Verbs of Permission
Summary of Construction
“Verbs of permitting take either the subjunctive or the infinitive.” (AG 563c)
Where the subjunctive appears, it accompanies a substantive clause of purpose, led on by ut or nē.
Verbs of Permitting
All verbs in this list may (among other things) be translated allow or permit
- ammitto, ammittere, ammīsī, ammissus
- concēdo, concēdere, concessī, concessus
- patior, patī, passus sum
- permitto, permittere, permīsī, permissus
- praebeō, praebēre, praebuī, praebitus
- sinō, sinere, sīvī, situs
Exempla
- He permitted them to make it: permīsit ut id facerent.
- I allow you to not miss these events: concēdo tibi nē ea ammittās.
- He did not allow the tents to be pitched: tabernācula statuī passus nōn est.
- They do not allow wine to be imported: vinum importārī nōn sinunt.
Note on Licet
The impersonal licet may also mean allow or permit, and may also take an infinite, or initiate a subjunctive purpose clause
- However, it may also take the dative or accusative.
- For more, see a previous post—https://latinforaddicts.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/licet-up/
The Essential AG: 363c
Famous Phrase: semel in annō licet insanīre
(once each year, it is permitted to go crazy)
[from Horace (4.13.2) and Augustine (Civ. Dei, 4.10); proverbial during the Middle Ages]
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