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Synopses, and the ablative of "from"

Place from which, separation, and "by" a person with the passive.

LatinIntermediate Latin · The passive voiceAbout 3 min: 1 reading, 2 practiceUpdated

After this lesson you can
  • Give a verb's synopsis
  • Use ā/ab, ē/ex and dē for "from" a place
  • Use ā/ab + ablative for the person by whom something is done
Latin Level 2: verbs and the other declensions: lesson 12 of 35
  1. Intermediate Latin · Verbs: the present system
  2. sum: I am, I was, I shall be 3 min
  3. The present of amō and moneō 4 min
  4. The imperfect: was doing 4 min
  5. The future: will do 3 min
  6. The dative with adjectives 3 min
  7. The present of regō and audiō 4 min
  8. The imperfect of regō and audiō, and verbs that take the dative 3 min
  9. The future of regō and audiō 3 min
  10. capiō, and giving orders 3 min
  11. Intermediate Latin · The passive voice
  12. The passive: being done to 3 min
  13. The passive of regō, audiō and capiō; passive infinitives 3 min
  14. Synopses, and the ablative of "from" 3 min
  15. Intermediate Latin · The perfect tenses
  16. fuī, fueram, fuerō: the perfect tenses of sum 3 min
  17. The perfect active: did, have done 5 min
  18. Had done, will have done: pluperfect and future perfect active 3 min
  19. amātus sum: the perfect passive 4 min
  20. Principal parts, prepositions, and yes-or-no questions 5 min
  21. possum, "I can", and the infinitive 3 min
  22. Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
  23. quī, quae, quod: who, which, that 4 min
  24. Intermediate Latin · The third declension
  25. rēx, rēgis: the third declension 4 min
  26. hostis, urbs, mare: i-stems 4 min
  27. vīs and iter; gender in the third declension 4 min
  28. omnis, ācer, pār: third-declension adjectives 3 min
  29. Intermediate Latin · The fourth and fifth declensions
  30. manus, cornū: the fourth declension 3 min
  31. Rōmae, domī, Athēnīs: place and the locative 4 min
  32. diēs, rēs: the fifth declension and the ablative of time 3 min
  33. Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
  34. ego, tū, sē: personal and reflexive pronouns 4 min
  35. ipse, "himself", and īdem, "the same" 3 min
  36. hic, iste, ille: this and that 4 min
  37. aliquis, quīdam, quisque: someone, a certain, each 3 min
  38. Intermediate Latin · Comparison
  39. clārior, clārissimus: comparing adjectives 4 min
  40. melior, optimus: irregular comparison, plūs, and "by how much" 3 min
  41. clārē, fortiter: adverbs and their comparison 4 min
  42. Intermediate Latin · Numerals
  43. ūnus, duo, trēs: numerals, "of" the whole, and "for how long" 5 min
  44. Intermediate Latin · Deponent verbs
  45. hortor, sequor: deponent verbs 3 min

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Pairs with D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Ginn, 1909), Lesson XXX ("Synopses in the Four Conjugations · The Ablative Denoting From"), §§ 177–181

What it is

Synopsis. A synopsis gives one person of a verb in every tense you know, active and passive. For amō (third person singular): amat / amātur, amābat / amābātur, amābit / amābitur. It is quick practice that shows the whole system at a glance.

The ablative of "from" has three common uses:

UseLatinExample
Place from whichā/ab (from near), ē/ex (out of), dē (down from) + ablativeex agrīs veniunt, they come out of the fields
Separationablative, with ā/ab, ē/ex, dē if something actually moves awayGallōs ab oppidō prohibent, they keep the Gauls (away) from the town
Personal agentā/ab + ablative, with a passive verbā Gallīs superantur, they are overcome by the Gauls

Quick check

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  1. "The town is attacked by the Gauls."

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    Oppidum ā Gallīs oppugnātur.. Personal agent: ā/ab + ablative.

Why it matters

The agent is how you say "by someone" with every passive. Mixing it up with the ablative of means is a common mistake.

Worked example

  • Agricolae ex agrīs veniunt. → The farmers come out of the fields.
  • Puer ā magistrō laudātur. → The boy is praised by the teacher. (a person: ā + ablative)
  • Oppidum pīlīs oppugnātur. → The town is attacked with spears. (a thing: plain ablative of means)

Common mistake

Using the plain ablative for a person: wrong: Oppidum Gallīs oppugnātur. A person who does the action takes ā / ab: ā Gallīs. A thing used takes no preposition: pīlīs oppugnātur, it is attacked with spears.

Key terms

synopsis
one person of a verb in every tense
ā / ab
from (near); by (a person)
ē / ex
out of
dē
down from; about
prohibeō, prohibēre
keep (away) from
superō, superāre
overcome, defeat
personal agent
the person by whom a passive action is done

Practise the key terms

Tap a card to turn it over. 7 cards.

FrontBack
synopsisone person of a verb in every tense
ā / abfrom (near); by (a person)
ē / exout of
dēdown from; about
prohibeō, prohibērekeep (away) from
superō, superāreovercome, defeat
personal agentthe person by whom a passive action is done

Practice

Sort it

Means (a thing) or personal agent (a person)?

  1. pīlīs (with spears)

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    Means. A thing: plain ablative.

  2. ā lēgātō (by the lieutenant)

    Show answer

    Agent. A person: ā + ablative.

  3. gladiō (with a sword)

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    Means. A thing: plain ablative.

  4. ā puerīs (by the boys)

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    Agent. People: ā + ablative.

Quick quiz

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  1. "out of the town"

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    ex oppidō. ē/ex + ablative: out of.

  2. "The letter is sent by Marcus." Which phrase is "by Marcus"?

    Show answer

    ā Mārcō. Personal agent: ā + ablative.

Practise speaking

Studyfern has no voice tools of its own. To practise out loud, copy this prompt into a voice-capable AI assistant and talk with it.

You are a patient Latin tutor. Use the classical pronunciation only, never the Church one: c is always k, g is always hard, v sounds like w, ae like the ai in aisle, and long vowels are held longer. Speak slowly. Use only these Latin words: ā, ab, ē, ex, dē, oppidum, ager, agricolae, veniunt, puer, Gallī, magister, laudātur, superantur. Say English sentences like 'the farmers come out of the fields' or 'the boy is praised by the teacher', and I will say them in Latin, choosing the right preposition, or none. Do 6 sentences. After each answer, tell me what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again, then tell me one thing to improve. Keep every reply under 2 sentences. If I need a name or a town, I will make one up. Speak English except for the Latin itself.

Listen too. Listen to native speakers before and after: see the free listening and shadowing links.

Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. This course teaches the classical pronunciation (see lesson 1); AI voices may mix it with the Church (Italian-style) one, so ask for classical and check against lesson 1. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.

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In short

  • Synopsis: one person, every tense, active and passive.
  • From a place: ā/ab, ē/ex, dē + ablative.
  • Separation: ablative, with a preposition if there is real movement.
  • By a person (with a passive): ā/ab + ablative. By a thing: plain ablative.

Mastery check

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Check yourself

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  1. Give the synopsis of vocō in the third person plural, active.

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    vocant, vocābant, vocābunt.

  2. Translate Rōmānī ā Gallīs superantur.

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    The Romans are overcome by the Gauls.

  3. Which preposition means "down from"?

    Show answer

    dē.

Further reading

  • D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lesson XXX, §§ 177–181. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.