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The passive of regō, audiō and capiō; passive infinitives

regor, regeris, regitur; regī, "to be ruled".

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

After this lesson you can
  • Form the present, imperfect and future passive of regō, audiō and capiō
  • Remember regeris (not regiris)
  • Form the present passive infinitive of every conjugation
Latin Level 2: verbs and the other declensions: lesson 11 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), Lessons XXVIII–XXIX, §§ 169 and 172–175

What it is

The third and fourth conjugations add the same passive endings to the tenses you know:

regōPresentFuture
Iregorregar
youregerisregēris
he/sheregiturregētur
weregimurregēmur
you pl.regiminīregēminī
theyregunturregentur
audiōPresentFuture
Iaudioraudiar
youaudīrisaudiēris
he/sheaudīturaudiētur
weaudīmuraudiēmur
you pl.audīminīaudiēminī
theyaudiunturaudientur

The imperfect passive is regēbar, audiēbar, capiēbar … Watch the "you" form of regō: present regeris (short e), future regēris (long ē).

Capiō follows audiō where two vowels meet (capior, capiuntur) and regō elsewhere (caperis, capitur).

The present passive infinitive ("to be …"):

ActivePassive
1stamāreamārī
2ndmonēremonērī
3rdregereregī
3rd -iōcaperecapī
4thaudīreaudīrī

Quick check

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  1. "to be sent" (mittō, mittere)

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    mittī. Third conjugation passive infinitive: -ī.

Why it matters

You can now say "the town is defended", "the letter will be sent" and "the soldiers were being led" with any verb.

Worked example

  • Cōpiae dūcuntur. → The troops are (being) led.
  • Verba nōn audiēbantur. → The words were not being heard.
  • Oppidum capiētur. → The town will be taken.

Common mistake

Making the passive infinitive of the third conjugation like the others: wrong: regerī. The third conjugation drops -ere and adds -ī: regī, mittī, capī.

Key terms

regī
to be ruled
audīrī
to be heard
capī
to be taken
present passive infinitive
"to be …ed"

Practise the key terms

Tap a card to turn it over. 4 cards.

FrontBack
regīto be ruled
audīrīto be heard
capīto be taken
present passive infinitive"to be …ed"

Practice

Quick quiz

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  1. "The boys are being led."

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    Puerī dūcuntur.. Passive "they": -ntur.

  2. "to be found" (reperiō, reperīre)

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    reperīrī. Fourth conjugation: -īre → -īrī.

  3. "You (one) are ruled"

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    regeris. Present passive "you" of regō: regeris.

Practise speaking

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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: regitur, dūcuntur, mittī, audītur, capitur, regī, audīrī, capī. Give me English phrases like 'the troops are being led', 'it will be heard' or 'to be taken', and I will say them in Latin. Do 10 phrases. 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

  • Passive endings go on the tenses you know: regor, regēbar, regar.
  • regō "you": present regeris, future regēris.
  • capiō: capior, capiuntur like audiō; caperis, capitur like regō.
  • Passive infinitive: amārī, monērī, regī, capī, audīrī.

Mastery check

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Check yourself

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  1. Give "it will be heard".

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    audiētur.

  2. Give the passive infinitive of dūcō.

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    dūcī, to be led.

  3. Translate Oppida capiuntur.

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    The towns are (being) taken.

Further reading

  • D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lessons XXVIII–XXIX, §§ 169 and 172–175. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.