The Perfect Infinitive: amavisse
Perfect stem plus -isse: to have done.
How It Works
| Verb | Perfect | Perfect infinitive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| amo | amavi | amavisse | to have loved |
| habeo | habui | habuisse | to have had |
| duco | duxi | duxisse | to have led |
| capio | cepi | cepisse | to have taken |
| audio | audivi | audivisse | to have heard |
| venio | veni | venisse | to have come |
| sum | fui | fuisse | to have been |
The stem is the one you find by dropping -i from the perfect. It is the stem of the pluperfect and the future perfect too.
The present infinitive and the perfect infinitive show the time. Dicit Marcum venire says that Marcus is coming. Dicit Marcum venisse says that Marcus came.
Examples (5)
- Marcus dicit Iuliam venisse.
Marcus says that Iulia came.
Venisse is the perfect infinitive: the coming happened before the saying.
- Puer dicit se librum legisse.
The boy says that he has read the book.
Legisse is the perfect infinitive of lego; se points back to the boy.
- Scio te bene cantavisse.
I know that you sang well.
Cantavisse is the perfect infinitive of canto.
- Sciunt Iuliam librum scripsisse.
They know that Iulia wrote the book.
Scripsisse is the perfect infinitive of scribo.
- Credimus Christum a mortuis resurrexisse.
We believe that Christ has risen from the dead.
Resurrexisse is the perfect infinitive of resurgo.
Common Mistakes
Using the present infinitive for an earlier action.
Marcus dicit Iuliam venire.Marcus dicit Iuliam venisse.Venire says that Iulia is coming. The intended meaning was: Marcus says that Iulia came, which needs the perfect infinitive venisse.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The perfect infinitive is the perfect stem plus -isse.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice The Perfect Infinitive: amavisse in Bubblegum
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