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TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > Classics > Latin Expressing Obligation

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There are three different ways of expressing obligation in Latin.

"Ought To"

The verb "debere" means "to ought to". If this is put in a sentence with an infinitive, it can express obligation.

nos ad urbem currere debemus

literally: we ought to run to the city

translate as: we must run to the city

"It is necessary"

If the participle "necesse" appears in a sentence with a form of the verb "esse" and an infinitive, it can express obligation.

nobis ad urbem currere necesse est

literally: it is necessary for us to run to the city

translate as: we must run to the city

Gerunds

Gerunds are special forms of verbs that are 'verbal nouns'. They are formed by adding -ndum to the present stem of the verb, and decline like neuter nouns.

nobis ad urbem currendum est

literally: running to the city is for us

translate as: we must run to the city