Gerundive - Gerundives in Other Languages

Gerundives in Other Languages

Classical Greek had a gerundive with a verbal-adjectival function similar to that of the Latin. For details see Ancient Greek grammar: Gerundive.

The term gerundive is occasionally used in descriptions of English grammar, to denote the present participle used adjectivally or adverbially. (This form, ending in -ing, is identical to that of the English gerund, but it is generally called a gerund when it is used as a noun, not as an adjective or adverb.)

In the east African Semitic language Tigrinya, gerundive is used to denote a particular finite verb form, not a verbal adjective or adverb. Generally speaking, it denotes completed action which is still relevant. A verb in the gerundive can be used alone, or serially with another gerundive verb; in the latter case it may sometimes be translated with an adverbial clause: bitri hidju kheydu (literally, "a-stick he-took-hold-of he-began-walking") means "while holding a stick, he is walking", i.e. "he is carrying a stick". See Tigrinya verbs.