Become: fio, fieri

Level 5

Fio: I become, I am made, I happen.

How It Works

TenseFormsMeaning
presentfio, fis, fit, fimus, fitis, fiuntI become
imperfectfiebamI was becoming
futurefiam, fies, fietI will become
subjunctivefiam, fias, fiatmay it be
perfectfactus sumI became
infinitivefierito become

Fio has three meanings: I become (puer vir fit), I am made (pons fit) and it happens (fit ut). The describing word after it is in the nominative, as after sum.

In the perfect, factus is the participle of facio, so factus est can mean he became or it was made. The sentence tells you which.

Examples (5)

  1. Hieme aqua glacies fit.

    In winter water becomes ice.

    Fit means becomes, and glacies is in the nominative, like aqua.

  2. Et Verbum caro factum est.

    And the Word became flesh.

    John 1:14. Factum est is the perfect of fio. Caro is nominative.

  3. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.

    Let it be done to me according to your word.

    Luke 1:38. Fiat is the present subjunctive of fio: a wish.

  4. Quomodo fiet istud?

    How will this be?

    Luke 1:34. Fiet is the future of fio.

  5. Quid de me fiet?

    What will become of me?

    Fiet is the future of fio. Fiet de me is the usual way to ask what will become of me.

Common Mistakes

  • Using sum for became.

    Puer vir fuit.
    Puer vir factus est.

    Fuit is correct Latin for a different meaning: The boy was a man. To say he became one, use the perfect of fio: factus est.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Become: fio, fieriLevel 5

Learn This First

Fio is the passive of facio, so the passive infinitive comes first.

Words in This Pattern

fiofaciofactusfiat