Perfect System Passive
Form the perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect passive by combining the fourth principal part (perfect passive participle) with the appropriate forms of esse. Translate amatus sum, amatus eram, and amatus ero.
A lesson of Latin A2 — Elementary, in Passive Voice, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will form and translate the perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect passive using the fourth principal part combined with forms of esse.
How the Perfect Passive Works
PERFECT PASSIVE PARTICIPLE + ESSE (form matches tense)
The present system passive (Module 3, Lesson 1) replaced active endings with passive endings. The perfect system passive works differently: it is a compound construction using the perfect passive participle (4th principal part) plus a form of esse.
The participle declines like a 1st/2nd declension adjective — it must agree in gender, number, and case with the subject of the sentence.
The Perfect Passive Participle (PPP)
The 4th principal part is the neuter nominative singular form of the PPP. To use it:
- For a masculine singular subject: amatus
- For a feminine singular subject: amata
- For a neuter singular subject: amatum
- For a masculine plural subject: amati
- For a feminine plural subject: amatae
- For a neuter plural subject: amata
Common PPPs to know:
| Verb | PPP (masc. sg.) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| amare | amatus | loved, having been loved |
| monere | monitus | warned |
| ducere | ductus | led |
| capere | captus | captured |
| audire | auditus | heard |
| vincere | victus | conquered |
| mittere | missus | sent |
| videre | visus | seen |
Perfect Passive: PPP + Present of esse
"Was loved" or "has been loved"
| Subject | Latin | Translation |
|---|