The supine is a verbal noun (much like a gerund). They are formed from the same stem of the perfect passive participle (fourth principal part) and their endings resemble a fourth declension noun.
e.g.: video (to see) - the supine form is visum (accusative) and visu (ablative).
Venerunt visum. - They came to see; they came in order to see, they came for the purpose of seeing.
e.g.: dico (to tell, speak) - the supine form is dictum and dictu.
Mirabile dictu. - Amazing to say; amazing in respect to saying.
Just for practice. Link to answer key below.
Translate the following words in parentheses using a supine.
| 1. Eunt pacem (to seek). | _______________________________ |
| 2. Miserabile (to see). | _______________________________ |
| 3. Venerunt (to complain about) inurias. | _______________________________ |
| 4. Est optimum (to do). | _______________________________ |
| 5. Mirum (to hear). | _______________________________ |
| 6. Hoc est durum (to find). | _______________________________ |
| 7. Aeneas misit milites (to fight). | _______________________________ |
| 8. Facile (to find) | _______________________________ |
Answer Key - Check your work
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