seen to have changed in the English from subject to possessive, but the preposition's translation doesn't change at all.

[usariodelforo]

pjt33:

That makes so much sense! So, because "Graeci nautae" is in the singular genetive, male, the participle "visurus" changes to "visuri," which is also the singular, genetive, male! That's perfect! Thanks so much for your help. I had such a hard time understanding the genetive of "urus." And it's helpful to say that it's just translated as "about to see" not "of about to see," which sounds awkward.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by usariodelforo

... explain how you would translate the genitive ...

I thought that maybe you'd like to know how 'genitive' is spelled.

[usariodelforo]

Rusty: My greatest appologies for making a spelling mistake! I know that must convey the worst of character.