Participles
Participles are verbs acting as adjectives. They are like English '-ing' words: doing, having seen, etc. They are both ADJECTIVES & VERBS.
Since they are adjectives, they can agree with a noun or be used as substantives.
Since they are verbs, they can have direct objects.
Transitive verbs (verbs which have direct objects) have 4 participles:
1. Perfect passive
2. Present active
3. Future active
4. Future passive
1. Perfect passive (=4th principal part): 'having been . . . '
Recognize these by (i) knowing the 4th principal parts of verbs, & (ii) by the 't' usually (but not always) near the end.
amātus -a -um, having been loved
vīsus -a -um, having been seen
rēctus -a -um, having been ruled
captus -a -um, having been captured
audītus -a -um, having been heard
capta, nihil dīxit.
Having been captured, she said nothing.
2. Present active: '-ing'
These decline like 3rd decl. one-ending adjectives (ingēns etc.).
Recognize these by the 'ns' in the nom. & the 'nt' in the other cases.
amāns, loving
vidēns, seeing
regēns, ruling
capiēns, capturing
audiēns, hearing
dōna dantibus grātiās agunt.
Gifts give thanks to those giving.
3. Future active: 'about to . . . , going to . . . '
Recognize these by the 'ūr'.
amātūrus -a -um, about to love
vīsūrus -a -um, about to see
rēctūrus -a -um, about to rule
captūrus -a -um, about to capture
audītūrus -a -um, about to hear
iste, aliam urbem victūrus, omnēs ducēs dēlēre cupiēbat.
That man, about to defeat another city, desired to destroy all its leaders.
4. Future passive: 'to be . . . '
This participle carries an idea of 'necessity'. Recognize these by the 'nd'.
amāndus -a -um, to be loved
videndus -a -um, to be seen
regendus -a -um, to be ruled
capiendus -a -um, to be captured
audiendus -a -um, to be heard
ad lūdum tuum fīlium docendum mīsī.
I sent my son to your school to be taught.
Uses of the participle
As adjectives, the participle can be used to modify something (agreeing in case/number/gender) or can be a substantive.
māter amāns, a loving mother
audientēs, those listening (= the listeners)
As verbs, the participles have tense & voice (active/passive), can take a direct object (if it is active), & can use any of the constructions associated with the verb.
māter amāns fīliōs
a mother loving her children
metū puerum līberāns, vir . . .
a man, freeing the boy from fear . . .
Tense
Participle tense is not absolute, but relative to the main verb.
Present act. participle: occurs at the same time as the action of the main verb.
Future act./pass. participle: action will occur after the action of the main verb.
Perfect pass. participle: action has occurred before the action of the main verb.
hostēs vidēns, discessit: 'Seeing the enemies, he fled.' Both happen then.
hostēs vidēns, discēdit: 'Seeing the enemies, he flees.' Both happen now.
Translating participles
Think about the relation between the participle & the main verb, think about the sense of the sentence. You will find that the participle often has one of these forces:
temporal,
patrem videntēs, puer et puella ad eum currunt.
Seeing [=when they see] their father, the boy & girl rush towards him.
causal,
patrem amantēs, puer et puella ad eum currunt.
Loving [=because they love] their father, the boy & girl rush towards him.
or concessive
patrem timentēs, puer et puella ad eum currunt.
Fearing [=although they fear] their father, the boy & girl rush towards him.