Structural Vocabulary

Governing Verbs Which Set Up an Expectation of Indirect Discourse Noun Clauses

These are verbs that raise the expectation of finite and/or non-finite indirect command noun clauses. Finite and non-finite indirect commands share their governing verbs, except for impero (finite indirect command) and iubeo (non-finite AcI). Although the term we use for these clauses is indirect command, the “bossy” governing verbs have a range of semantic notions, including order, urge, wish, resolve, decree and allow. Those verbs with the highest frequency are listed first and are in bold; less frequently occurring verbs are in the second list

Finite indirect command markers are: 
1. ut (for positive command) or ne (for negative command/prohibition) 
2. verb in the subjunctive 

Non-finite indirect command is an AcI construction also called objective infinitive. The markers are: 
1. subject in the accusative 
2. verb in the present infinitive 

High frequency “bossy” verbs:
cogo, cogere coegi, coactus – to force, compel 
hortor, hortari, hortatus, + acc – to urge, encourage 
impero, imperare, imperavi, imperatus + dative – to order, command – ONLY with ut/ne +subjunctive 
iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussus – to order, command – ONLY with AcI. 
moneo, monere, monui, monitus + acc – to warn, advise 
nolo, nolle, nolui – to be unwilling, to not want, not wish 
oro, orare, oravi, oratus + acc – to beg, entreat 
patior, pati, passus – to allow 
persuadeo, persuadere, persuasi, persuasurus + dat- to persuade, convince 
peto, petere, petivi, petitus + ab + abl – to ask, request 
postulo, postulare, postulavi, postulatus + ab + abl – to demand, desire 
quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitus +ex/ab + abl – to desire, ask 
rogo, rogare, rogavi, rogatus + acc – to ask, beg, request 
volo, velle, volui – to be willing, want, wish 

“Bossy” verbs occurring less frequently:
censeo, censere, censui, census – to propose 
cupio, cupere, cupivi, cupitus – to desire, wish 
decerno, decernere, decrevi, decretus – to vote, to decide through a vote 
edico, edicere, edixi, edictum, + dat – to issue a written order, to proclaim 
malo, malle, malui – to prefer 
permitto, permittere, permisi, permissus – to allow, permit 
precor, precari, precatus + acc – to pray, entreat 
prohibeo, prohibere, prohibui, prohibitus – to prevent, prohibit 
sino, sinere, sivi, situs – to allow 
statuo, statuere, statui, statutus – to decide 
suadeo, suadere, suasi, suasurus + dat – to persuade, convince 
veto, vetare, vetui – to forbid

Verbs that raise expectations of an indirect statement noun clause (an AcI  construction)

Markers: 

  1. accusative subject
  2. verb in any tense and voice of the infinitive; a perfect active or passive infinitive most often occurs in indirect statement; a future active infinitive is used ONLY in indirect statement 
  3. governing verb of THINKING, HEARING, SAYING, etc. 

arbitror, arbitrari, arbitratus – to think 
audio, audire, audivi, auditus – to hear 
cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitus – to learn, recognize 
credo, credere, credidi, creditus – to think, believe 
dico, dicere, dixi, dictus – to say 
intellego, intellegere, intellexi, intellectus – to understand, comprehendo
iuro, iurare, iuravi, iuratus – to swear 
loquor, loqui, locutus – to speak 
narro, narrare, narravi, narratus – to talk, narrate 
nego, negare, negavi, negatus – to deny, say…not, refuse 
nuntio, nuntiare, nuntiavi, nuntiatus: to announce 
polliceor polliceri pollicitus – to promise (usually with future infinitive) puto, putare, putavi, putatus – to think 
reor, reri, ratus – to think, believe 
respondeo, respondere, respondi, responsus – to answer, reply 
scio scire scivi scitus – to know 
scribo, scribere, scripsi, scriptus – to write 
sentio, sentire, sensi, sensus – to feel, perceive 
video, videre vidi, visus – to see 

Some verbs of “speaking/thinking/knowing”in the passive may pattern with a complementary infinitive. 

Verbs that raise the expectation of an indirect question noun clause

Markers: 

  1. interrogative (question) word; some of the most frequently occurring are: quis quid who? what?; cur why?; num whether, if?; utrum…an whether…or…?; quo modo how? in what manner? unde from where? 
  2. verb in the subjunctive 
  3. governing verbs of ASKING, SAYING, KNOWING 

dico, dicere, dixi, dictus – to say 
rogo, rogare, rogavi, rogatus – to ask 
quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitus – to seek, ask 
interrogo, interrogare, interrogavi, interrogatus – to ask 
requiro, requirere, requisii/requisivi, requisitus – to ask for, look for 
scio, scire, scivi, scitus – to know 
video, videre, vidi, visus – to see


Verbs Raising the Expectation of Other Noun Clauses

Verbs that raise the expectation of a noun result clause

Markers: 

  1. ut/uti – – – negator = non 
  2. subjunctive verb 
  3. governing verb of bringing about, happening

accidit (accido, accidere, accidi) to happen (+Noun Clause as Subject) 
efficio, efficere, effeci, effectus – to bring about (+ Noun Clause as DO) 
facio, facere, feci, factus – to bring about, make happen (+ Noun Clause as DO) fit (fio, fieri, factus) to come about (+ Noun Clause as Subject) 

Verbs that raise the expectation of a clause of fearing

Markers: 

  1. ne – that, or non ne/ut/uti – that …not 
  2. verb in subjunctive 
  3. governing verb of FEARING 

metuo, metuere, metui – to fear 
metus est from metus, metus m. fear and sum, esse, fui, futurus – to be 
timeo, timere, timui – to fear 
vereor, vereri, veritus – to fear


Verbs Raising the Expectation of or Patterning With Infinitives

Verbs that raise the expectation of a complementary infinitive

It is necessary to know these in order to avoid confusion with an accusative w/ infin clause.

Verbs that regularly pattern with a complementary infinitive:
audeo, audere, ausus – to dare 
coepi, coepisse, coeptus (defective verb: no imperfective forms) – to begin 
consuesco, consuescere, consuevi, consuetum – to be accustomed to  
desino, desinere, desi(v)i, desitus – to stop 
desisto, desistere, destiti – to stop 
incipio, incipere, incepi, inceptus – to begin 
possum, posse, potui, – can/to be able 
soleo, solere, solitus – to be accustomed to 

Verbs that pattern occasionally with a complementary infinitive:
conor, conari, conatus – to try 
constituo, constituere, constitui, constitutus – to decide 
cupio, cupere, cupivi, cupitus – to desire 
debeo, debere, debui, debitus – ought, must 
dubito, dubitare, dubitavi, dubitatus – to hesitate 
malo, malle, malui – to prefer 
nolo, nolle, nolui – to not want, be unwilling 
paro, parare, paravi, paratus – to prepare 
scio, scire, scivi, scitus – to know how  
statuo, statuere, statui, statutus- to decide 
tempto, temptare, temptavi, temptatus – to try 
videor – (passive forms of video, videre, vidi, visus) to seem 
volo, velle, volui – to be willing, to want, wish 

Some verbs of speaking/thinking/knowing in the passive may pattern with a complementary infinitive. 

Verbs that raise the expectation of a verbal noun infinitive

These verbs will always be 3rd singular.

est or other 3rd singular form of esse: + nom sg neut adj. The verbal noun use is the ONLY infinitive use that patterns with esse. In these cases, the infinitive is normally the subject of a  linking kernel, and the subject complement adjective is frequently first in the sentence, e.g.,  difficile est “It is difficult (to)…”, melius est “It is better (to)…”, etc.. 

Verbs that regularly pattern with a verbal noun infinitive: 
decet, decere, decuit is fitting, is suitable 
licet, licere, licuit is allowed, is possible 
oportet, oportere, oportuit is necessary 

Verbs that pattern occasionally with a verbal noun infinitiv: 
iuvat iuvare iuvit – is pleasing, delights 
placet placere placuit – is pleasing 
conceditur concedi concessum est – is allowed


Words Which Signal and Abverbial Result Clause

adeo (adv) – to such a degree
ita (adv) – in such a way
tam (adv, usually with adjs or advs) – so
sic (adv) – thus, so, in such a way talis
tale: such
tantus a um – so great
tot (indecl adj) – so many
totiens (adv) – so often


Verbs Which Pattern with a Dative/Ablative/Genitive Object

Dative Object

credo, credere, credidi, creditus – trust, rely on (not entrust)
faveo, favere, favi – favor, offer a favor to
noceo, nocere, nocui – harm, do harm to, injure
parco, parcere, peperci – spare, be lenient to
pareo, parere, parui – obey, be obedient to
persuadeo, persuadere, persuasi, persuasurus – persuade
placeo, placere, placui, placitus – please, be pleasing to
resisto, resistere, restiti – resist, oppose, offer resistance to
servio, servire, servivi – serve, help, offer service to
studeo, studere, studui – be eager for, favor, strive after
suadeo, suadere, suasi – convince, persuade

Ablative Object

utor, uti, usus – use, make use of
fruor, frui, fructus – make use of, enjoy
fungor, fungi, functus – be engaged in, be busy with, discharge
potior, potiri, potitus – take control of, acquire, obtain

Genitive Object

memini, meminisse – remember
obliviscor, oblivisci, oblitus – forget


Factitive Verbs

These pattern with 2 accusatives: DO and OC.

facio, facere, feci, factus – to make, to elect
creo, creare, creavi, creatus – to elect
habeo, habere, habui, habitus – to consider
praeficio, ere, praefeci, praefectus – to appoint
voco, vocare, vocavi, vocatus – to call
appello, are, appellavi, appellatus – to call, to name
declaro, are, declaravi, declaratus – to declare


Linking Verbs

These pattern with a subject and subject complement.

appellatur – is named, is called (not is called for, is summoned)
est – is (not exists)
fit – becomes

videtur – seems (not is seen)
vocatur – is named (not is called for, is summoned)
creatur – is elected
declaratur – is declared
habetur – is considered, is held to be