Nuntio, nuntiare, nuntiavi, nuntiatum is a first-conjugation Latin verb meaning “to announce” or “to report.” In Elementary Latin, you often see it with an indirect object in the dative case, the person receiving the message.
Nuntio, nuntiare, nuntiavi, nuntiatum is the Latin verb for “to announce,” “to report,” or “to bring news.” In Elementary Latin, it is a useful first-conjugation verb because it shows you both a regular verb pattern and a common communication meaning.
The dictionary entry gives you four parts: the present form nuntio, the present infinitive nuntiare, the perfect form nuntiavi, and the supine nuntiatum. Those forms tell you how the verb changes across tense and how it appears in dictionaries and vocabulary lists. If you can recognize the base idea of “announce” from any of these forms, you are already ahead when translating.
As a first-conjugation verb, nuntio follows the same general pattern as other -are verbs. That means its present tense forms use the familiar endings you practice in beginner Latin, and its perfect tense nuntiavi shows a completed action, like “announced” or “reported.” When you see the perfect stem nuntiav-, you know the action is finished, not happening right now.
This verb also shows up with an indirect object, usually in the dative case. That fits the meaning neatly, because announcements are normally given to someone. For example, if a messenger announces the news to the commander, the commander is the person receiving the message, so Latin marks that receiver with the dative rather than a direct object form.
The supine nuntiatum is another form worth recognizing early on. In beginner Latin, you mainly see the supine in purpose expressions or in passive constructions. Even if you do not use it constantly in early translation, knowing that nuntiatum belongs to the same verb helps you connect the whole word family instead of treating each form like a separate vocabulary item.
A good way to remember nuntio is to think of a messenger or herald speaking out news. Latin uses this verb for formal announcements, public reports, and plain everyday messaging, so it is broad enough to appear in lots of short reading passages.
Nuntio matters because it sits right at the point where vocabulary, verb forms, and case usage come together. In Elementary Latin, that is exactly the kind of word that shows whether you can do more than memorize a translation. You have to recognize the tense, identify the subject, and spot who receives the message.
It is especially useful for practicing indirect objects. Verbs of telling and announcing often pair naturally with the dative case, so nuntio gives you a clean example of how Latin marks “to whom?” or “for whom?” Instead of relying on word order, you learn to read endings and relationships between words.
The word also reinforces the idea that dictionary forms matter. Once you know nuntio, nuntiare, nuntiavi, nuntiatum, you can identify present, perfect, and supine forms in real passages without guessing. That skill shows up again and again when you move from vocabulary lists to actual translation.
You will also see the same pattern with related verbs of speaking and showing, so nuntio becomes a stepping stone to a whole cluster of common Latin communication verbs. If you can explain how nuntio works, you are building the exact grammar habits needed for short reading passages, quizzes, and translation exercises.
Keep studying Elementary Latin Unit 8
Visual cheatsheet
view galleryIndirect Object
Nuntio often takes an indirect object because someone receives the announcement. In Latin, that receiver usually appears in the dative case, so the sentence may literally mean something like “he announces the news to the general.” If you can spot the indirect object, you can tell who gets the message without depending on word order.
Dative Case
The dative case marks the person or thing that receives the news announced by nuntio. In beginner Latin, this is one of the clearest places to see why endings matter more than English word order. When you translate, look for the noun form that answers “to whom?” or “for whom?”
Verb Conjugation
Nuntio is a first-conjugation verb, so it follows the -are pattern you practice with other regular Latin verbs. Recognizing the conjugation helps you form present, imperfect, and perfect tense meanings more quickly. It also keeps you from mixing it up with irregular verbs that do not follow the same endings.
dico, dicere, dixi, dictum
Dico and nuntio both deal with telling or saying, but they are not identical in use. Dico is broader and often means “say” or “speak,” while nuntio leans toward reporting or announcing news. Comparing them helps you choose the best translation based on context, not just a word list.
A quiz or translation passage may give you nuntio in a sentence with a dative noun nearby, and you need to identify both the verb form and the recipient of the message. You might be asked to parse nuntiavi as a perfect tense form, translate nuntiatum in a purpose phrase, or explain why a noun is indirect object rather than direct object. In a short response, you may also need to justify a translation choice by pointing to the case ending. The fastest move is to identify the verb family first, then look for who is announcing, what is being announced, and to whom the message is sent.
Nuntio, nuntiare, nuntiavi, nuntiatum means “to announce” or “to report” in Latin.
It is a first-conjugation verb, so its forms follow the regular -are pattern in beginner Latin.
The person receiving the announcement is often an indirect object in the dative case.
Nuntiavi is the perfect form, which shows a completed announcement or report.
Nuntiatum is the supine form, so you should recognize it as part of the same verb family.
It is a Latin verb meaning “to announce,” “to report,” or “to bring news.” In Elementary Latin, you use it to practice first-conjugation verb forms and to spot indirect objects in the dative case. The word often appears in sentences where one person tells news to another.
Yes. The infinitive nuntiare ends in -are, which is the marker of first-conjugation verbs. That means it follows the regular pattern you learn with other -are verbs, including familiar present tense endings and a predictable perfect form, nuntiavi.
It often takes an indirect object, the person who receives the announcement. That receiver is usually in the dative case. The thing being announced may appear in the sentence too, but the person getting the message is the part you watch for first.
Nuntiavi is the perfect form, so it usually means “I announced” or “he/she/it reported,” depending on context. Nuntiatum is the supine form, which you may see in purpose expressions or passive constructions. The exact translation depends on the sentence, not just the standalone word.