Perfect Passive: amatus sum

Level 4

Participle plus est or sunt: was done, has been done.

How It Works

SubjectSingularPlural
masculineamatus estamati sunt
feminineamata estamatae sunt
neuteramatum estamata sunt

The first and second persons work the same way: amatus sum (I was loved), amatus es (you were loved), amati sumus (we were loved) and amati estis (you all were loved).

English uses was or has been for this tense, and the sentence shows which one fits.

If the doer is named, it goes with a or ab: Iulia a Marco vocata est. Because the participle has the ending of the subject, the two words are often not next to each other.

Examples (5)

  1. Iulia a Marco vocata est.

    Iulia was called by Marcus.

    Vocata is feminine to match Iulia, and est is singular.

  2. Pueri a magistro vocati sunt.

    The boys were called by the teacher.

    Vocati and sunt are both plural.

  3. Epistulae a Livia scriptae sunt.

    The letters were written by Livia.

    Scriptae is feminine plural, to match epistulae.

  4. Scriptum est.

    It is written.

    Scriptum is neuter singular. The words are from Matthew 4:4.

  5. Verbum caro factum est.

    The Word became flesh.

    Factum is neuter, to match Verbum. The words are from John 1:14.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the wrong gender for the participle.

    Iulia a Marco vocatus est.
    Iulia a Marco vocata est.

    The participle agrees with the subject. Iulia is feminine, so the participle is vocata.

  • Using a singular form of sum with a plural subject.

    Pueri a magistro vocati est.
    Pueri a magistro vocati sunt.

    Pueri is plural, so both the participle and sum are plural: vocati sunt.

How It Connects

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

Perfect Passive: amatus sumLevel 4

Learn This First

The perfect passive is the participle plus a form of sum.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

amosum