The Present Used for the Past

Level 5

Latin often tells a story in the present tense, and the English can stay in the past.

How It Works

Latin	Read it as
Hannibal Alpes superat.	Hannibal crossed the Alps (the Latin verb, superat, is in the present).
Caesar hostes vincit.	Caesar defeated the enemy.

Look for clues that the story is past: a date, a word such as tum (then) or subito (suddenly), or a neighbouring perfect or imperfect verb.

Gospel stories also use it. John 11:29 says surgit cito (she rises quickly) for something that already happened.

In English a past story reads more smoothly in the past, so translate it that way unless you want to keep the present on purpose.

Hannibal Alpes superat, exercitum in Italiam ducit.
Hannibal crossed the Alps and led his army into Italy.
Superat and ducit are present in form and tell a past event.
Subito Marcus clamat: Ecce lupus!
Suddenly Marcus shouted, Look, a wolf!
Subito (suddenly) is a clue that this is a lively story.
Caesar copias educit et hostes vincit.
Caesar led out his forces and defeated the enemy.
Two historic presents, educit and vincit, speed the story along.
Illa ut audivit, surgit cito et venit ad eum.
When she heard it, she rose quickly and came to him.
John 11:29. Surgit is a historic present, and ut audivit gives the time.

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

The Present Used for the PastLevel 5

The historic present is told in the present about the past.

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