Latin dictionary · verb
possum
be able to, can, may
Dictionary forms: possum, posse, potuī
Inflection: irregular conjugation, suppletive, impersonal in the passive in Old Latin, no gerund
Meaning and definitions
- be able to, can, may
- in the 3rd person singular (pote est): it may be, it is possible
- to have influence or efficacy, to avail, to have power over, to have mastery of, to rule over
Connected roots
- pot-
power, ability
Explore the word family
These words share a recorded root connection. A shared root is a learning clue; it does not establish every step in a word’s history.
- potential
latent qualities that may be developed
- omnipotent
having unlimited power
Recorded forms
| Form | Grammar |
|---|---|
| possum | 1st sg. present active indicative |
| potes | 2nd sg. present active indicative |
| potest | 3rd sg. present active indicative |
| possumus | 1st pl. present active indicative |
| potestis | 2nd pl. present active indicative |
| possunt | 3rd pl. present active indicative |
| poteram | 1st sg. imperfect active indicative |
| poterās | 2nd sg. imperfect active indicative |
| poterat | 3rd sg. imperfect active indicative |
| poterāmus | 1st pl. imperfect active indicative |
| poterātis | 2nd pl. imperfect active indicative |
| poterant | 3rd pl. imperfect active indicative |
| poterō | 1st sg. future active indicative |
| poteris | 2nd sg. future active indicative |
| potere | 2nd sg. future active indicative |
| poterit | 3rd sg. future active indicative |
| poterimus | 1st pl. future active indicative |
| poteritis | 2nd pl. future active indicative |
| poterunt | 3rd pl. future active indicative |
| potuī | 1st sg. perfect active indicative |
| potuistī | 2nd sg. perfect active indicative |
| potuit | 3rd sg. perfect active indicative |
| potuimus | 1st pl. perfect active indicative |
| potuistis | 2nd pl. perfect active indicative |
| potuērunt | 3rd pl. perfect active indicative |
| potuēre | 3rd pl. perfect active indicative |
| potestur | 3rd sg. present passive indicative |
| poterātur | 3rd sg. imperfect passive indicative |
| poteritur | 3rd sg. future passive indicative |
| posse | present active infinitive |
| potesse | present active infinitive |
| potēns | present active participle |
| potuisse | perfect active infinitive |
| possim | 1st sg. present active subjunctive |
| possīs | 2nd sg. present active subjunctive |
| possit | 3rd sg. present active subjunctive |
| possīmus | 1st pl. present active subjunctive |
| possītis | 2nd pl. present active subjunctive |
| possint | 3rd pl. present active subjunctive |
| possītur | 3rd sg. present passive subjunctive |
| potueram | 1st sg. pluperfect active indicative |
| potuerās | 2nd sg. pluperfect active indicative |
| potuerat | 3rd sg. pluperfect active indicative |
| potuerāmus | 1st pl. pluperfect active indicative |
| potuerātis | 2nd pl. pluperfect active indicative |
| potuerant | 3rd pl. pluperfect active indicative |
| potuerō | 1st sg. future perfect active indicative |
| potueris | 2nd sg. future perfect active indicative |
| potuerit | 3rd sg. future perfect active indicative |
| potuerimus | 1st pl. future perfect active indicative |
| potueritis | 2nd pl. future perfect active indicative |
| potuerint | 3rd pl. future perfect active indicative |
| possem | 1st sg. imperfect active subjunctive |
| possēs | 2nd sg. imperfect active subjunctive |
| posset | 3rd sg. imperfect active subjunctive |
| possēmus | 1st pl. imperfect active subjunctive |
| possētis | 2nd pl. imperfect active subjunctive |
| possent | 3rd pl. imperfect active subjunctive |
| potuerim | 1st sg. perfect active subjunctive |
| potuerīs | 2nd sg. perfect active subjunctive |
| potuerit | 3rd sg. perfect active subjunctive |
| potuerīmus | 1st pl. perfect active subjunctive |
| potuerītis | 2nd pl. perfect active subjunctive |
| potuerint | 3rd pl. perfect active subjunctive |
| potuissem | 1st sg. pluperfect active subjunctive |
| potuissēs | 2nd sg. pluperfect active subjunctive |
| potuisset | 3rd sg. pluperfect active subjunctive |
| potuissēmus | 1st pl. pluperfect active subjunctive |
| potuissētis | 2nd pl. pluperfect active subjunctive |
| potuissent | 3rd pl. pluperfect active subjunctive |
| possētur | 3rd sg. imperfect passive subjunctive |
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Source: Wiktionary entry and revision history. Dictionary text is adapted from Wiktionary under CC BY-SA 4.0. Definitions are selected and reformatted; root links are curated by Word Radicals. Read about sources and limitations.