Deponent and semi-deponent vocabulary
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
- Give active meanings to appropriate passive-looking forms
- Distinguish deponents, semi-deponents and genuinely passive constructions
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.
22 of 22 entries shown · 0 marked for another review in this practice
aggredior, aggredi, aggressus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
attack
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
audeo, -ere, ausus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
dare
Semi-deponent: the present is active-looking, while ausus sum is a passive-looking perfect with active meaning.
colloquor (3 dep.)Deponent or semi-deponent verb
converse, hold a conversation
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
conor (1 dep.)Deponent or semi-deponent verb
try
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
egredior, egredi, egressus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
go out
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
gaudeo, -ere, gavisus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
be happy, rejoice
Semi-deponent: gavisus sum expresses having rejoiced, not having been rejoiced by someone.
hortor (1 dep.)Deponent or semi-deponent verb
encourage
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
ingredior, ingredi, ingressus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
enter, go in
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
labor, labi, lapsus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
slip, slide, glide
Check the whole record: labor, laboris is work; labor, labi, lapsus sum is a deponent meaning slip or glide.
loquor, loqui, locutus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
speak
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
miror (1 dep.)Deponent or semi-deponent verb
wonder at, admire
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
morior, mori, mortuus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
die
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
nascor, nasci, natus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
be born
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
obliviscor, oblivisci, oblitus sum + gen.Deponent or semi-deponent verb
forget, be forgetful of
This entry highlights the genitive construction. English forgetting an object does not require a Latin accusative in every example. The record specifically highlights a gen. construction; check that governed case.
patior, pati, passus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
suffer, endure, allow
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
proficiscor, proficisci, profectus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
set out
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
progredior, progredi, progressus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
advance
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
regredior, regredi, regressus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
go back
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
sequor, sequi, secutus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
follow
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
soleo, -ere, solitus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
be accustomed
Semi-deponent: solitus sum retains the meaning of being accustomed; a passive-looking perfect is not enough to infer a passive translation.
utor, uti, usus sum + abl.Deponent or semi-deponent verb
use
Uses the ablative in its standard construction. A direct English object does not automatically imply Latin accusative. The record specifically highlights a abl. construction; check that governed case.
vereor, vereri, veritus sumDeponent or semi-deponent verb
fear
Passive-looking forms can carry active meaning here. Check the supplied forms and whether the verb is deponent or semi-deponent before assigning an agent or translating was ... by.
Read the whole verb family
Loquor, sequor and proficiscor have passive-looking forms with active meanings. A perfect such as profectus est means he set out; the participle agrees with the relevant subject. Learn these records as families rather than apply a universal was ... by translation.
Audeo, gaudeo and soleo are semi-deponent: their present-system forms look active but their perfects use passive-looking participles with active sense. This does not make every ordinary passive participle active. The actual verb record must support the classification.
Keep construction and agreement
Utor normally highlights an ablative complement; obliviscor here highlights genitive. A deponent meaning does not abolish case requirements. A participle may be feminine or plural according to the subject: profecta est and profecti sunt are not interchangeable.
Contrast the noun labor, laboris with labor, labi, lapsus sum. Also keep videor's seem usage separate: it belongs to passive forms of video and should not simply be labelled an ordinary deponent. Correct translation needs more than a passive-looking ending.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
Does ‘profecta est’ require a passive English translation for proficiscor?
Worked example
Translate original ‘Puella profecta est’.
Show the worked solution
- Identify the perfect of proficiscor.
- Profecta agrees with puella.
- Keep the deponent's active sense.
Answer The girl set out. The feminine participle agrees with the subject, and the deponent perfect does not mean she was set out by someone else.
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: Explain ‘Milites profecti sunt’.
Give me a hint
Read plural agreement and the verb record.
Compare my reasoning
- Milites is plural.
- Profecti sunt is its agreeing perfect.
- Proficiscor means set out.
The soldiers set out. The masculine plural participle and sunt match the subject, while the verb's deponent classification preserves the active meaning.
Look for these in your work
- Uses number
- Uses agreement
- Uses active sense
Independent: Compare audeo and ausus sum.
Give me a hint
Present-system shape differs from perfect-system shape.
Compare my reasoning
- Audeo is active-looking present.
- Ausus sum is passive-looking perfect.
- Both retain the daring sense.
The pair illustrates a semi-deponent system: I dare versus I dared or have dared. The change of shape does not create a new passive agent or mean that someone dared the subject.
Look for these in your work
- Uses systems
- Preserves sense
- Avoids invented agent
Application: A student gives utor an accusative object solely from English ‘use’. Correct the method.
Give me a hint
Use the listed ablative construction.
Compare my reasoning
- Check the record's governed case.
- Identify the actual noun form.
- Translate the relation without replacing Latin syntax.
The ordinary utor construction uses ablative, as the card states. English use can take a direct object, but that does not make Latin accusative compulsory; the verb record and sentence must control.
Look for these in your work
- Uses record
- Uses noun form
- Separates languages
Common mistakes
- Turning every passive-looking form into passive sense
- Ignoring participle agreement
- Calling videor an ordinary deponent automatically
What can you explain now?
Does ‘profecta est’ require a passive English translation for proficiscor?
Compare with the explanation
No
A deponent perfect uses passive-looking forms with an active meaning.
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Make it stick
Does ‘profecta est’ require a passive English translation for proficiscor?
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.