vocari

Vocari is the Latin present passive infinitive of the verb vocare, meaning “to be called” or “to be named.” It serves as the basic form for the passive voice in infinitive clauses and is characteristic of the first conjugation, in which the present passive infinitive ends with -ari (vocari).

Forms beyond the present include the perfect passive infinitive vocatus esse, meaning “to have been called,” and the future passive infinitive vocatus iri, meaning “to be about to be called.” The latter is relatively rare in classical Latin but appears in later or more formal prose.

Usage and function: vocari appears in subordinate clauses that report actions in the passive voice, typically in contexts governed by verbs of perception, saying, knowing, hoping, or commanding. It is frequently found in indirect discourse and indirect questions, where the infinitive conveys the action in relation to a governing verb. For example, video te vocari could be rendered as “I see that you are being called,” and scio te vocari as “I know that you are being called.” Such constructions allow Latin speakers to express ongoing or potential states without a finite verb in the subordinate clause.

Notes: As with other Latin infinitives, vocari is used with various syntactic patterns, including constructions that require an accusative subject in indirect statements and questions. Its presence illustrates how Latin handles passive voice within infinitival clauses, complementing active forms to express mood, aspect, and voice in reported speech and dependent statements.