Latin core word #77 · verb · 236 times in the New Testament
possum
PO-sumpossum, posse, potuī — be able, can
- Irregular: pot- + sum (pos- before s); + infinitive.
- Participle potēns is an adjective ‘powerful’.
Forms in bold occur in the New Testament; the others complete the pattern. A dash (—) marks a form that does not exist.
Indicative active
| Present | Imperfect | Future | Perfect | Pluperfect | Future perfect | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 sg | possum | poteram | poterō | potuī | potueram | potuerō |
| 2 sg | potes | poterās | poteris | potuistī | potuerās | potueris |
| 3 sg | potest | poterat | poterit | potuit | potuerat | potuerit |
| 1 pl | possumus | poterāmus | poterimus | potuimus | potuerāmus | potuerimus |
| 2 pl | potestis | poterātis | poteritis | potuistis | potuerātis | potueritis |
| 3 pl | possunt | poterant | poterunt | potuērunt | potuerant | potuerint |
Subjunctive active
| Present | Imperfect | Perfect | Pluperfect | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 sg | possim | possem | potuerim | potuissem |
| 2 sg | possīs | possēs | potuerīs | potuissēs |
| 3 sg | possit | posset | potuerit | potuisset |
| 1 pl | possīmus | possēmus | potuerīmus | potuissēmus |
| 2 pl | possītis | possētis | potuerītis | potuissētis |
| 3 pl | possint | possent | potuerint | potuissent |
Imperative: none
Infinitive: present posse, perfect potuisse
Participle: potēns (gen. potentis), used as an adjective “powerful”
Where you meet it
First met in passage 56, Luke 14:20.
Explained in the notes of 3 passages:
From Appendix B of the Greek and Latin with Jerome study companion · PDF page 386 · open the PDF here