Formation of the Supine

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178. The Supine Stem may be found by dropping -um from the Supine. It is formed by adding t (or, by a phonetic change, s):

a. To the Present stem.

amā-t-um
dēlē-t-um
audī-t-um

b. To the root, with or without ĭ.

cap-t-um (capiō, CAP)
moni-t-um (moneō, MON used as root)
cās-um (for †cad-t-um, CAD)
lēc-t-um (LEG)

Note 1— By phonetic change dt and tt become s (dēfēnsum, versum for †dē-fendt-um, †vert-t-um); bt becomes pt (scrīp-t-um for †scrīb-t-um); gt becomes ct (rēc-t-um for †reg-t-um).1

Note 2— The modifications of the Present stem sometimes appear in the supine.

tīnc-t-um (tingō, TIG)
tēn-s-um for †tend-t-um (ten-d-ō, TEN)

Note 3— The Supine is sometimes from a lost or imaginary verb stem.

petī-t-um (as if from †peti-ō, †petī-re, PET)

Note 4— A few verbs form the supine stem in s after the analogy of verbs in d and t.

fal-s-um (fallō), pul-s-um (pellō)

 

Footnotes

1. For these modifications of the supine stem, see § 15.5-615.10.
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Suggested Citation

Meagan Ayer, Allen and Greenough’s New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-947822-04-7. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/grammar/latin/formation-supine