1.2 Verb Conjugations & Tenses

Personal endings

Latin verbs show person and number with endings: -o/-m (I), -s (you), -t (he/she/it), -mus (we), -tis (you pl.), -nt (they). Amo = I love; amat = he/she loves; amant = they love.

Four conjugations

Verbs belong to four conjugations by their stem vowel: 1st (-āre: amare), 2nd (-ēre: monere), 3rd (-ere: regere), 4th (-īre: audire).

Tenses

Common tenses: present (amat, loves), imperfect (amabat, was loving), perfect (amavit, loved/has loved), future (amabit, will love). Endings and stems mark the tense.

Key terms

Personal endings

-o/-m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt (I, you, he, we, you, they)

Four conjugations

-āre, -ēre, -ere, -īre

Present

amat — he/she loves

Imperfect

amabat — was loving

Perfect

amavit — loved / has loved

Try an AP-style question

"Amābat" is in which tense?

1. Pluperfect
2. Perfect
3. Imperfect
4. Future