fuisse

Fuisse is the perfect active infinitive of the Latin verb esse, meaning “to have been.” It is used primarily in indirect discourse and in subordinate clauses that refer to a past time or state.

The form fuisse is unique to esse and serves as its past-time infinitive. It functions in the same syntactic role as the present infinitive esse, but with a past sense. In indirect statements or questions, fuisse conveys that the action or state had already occurred or existed relative to the time of the main verb. For example, Dixit se fuisse laetum means “He said that he had been happy,” and Putavit eum fuisse ibi means “He thought that he had been there.”

Usage and translation: Fuisse is typically translated as “to have been” and appears in indirect statements, indirect questions, and other clauses reporting past attitudes, perceptions, or events. It does not have a separate modern English tense; English renders it as completed past: “had been.” Its role is to express a completed state in relation to another past moment, rather than to indicate action in the present or future.

Notes: In Latin, the perfect infinitive is a standard tool for reporting speech and thought. Fuisse is the standard form used with esse, while other verbs use their own perfect infinitives. Understanding its function helps interpret indirect discourse across classical Latin texts.