Gerunds
- The gerund is a verbal noun: a form of the verb that acts like a noun. In English, the gerund is formed by adding "-ing" to the verb: "running," for example. It has the same form as teh English present participle, but it is used as a noun. In Latin, the gerund is formed by taking the present stem, adding the normal vowels, then -ndi (genitive), -ndo (dative), -ndum (accusative), -ndo (ablative). The gerund does not exist in the nominative case or in the plural. The nominative of the gerund is supplied by the infinitive.
Example:
amare
amandi
amando
amandum
amando
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Amare est facile. Loving is easy.
Ars amandi est difficilis. The art of loving is difficult.
Puellae studiosae sunt amando. Girls are eager for loving.
Liberi propensi sunt ad amandum. Children have a propensity toward loving.
Amor crescit amando. Love grows by loving.
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When a gerund takes an object, it takes an object in the same case that the verb it comes from would take: usually, but not always, the accusative.
Example:
Indulgeo takes the dative, so:
Cessa indulgendum puellae! Stop indulging the girl!
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The gerund can be used to express purpose with the prepositions ad or in. (Usually ad)
Lego ad discendum. I read for the purpose of learning. (I read toward learning.)
renovata Idibus Juliis MMDCCLV A.U.C. (ab urbe condita)
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