Explanation
The present participle is used to express simultaneous action, e.g.
| rex discedens reginam vidit. |
| The king saw the queen when he was leaving. |
It is usually more natural to use while or as when translating the present participle, e.g.
| The king saw the queen as he was leaving. |
See the participles overview for other ways to translate them.
The present participle can sometimes act as a noun, when you might want to supply a word such as “person” or “people” for translation, e.g.
| magna turba clamantium in via erat. |
| There was a large crowd of people shouting in the street. |
| amantes in noctem festinaverunt. |
| The lovers hurried into the night. |
Table
The present participle declines in a 3rd Declension pattern:
| case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nom. | portans | portant-es |
| acc. | portant-em | portant-es |
| gen. | portant-is | portant-ium |
| dat. | portant-i | portant-ibus |
| abl. | portant-e* | portant-ibus |
| case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nom. | portans | portant-ia |
| acc. | portans | portant-ia |
| gen. | portant-is | portant-ium |
| dat. | portant-i | portant-ibus |
| abl. | portant-e* | portant-ibus |
*The ablative participle is nearly always found in an Ablative Absolute construction, where the singular form ends in –e. Otherwise, the ablative singular ends in –i.
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Practice exercises
Click on individual questions for answers. (Click here to hide all.)
- pueri per urbem currentes puellam conspexerunt.
The boys caught sight of the girl while they were running through the city.
- senex iuvenes stantes in foro vocavit.
The old man called the young men who were standing in the forum.
- mater tamen filium lacrimantem audire non potest.
However, the mother is not able to hear her daughter crying.
- magnopere gaudentes ex oppido egressi sunt.
They left the town rejoicing greatly.
- Romam ridens iter faciam.
I will travel to Rome smiling.
- miles defendens murum ab hostibus oppugnantibus necatus est.
The solider was killed by the attacking enemy while defending the wall.
