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Latin Verbs - Semi-Deponent Verbs

Verba semideponentia

By N.S. Gill, About.com

Semi-deponent verbs are similar to deponent verbs in that they only have three principal parts and they are active in meaning, but passive in form in the "perfect" tenses. In the dictionary, you will see the present active indicative first person singular, the present active infinitive, and the perfect passive indicative (also first person singular, as noted by the sum).

The three principal parts and definitions of the five main, basic semi-deponent verbs are

  • audeo, audere, ausus sum - dare
  • gaudeo, gaudere, gavisus sum - rejoice
  • soleo, solere, solitus sum - be accustomed to
  • confido, confidere, confisus sum trust in (+ the dative)
  • fio, fieri, factus sum - become, am made
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