Opus est and Necesse est..

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
Here's a list of the most usual constructions.

Opus est may be used:

- With a noun in the ablative denoting a thing needed, and the person who needs it, if mentioned, in the dative.

E.g. Auro opus est = There is a need for gold, one needs gold (we need, you need, or anyone depending on context).

Auro nobis opus est = There is for us a need for gold = We need gold.

- With an infinitive or accusative and infinitive clause.

E.g. Opus est ire = It's necessary to go, one needs to go (or "we must go" or whatever person implied in the context).

Opus est me ire = It's necessary for me to go, it's necessary that I should go, I need to go.

- With ut or ne + subjunctive, or with the subjunctive alone. The meaning of this is the same as with an acc.-inf. clause.

Opus est ut edam/opus est edam = It's necessary that I should eat, I need to eat.

Opus est ne veniat = It's necessary that he should not come, he must not come, one (I, we, whatever makes sense in a given context) needs him not to come.

- With the ablative of a past participle, denoting that one needs something done.

E.g. properato opus est = There is a need for it having been hurried, i.e. one needs to hurry.

Here too you can add the dative of the person who needs it.

- With the thing needed being a subject noun (this is somewhat rarer):

E.g. Naves opus sunt = Ships are needed, one needs ships.

Here too, add a dative if needed.

Necesse est may be used:

- With an infinitive and, optionally, a dative:

E.g. Hoc facere (nobis) necesse est = It is necessary/inevitable (for us) to do this, we must/are forced to do this.

- With an accusative and infinitive clause:

E.g. Necesse est omnes mori = It is necessary/inevitable for all to die, all must die.

- With an ut or ne clause or with the subjunctive alone (same meaning as with an acc.-inf. clause):

- Necesse est (ut) omnes moriamur = It is necessary/inevitable that we should all die, we must all die.

With both opus est and necesse est, a necessary "thing" (action, event; i.e. what would be an infinitive, acc.-inf. or subjunctive, etc. if it were expressed in full) may be represented by a neuter pronoun.

E.g. Quod opus erit faciam = I will do what is needed.
Id erat necesse = That was necessary/inevitable.

Naturally, opus est or necesse est can also stand on its own, with the subject implied.

E.g. Librum emendavi, opus enim erat = I corrected the book, for it was needed.
 

Puer Pedens

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Here's a list of the most usual constructions.

Opus est may be used:

- With a noun in the ablative denoting a thing needed, and the person who needs it, if mentioned, in the dative.

E.g. Auro opus est = There is a need for gold, one needs gold (we need, you need, or anyone depending on context).

Auro nobis opus est = There is for us a need for gold = We need gold.

- With an infinitive or accusative and infinitive clause.

E.g. Opus est ire = It's necessary to go, one needs to go (or "we must go" or whatever person implied in the context).

Opus est me ire = It's necessary for me to go, it's necessary that I should go, I need to go.

- With ut or ne + subjunctive, or with the subjunctive alone. The meaning of this is the same as with an acc.-inf. clause.

Opus est ut edam/opus est edam = It's necessary that I should eat, I need to eat.

Opus est ne veniat = It's necessary that he should not come, he must not come, one (I, we, whatever makes sense in a given context) needs him not to come.

- With the ablative of a past participle, denoting that one needs something done.

E.g. properato opus est = There is a need for it having been hurried, i.e. one needs to hurry.

Here too you can add the dative of the person who needs it.

- With the thing needed being a subject noun (this is somewhat rarer):

E.g. Naves opus sunt = Ships are needed, one needs ships.

Here too, add a dative if needed.

Necesse est may be used:

- With an infinitive and, optionally, a dative:

E.g. Hoc facere (nobis) necesse est = It is necessary/inevitable (for us) to do this, we must/are forced to do this.

- With an accusative and infinitive clause:

E.g. Necesse est omnes mori = It is necessary/inevitable for all to die, all must die.

- With an ut or ne clause or with the subjunctive alone (same meaning as with an acc.-inf. clause):

- Necesse est (ut) omnes moriamur = It is necessary/inevitable that we should all die, we must all die.

With both opus est and necesse est, a necessary "thing" (action, event; i.e. what would be an infinitive, acc.-inf. or subjunctive, etc. if it were expressed in full) may be represented by a neuter pronoun.

E.g. Quod opus erit faciam = I will do what is needed.
Id erat necesse = That was necessary/inevitable.

Naturally, opus est or necesse est can also stand on its own, with the subject implied.

E.g. Librum emendavi, opus enim erat = I corrected the book, for it was needed.
what about "feriae mihi opus sunt?" or "feriae mihi opus est?" which one?"
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
what about "feriae mihi opus sunt?" or "feriae mihi opus est?" which one?"
If you mean feriae as nominative plural, the first one could occur, but it's a rare construction. Usually, the thing needed is put in the ablative: feriis mihi opus est.
 
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