Compound verbs: recognise prefixes without guessing
Learn this complete reference set, recall meanings and construction clues, then apply the grammar in original short practice.
Exam scope and assessment notes
Original teaching foundations for the 2026–2028 syllabus. Six prescribed texts have passage-specific sequences; all 693 printed vocabulary rows have been reconciled into 692 distinct records, with additional number, comparison and compound-verb practice. Linked teaching and lexical self-checks do not certify mastery. Complete line-by-line annotation, further translation and scansion practice, qualified Latin-teacher review, full timed papers and human marking remain outstanding. Open the assigned edition alongside these lessons: public ancient texts can differ in spelling, punctuation or editorial readings from the prescribed prose anthology. Practice explanations are formative, not Cambridge questions, marks or predicted grades. Cambridge has announced withdrawal; the last assessment is June 2028, in administrative zones 3, 4, 5 and 6 only. Confirm entry with your centre.
Before you begin
- Identify noun, verb and clause roles
- Recall the whole dictionary record rather than only its first spelling
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
What does a dictionary meaning fail to establish on its own?
What you will learn
- Analyse compounds involving the listed prepositions
- Retain irregular stems and check established meanings
Read the form, recall the meaning, then check the construction
Use the reference list to learn, then hide the meanings in recall practice. The usage note explains a grammatical clue or limit. Self-check labels do not award a grade or certify mastery.
11 of 11 entries shown · 0 marked for another review in this practice
abeo, abire, abii, abitumCompound verb
go away
Ab- contributes departure, but eo's irregular forms must still be recognised.
adeo, adire, adii, aditumCompound verb
approach; go to
Ad- suggests approach. Distinguish the separate adverb adeo, so greatly.
ineo, inire, inii, initumCompound verb
enter; undertake
In- contributes entry, but the actual object's sense and construction matter.
exeo, exire, exii, exitumCompound verb
go out
Ex- contributes outward movement; the present and perfect systems still use eo's pattern.
transeo, transire, transii, transitumCompound verb
go across; pass
Trans- contributes crossing. This illustrates the syllabus's additional compound-verb requirement.
circumeo, circumire, circumii, circumitumCompound verb
go around
The prefix and irregular base help recognition, but learn the actual attested forms.
redeo, redire, redii, reditumCompound verb
return
Re- contributes return; it is not itself another finite verb.
pereo, perire, perii, peritumCompound verb
perish; be lost
The compound's established meaning is not simply a literal ‘go through’; check lexical meaning as well as its pieces.
affero, afferre, attuli, allatumCompound verb
bring to; bring
Ad- can assimilate in a compound; the perfect and supine stems still differ markedly from the present.
offero, offerre, obtuli, oblatumCompound verb
offer; present
Present ff and perfect/supine ob forms are parts of the same compound record.
aufero, auferre, abstuli, ablatumCompound verb
take away
The different stems make principal-part recognition more reliable than guessing from one prefix spelling.
Use a base and an attested compound
The additional syllabus requirement includes compounds formed with listed prepositions, even when not separately printed as a headword. Transeo combines crossing with eo's irregular verb family; exeo marks going out. A compound still needs a finite form with person, number, tense and mood.
Spelling can change through assimilation and principal-part systems: affero relates to ad plus fero but uses attuli and allatum; offero uses obtuli and oblatum. Learn the actual attested record, not a new form invented by mechanically attaching any prefix to any verb.
Check meaning and construction
Prefix analysis is a clue, not a complete translation. Pereo has the established perishing sense rather than a guaranteed literal go through. Adeo as a verb differs from the separately listed adverb adeo. The card's full forms and sentence structure keep those uses apart.
Compound verbs can also change construction, including relevant dative uses; a prefix resembling a preposition does not force a following noun into that preposition's case automatically. Use the actual verb's construction and a reliable dictionary for an unfamiliar compound.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
Does every compound mean the literal sum of a prefix gloss and a base gloss?
Worked example
Translate original ‘Milites flumen transeunt’.
Show the worked solution
- Transeunt is the plural form of transeo.
- Milites is the subject.
- Flumen is the thing crossed.
Answer The soldiers cross the river. The compound's established meaning and plural finite form work with the noun roles; splitting it into a disconnected preposition and verb would lose the single action.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
Guided: Identify transeo's base and the contribution of trans-.
Give me a hint
Use crossing and the irregular go-family.
Compare my reasoning
- Eo is the base family.
- Trans- contributes crossing.
- The compound's forms still need recognition.
Transeo belongs to the eo family with a crossing contribution from trans-. Its irregular pattern and sentence role remain necessary; a prefix label alone does not parse a finite form.
Look for these in your work
- Uses base
- Uses prefix
- Preserves forms
Independent: Compare exeo and redeo.
Give me a hint
Going out differs from returning.
Compare my reasoning
- Exeo concerns going out.
- Redeo concerns return.
- Keep their finite forms and complements distinct.
The compounds distinguish outward departure from return. Their shared eo base supports recognition, but does not erase the changed meaning or the actual finite ending in a sentence.
Look for these in your work
- Uses outward sense
- Uses return
- Uses forms
Application: A learner translates pereo only as go through because per can mean through. Correct it.
Give me a hint
Established lexical meaning controls.
Compare my reasoning
- Prefix analysis gives a possible clue.
- The actual record gives perish or be lost.
- Select the attested meaning in context.
Pereo must be read through its established perishing/loss meaning in the relevant context. A mechanical through-plus-go substitution is not a reliable dictionary substitute and can change the event being described.
Look for these in your work
- Uses clue cautiously
- Uses attested sense
- Preserves event
Common mistakes
- Inventing compounds freely
- Making every prefix a separate preposition
- Translating pereo mechanically
What can you explain now?
Does every compound mean the literal sum of a prefix gloss and a base gloss?
Compare with the explanation
No
Established meaning and construction can differ from a mechanical combination.
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Make it stick
Does every compound mean the literal sum of a prefix gloss and a base gloss?
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.