oportet

Latin

Etymology

For *opvortet, from Proto-Indo-European *wortéyeti, causative stem (2nd conjugation) of the root of vertō (“to turn”) (3rd conjugation). Some refer the op- to ob-, some to opus, with which compare the similar expressions opus est and operam dare.

See also ligō, vinciō for other examples of words meaning to bind or turn, having derivatives with the sense of obliging.

Pronunciation

Verb

oportet (present infinitive oportēre, perfect active oportuit); second conjugation, impersonal, no passive, no supine stem

  1. (impersonal) to be necessary, needful; to be proper, becoming, right or reasonable; to behoove; (absolutely) one should or ought to [with infinitive clause ((accusative (of the subject of the following verb)) + infinitive) or ut (Late Latin)]
    Synonyms: necesse est, opus est, dēbeō
    mulier, quam nōs amāre oportet
    woman, whom we should love / woman, who should love us
    mulier, quam ā nōbīs amārī oportet
    woman, whom we should love
    mulier, ā quā nōs amārī oportet
    woman, who should love us
    oportet nōs patriam amāre
    it behooves us to love our country.
    nōn tē oportēbat illī argentum reddere
    you ought not to have paid him the money.
    • 166 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Andria 238–239:
      Uxōrem dēcrērat dare sēsē mī hodiē: nōnne oportuit / praescīsse mē ante? Nōnne priū’ commūnicātum oportuit?
      He himself has decided to give me a wife today: ought I not to have known beforehand? Shouldn’t it have been communicated sooner?
    • c. 65 CE, Seneca the Younger, Epistulae morales ad Lucilium 48.2:
      Alteri vivas oportet, si vis tibi vivere.
      You must live for others if you wish to live for yourself.

Conjugation

   Conjugation of oportet (second conjugation, impersonal, no passive, no supine stem)
indicative singular plural
first second third first second third
active present — — oportet — — —
imperfect — — oportēbat — — —
future — — oportēbit — — —
perfect — — oportuit — — —
pluperfect — — oportuerat — — —
future perfect — — oportuerit — — —
subjunctive singular plural
first second third first second third
active present — — oporteat — — —
imperfect — — oportēret — — —
perfect — — oportuerit — — —
pluperfect — — oportuisset — — —
imperative singular plural
first second third first second third
active future — — oportētō — — —
non-finite forms infinitive participle
active passive active passive
present oportēre — oportēns —
perfect oportuisse — — —
verbal nouns gerund supine
genitive dative accusative ablative accusative ablative
oportendī oportendō oportendum oportendō — —

Derived terms

Descendants

  • → Ido: oportar

References

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