Had done, will have done: pluperfect and future perfect active
amāveram, amāverō, and the perfect infinitive amāvisse.
LatinIntermediate Latin · The perfect tensesAbout 3 min: 1 reading, 2 practiceUpdated
- Form the pluperfect and future perfect active of any verb
- Form the perfect active infinitive
- Give a full active synopsis
Latin Level 2: verbs and the other declensions: lesson 15 of 35
- Intermediate Latin · Verbs: the present system
- sum: I am, I was, I shall be 3 min
- The present of amō and moneō 4 min
- The imperfect: was doing 4 min
- The future: will do 3 min
- The dative with adjectives 3 min
- The present of regō and audiō 4 min
- The imperfect of regō and audiō, and verbs that take the dative 3 min
- The future of regō and audiō 3 min
- capiō, and giving orders 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The passive voice
- The passive: being done to 3 min
- The passive of regō, audiō and capiō; passive infinitives 3 min
- Synopses, and the ablative of "from" 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The perfect tenses
- fuī, fueram, fuerō: the perfect tenses of sum 3 min
- The perfect active: did, have done 5 min
- Had done, will have done: pluperfect and future perfect active 3 min
- amātus sum: the perfect passive 4 min
- Principal parts, prepositions, and yes-or-no questions 5 min
- possum, "I can", and the infinitive 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
- quī, quae, quod: who, which, that 4 min
- Intermediate Latin · The third declension
- rēx, rēgis: the third declension 4 min
- hostis, urbs, mare: i-stems 4 min
- vīs and iter; gender in the third declension 4 min
- omnis, ācer, pār: third-declension adjectives 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The fourth and fifth declensions
- manus, cornū: the fourth declension 3 min
- Rōmae, domī, Athēnīs: place and the locative 4 min
- diēs, rēs: the fifth declension and the ablative of time 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
- ego, tū, sē: personal and reflexive pronouns 4 min
- ipse, "himself", and īdem, "the same" 3 min
- hic, iste, ille: this and that 4 min
- aliquis, quīdam, quisque: someone, a certain, each 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Comparison
- clārior, clārissimus: comparing adjectives 4 min
- melior, optimus: irregular comparison, plūs, and "by how much" 3 min
- clārē, fortiter: adverbs and their comparison 4 min
- Intermediate Latin · Numerals
- ūnus, duo, trēs: numerals, "of" the whole, and "for how long" 5 min
- Intermediate Latin · Deponent verbs
- hortor, sequor: deponent verbs 3 min
Try first
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Pairs with D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Ginn, 1909), Lessons XXXIII–XXXIV, §§ 194–199
What it is
Both tenses are built on the perfect stem, exactly like fueram and fuerō:
| Pluperfect | Future perfect | |
|---|---|---|
| I | amāveram | amāverō |
| you | amāverās | amāveris |
| he/she | amāverat | amāverit |
| we | amāverāmus | amāverimus |
| you pl. | amāverātis | amāveritis |
| they | amāverant | amāverint |
So monueram, rēxeram, cēperam, audīveram: I had warned, ruled, taken, heard.
The perfect active infinitive is the perfect stem + -isse: amāvisse (to have loved), monuisse, rēxisse, cēpisse, audīvisse, fuisse.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
What does dūxerat mean?
- That is dūxerit
Show answer
he had led. Perfect stem dūx- + erat: pluperfect.
Why it matters
The pluperfect puts one past event before another: he had already left when we came. The future perfect does the same for the future, and Latin uses it where English often says "when I have finished" or even "when I finish".
Worked example
Synopsis of regō in the third person singular, active:
| Tense | Latin | English |
|---|---|---|
| Present | regit | he rules |
| Imperfect | regēbat | he was ruling |
| Future | reget | he will rule |
| Perfect | rēxit | he ruled, has ruled |
| Pluperfect | rēxerat | he had ruled |
| Future perfect | rēxerit | he will have ruled |
- Puerī vēnerant. → The boys had come.
- Epistulam mīserō. → I shall have sent the letter.
Common mistake
Mixing up -erat and -erit. Pluperfect has -erā- (had), future perfect has -eri- (will have): vīderat, he had seen; vīderit, he will have seen.
Key terms
- pluperfect
- had done: perfect stem + eram
- future perfect
- will have done: perfect stem + erō
- perfect infinitive
- to have done: perfect stem + isse
- synopsis
- one person of a verb in every tense
- epistula, -ae
- letter
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 5 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| pluperfect | had done: perfect stem + eram |
| future perfect | will have done: perfect stem + erō |
| perfect infinitive | to have done: perfect stem + isse |
| synopsis | one person of a verb in every tense |
| epistula, -ae | letter |
Practice
Sort it
Pluperfect (had) or future perfect (will have)?
mīserat
-erat: he had sent.Show answer
Pluperfect. -erat: he had sent.
mīserit
-erit: he will have sent.Show answer
Future perfect. -erit: he will have sent.
vēnerāmus
-erāmus: we had come.Show answer
Pluperfect. -erāmus: we had come.
vēnerimus
-erimus: we shall have come.Show answer
Future perfect. -erimus: we shall have come.
fēcerant
-erant: they had made.Show answer
Pluperfect. -erant: they had made.
fēcerint
-erint: they will have made.Show answer
Future perfect. -erint: they will have made.
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
"to have seen" (videō, vidēre, vīdī)
- That is the present: to see
Show answer
vīdisse. Perfect stem vīd- + isse.
"You (pl.) had called"
- Future perfect: you will have called
Show answer
vocāverātis. Pluperfect: -erā-.
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: vēnerāmus, mīserat, vīderat, dūxerit, cēperimus, audīverant, mīsisse, vīdisse. Give me English phrases like 'they had heard', 'we shall have taken' or 'to have seen', 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.
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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
- Pluperfect = perfect stem + eram, erās, erat …: had done.
- Future perfect = perfect stem + erō, eris, erit … erint: will have done.
- Perfect infinitive = perfect stem + isse.
- -erā- had; -eri- will have.
Mastery check
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Check yourself
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Give "they had heard".
Show answer
audīverant.
Give the perfect infinitive of mittō, mittere, mīsī.
Show answer
mīsisse.
Translate Cēperimus.
Show answer
We shall have taken.
Further reading
- D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lessons XXXIII–XXXIV, §§ 194–199. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.
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