Latin conjugation

Latin verbs have four main patterns of conjugation. As in a number of other languages, most Latin verbs have an active voice and a passive voice. There also exist deponent and semi-deponent Latin verbs (verbs with a passive form but active meaning), as well as defective verbs (verbs with a perfect form but present meaning). Sometimes the verbs of the third conjugation with a present stem on -ǐ (short i) are regarded as a separate pattern of conjugation, and are called the fifth conjugation, or third-io conjugation.

Conjugation is the creation of derived forms of a verb from basic forms, or principal parts. It may be affected by person, number, gender, tense, mood, voice or other language-specific factors.

In a dictionary, Latin verbs are listed with four "principal parts" (or fewer for deponent and defective verbs) which allow the reader to deduce the other conjugated forms of the verbs. These are:

  1. the first person singular of the present indicative active
  2. the present infinitive active
  3. the first person singular of the perfect indicative active
  4. the supine or, in some texts, the perfect passive participle, which are nearly always identical. Texts that commonly list the perfect passive participle use the future active participle for intransitive verbs. Some verbs lack this principal part altogether.

For simple verb paradigms, see the appendix pages for first conjugation, second conjugation, third conjugation, and fourth conjugation.

Properties

The Latin verbs have the following properties:

Conjugations

There are four conjugations in Latin which define patterns of verb inflection. However the grouping in conjugations is based solely on the behaviour of the verb in the present system, and the stems for other forms cannot be inferred from the present stem, so several forms of the verb are necessary to be able to produce the full range of Latin verbal forms. Most Latin verbs belong to one of the four verb conjugations, though some, like esse (to be), do not.

First conjugation

The first conjugation is characterized by the vowel ā and can be recognized by the -āre ending of the present active infinitive form. The principal parts usually adhere to one of the following patterns:

Second conjugation

The second conjugation is characterized by the vowel ē, and can be recognized by the -eō ending of the first person present indicative and the -ēre ending of the present active infinitive form. The principal parts usually adhere to one of the following patterns:

Third conjugation

The third conjugation is characterized by a short thematic vowel, which alternates between e, i, and u in different environments. Verbs of this conjugation end in an –ere in the present active infinitive. There is no regular rule for constructing the perfect stem of third-conjugation verbs, but the following patterns are used:

Intermediate between the third and fourth conjugation are the third-conjugation verbs with suffix –iō. .

Fourth conjugation

The fourth conjugation is characterized by the vowel ī and can be recognized by the –īre ending of the present active infinitive. Principal parts of verbs in the fourth conjugation generally adhere to the following patterns:

Personal endings

Personal endings are used in all tenses. The present, imperfect, future, pluperfect and future perfect use the same personal endings in the active voice. However, the perfect, pluperfect and future perfect do not have personal endings in the passive voice. These are formed by a participle and a form of esse (to be). For example, the perfect passive first person singular form of the verb amāre (to love) is amatus sum, using the participle and sum rather than the perfect stem amav- and some form of -ir. The perfect uses its own personal endings in the active voice, which are shown in the chart below.

Active voice Passive voice
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Present tense, etc. First person –ō, –m –mus –or, –r –mur
Second person –s –tis –ris –minī
Third person –t –nt –tur –ntur
Perfect First person –ī –imus
Second person –istī –istis
Third person –it –ērunt / -ēre

Imperfective aspect tenses

The tenses of the imperfective aspect are present, imperfect, and future tense. Verb forms in the imperfective aspect express an action that has (or had) not been completed. Consider for concreteness the following verbs:

In all the conjugations except for the third conjugation, the –re is removed from the second principal part (for example, portāre without the suffix –re becomes portā–) to form the present stem, which is used for all of the tenses in the imperfective aspect. In the third conjugation, the –ō ending of the present indicative is dropped in order to form the present stem (for example, the present indicative form of regere is regō, and without the -ō it is the present stem, reg–).[1] Occasionally, the terminating vowel of the stem is lengthened and/or shortened, and sometimes completely changed. This is often true both in the third conjugation and in the subjunctive mood of all conjugations.

Present tense

The present tense (Latin tempus praesēns) is used to show an uncompleted action that happens in the current time. The present tense does not have a tense sign. Instead, the personal endings are added to the bare present stem. However, in this tense the thematic vowel, most notably the ě in the third conjugation, changes the most frequently.

Present indicative

The present indicative expresses general truths, facts, demands and desires. Most commonly, a verb like portō can be translated as "I carry," "I do carry," or "I am carrying". In all but the third conjugation, only the thematical vowel of the stem is used. In the third conjugation, the e is only used in the second person singular in the passive for a less difficult pronunciation. Otherwise, it becomes either an i or u. The first person singular of the indicative active present is the first principal part. All end in –ō.

Present active indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portō portāmus terreō terrēmus petō petimus audiō audīmus
Second person portās portātis terrēs terrētis petis petitis audīs audītis
Third person portat portant terret terrent petit petunt audit audiunt

Add the passive endings to form the passive voice. The passive portor can be translated as "I am carried," or "I am being carried".

Present passive indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portor portāmur terreor terrēmur petor petimur audior audīmur
Second person portāris portāminī terrēris terrēminī peteris petiminī audīris audīminī
Third person portātur portantur terrētur terrentur petitur petuntur audītur audiuntur

Notice that in the second person singular of petere, the thematic vowel is e (peteris, not petiris).

Present subjunctive

The present subjunctive may be used to assert many things. In general, in independent sentences, it is translated hortatorily (only in the third person plural), jussively and optatively. Portem can be translated as "Let me carry." or "May I carry." Portēmus can be "Let us carry".

Some alterations have occurred in the vowels from the indicative and subjunctive.

"Let's beat that giant", "Defeat all liars", or "She wears a diamond/tiara" are helpful mnemonics for remembering this. First conjugation verbs have an "e" in their stem (we), second conjugation verbs have an "-ea" (eat), third conjugation verbs have an "a" (caviar), and fourths have an "ia" (caviar). Other acceptable mnemonics include she reads a diary, he beats a liar, everybody eats apple iambics, let’s steal a fiat, he cheats a friar, or Clem eats clams in Siam.

Present active subjunctive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portem portēmus terream terreāmus petam petāmus audiam audiāmus
Second person portēs portētis terreās terreātis petās petātis audiās audiātis
Third person portet portent terreat terreant petat petant audiat audiant

Like the indicative, active personal endings may be replaced by passive personal endings. Porter can be translated as "Let me be carried" or "May I be carried." Hortatorily, Portēmur can be "Let us be carried".

Present passive subjunctive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person porter portēmur terrear terreāmur petar petāmur audiar audiāmur
Second person portēris portēminī terreāris terreāminī petāris petāminī audiāris audiāminī
Third person portētur portentur terreātur terreantur petātur petantur audiātur audiantur

Present imperative

The present imperative conveys commands, pleas and recommendations. Portā can be translated as "(You) Carry" or simply, "Carry". The imperative present occurs only in the second person.

Present active imperative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Second person portā portāte terrē terrēte pete petite audī audīte

The imperative present of the passive voice is rarely used, except in the case of deponent verbs, whose passive forms carry active meaning. Portāminī can be translated as "(You) Be carried". The deponent sequīminī, on the other hand, means "(You) Follow!".

Present passive imperative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Second person portāre portāminī terrēre terrēminī petere petiminī audīre audīminī

Imperfect

The imperfect (Latin tempus praeteritum imperfectum) indicates a perpetual, but incomplete action in the past. It is recognized by the tense signs bă and bā in the indicative, and re and rē in the subjunctive.

Imperfect indicative

The imperfect indicative simply expresses an action in the past that was not completed. Portābam can be translated to mean, "I was carrying," "I carried," or "I used to carry".

Imperfect active indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portābam portābāmus terrēbam terrēbāmus petēbam petēbāmus audiēbam audiēbāmus
Second person portābās portābātis terrēbās terrēbātis petēbās petēbātis audiēbās audiēbātis
Third person portābat portābant terrēbat terrēbant petēbat petēbant audiēbat audiēbant

As with the present tense, active personal endings are taken off, and passive personal endings are put in their place. Portābar can be translated as "I was being carried," "I kept being carried," or "I used to be carried".

Imperfect passive indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portābar portābāmur terrēbar terrēbāmur petēbar petēbāmur audiēbar audiēbāmur
Second person portābāris portābāminī terrēbāris terrēbāminī petēbāris petēbāminī audiēbāris audiēbāminī
Third person portābātur portābantur terrēbātur terrēbantur petēbātur petēbantur audiēbātur audiēbantur

Imperfect subjunctive

In the subjunctive, the imperfect is quite important, especially in subordinate clauses. Independently, it is largely translated conditionally. Portārem can mean, "I should carry," or "I would carry".

Imperfect active subjunctive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portārem portārēmus terrērem terrērēmus peterem peterēmus audīrem audīrēmus
Second person portārēs portārētis terrērēs terrērētis peterēs peterētis audīrēs audīrētis
Third person portāret portārent terrēret terrērent peteret peterent audīret audīrent

As with the indicative subjunctive, active endings are removed, and passive endings are added. Portārer may be translated as "I should be carried," or "I would be carried."

Imperfect passive subjunctive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portārer portārēmur terrērer terrērēmur peterer peterēmur audīrer audīrēmur
Second person portārēris portārēminī terrērēris terrērēminī peterēris peterēminī audīrēris audīrēminī
Third person portārētur portārentur terrērētur terrērentur peterētur peterentur audīrētur audīrentur

Future tense

The future tense (Latin tempus futūrum simplex) expresses an uncompleted action in the future. It is recognized by its tense signs bō, bi, bu, a and ē in the indicative and the vowel ō in the imperative mood.

Future indicative

The future tense always refers to an incomplete action. In addition, the future tense is stricter in usage temporally in Latin than it is in English. Standing alone, portābō can mean, "I shall carry," or "I will carry."

Future active indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portābō portābimus terrēbō terrēbimus petam petēmus audiam audiēmus
Second person portābis portābitis terrēbis terrēbitis petēs petētis audiēs audiētis
Third person portābit portābunt terrēbit terrēbunt petet petent audiet audient

As with all imperfective system tenses, active personal endings are removed, and passive personal endings are put on. Portābor translates as, "I shall be carried."

Future passive indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portābor portābimur terrēbor terrēbimur petar petēmur audiar audiēmur
Second person portāberis portābiminī terrēberis terrēbiminī petēris petēminī audiēris audiēminī
Third person portābitur portābuntur terrēbitur terrēbuntur petētur petentur audiētur audientur

Notice that the penultimate vowel in the second person singular of portāre and terrēre is e, not i (portāberis and terrēberis, instead of the expected portābiris and terrēbiris).

Future imperative

The future imperative was a formal form of the imperative; by the classical period, it was chiefly used in legal documents, though it retained some currency in distinct reference to future time.[2] A few irregular or defective verbs (meminisse 'remember') used this form as their only imperative.

Portātō can be translated as "You shall carry".

Future active imperative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Second person portātō portātōte terrētō terrētōte petitō petitōte audītō audītōte
Third person portantō terrentō petuntō audiuntō

The ending -r marks the passive voice in the future imperative. The second person plural is absent here. Portātor translates as "You shall be carried."

Future passive imperative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Second person portātor —— terrētor —— petitor —— audītor ——
Third person portantor terrentor petuntor audiuntor

Perfective aspect tenses

The tenses of the perfective aspect, which are the perfect, pluperfect and future perfect tenses, are used to express actions that have been, had been, or will have been completed. The verbs used for explanation are:

1st conjugation: portō, portāre, portāvī, portātum – to carry, bring
2nd conjugation: terreō, terrēre, terruī, territum – to frighten, deter
3rd conjugation: petō, petere, petīvī, petītum – to seek, attack
4th conjugation: audiō, audīre, audīvī, audītum – to hear, listen (to)

To find the stem for the third principal part in all of the conjugations, the –ī is removed from it. For example, from portāvī, portāv is formed. This is the perfect stem, and it is used for all of the tenses in the perfective aspect. The perfective aspect verbs also use the perfect passive participle in the passive voice. See below to see how it is formed. Along with these participles, the verb esse, which means, "to be", is used.

Unlike the imperfective aspect, inflection does not deviate from conjugation to conjugation.

Perfect

The perfect (Latin tempus praeteritum perfectum) refers to an action completed in the past. Tense signs are only used in this tense with the indicative. The tense signs of the subjunctive are eri and erī.

Perfect indicative

The indicative perfect expresses a finished action in the past. If the action were not finished, but still lies in the past, one would use the imperfect. Portāvī is translated as "I carried," "I did carry," or "I have carried."

Perfect active indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portāvī portāvimus terruī terruimus petīvī petīvimus audīvī audīvimus
Second person portāvistī portāvistis terruistī terruistis petīvistī petīvistis audīvistī audīvistis
Third person portāvit portāvērunt terruit terruērunt petīvit petīvērunt audīvit audīvērunt

In the passive voice, the perfect passive participle is used with the auxiliary verb esse. It uses the present indicative form of esse. Portātus sum translates as "I was carried," or "I have been carried."

Perfect passive indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portātus sum portātī sumus territus sum territī sumus petītus sum petītī sumus audītus sum audītī sumus
Second person portātus es portātī estis territus es territī estis petītus es petītī estis audītus es audītī estis
Third person portātus est portātī sunt territus est territī sunt petītus est petītī sunt audītus est audītī sunt

Note the participle changes from singular to plural when the subject changes respectively. Treat the participle as an adjective with only nominative singular and plural forms. The participle must also be declined for gender. This can be done by removing the -us on the participle and adding -us, -a, -um with the plural being: -i -ae -a. -us, -i is Masculine, -a, -ae is Feminine, and -um, -a is neuter.

Perfect subjunctive

Like the imperfect subjunctive, the perfect subjunctive is largely used in subordinate clauses. Independently, it is usually translated as the potential subjunctive. By itself, portāverim translates as "I may have carried."

Perfect active subjunctive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portāverim portāverīmus terruerim terruerīmus petīverim petīverīmus audīverim audīverīmus
Second person portāveris portāverītis terrueris terruerītis petīveris petīverītis audīverīs audīverītis
Third person portāverit portāverint terruerit terruerint petīverit petīverint audīverit audīverint

The passive voice uses the perfect passive participle with the subjunctive present forms of esse. Portātus sim means, "I may have been carried."

Perfect passive subjunctive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portātus sim portātī sīmus territus sim territī sīmus petītus sim petītī sīmus audītus sim audītī sīmus
Second person portātus sīs portātī sītis territus sīs territī sītis petītus sīs petītī sītis audītus sīs audītī sītis
Third person portātus sit portātī sint territus sit territī sint petītus sit petītī sint audītus sit audītī sint

Pluperfect

The pluperfect (Latin tempus praeteritum plūsquamperfectum) expresses an action which was completed before another completed action. It is recognized by the tense signs era and erā in the indicative and isse and issē in the subjunctive.

Pluperfect indicative

As with English, in Latin, the pluperfect indicative is used to assert an action that was completed before another (perfect). Portāveram translates as "I had carried."

Pluperfect active indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portāveram portāverāmus terrueram terruerāmus petīveram petīverāmus audīveram audīverāmus
Second person portāverās portāverātis terruerās terruerātis petīverās petīverātis audīverās audīverātis
Third person portāverat portāverant terruerat terruerant petīverat petīverant audīverat audīverant

In the passive voice, the perfect passive participle is used with esse in the imperfect indicative. Portātus eram is translated as "I had been carried."

Pluperfect passive indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portātus eram portātī erāmus territus eram territī erāmus petītus eram petītī erāmus audītus eram audītī erāmus
Second person portātus erās portātī erātis territus erās territī erātis petītus erās petītī erātis audītus erās audītī erātis
Third person portātus erat portātī erant territus erat territī erant petītus erat petītī erant audītus erat audītī erant

Pluperfect subjunctive

The pluperfect subjunctive is to the perfect subjunctive as the imperfect subjunctive is to the present subjunctive. Simply put, it is used with the perfect subjunctive in subordinate clauses. Like the imperfect subjunctive, it is translated conditionally independently. Portāvissem is translated as "I should have carried," or "I would have carried."

Pluperfect active subjunctive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portāvissem portāvissēmus terruissem terruissēmus petīvissem petīvissēmus audīvissem audīvissēmus
Second person portāvissēs portāvissētis terruissēs terruissētis petīvissēs petīvissētis audīvissēs audīvissētis
Third person portāvisset portāvissent terruisset terruissent petīvisset petīvissent audīvisset audīvissent

As always, the passive voice uses the perfect passive participle. The imperfect subjunctive of esse is used here. Portātus essem may mean "I should have been carried," or "I could have been carried," in the conditional sense.

Pluperfect passive subjunctive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portātus essem portātī essēmus territus essem territī essēmus petītus essem petītī essēmus audītus essem audītī essēmus
Second person portātus essēs portātī essētis territus essēs territī essētis petītus essēs petītī essētis audītus essēs audītī essētis
Third person portātus esset portātī essent territus esset territī essent petītus esset petītī essent audītus esset audītī essent

Future perfect

Probably the least used of all the tenses, the future perfect (Latin tempus futūrum exāctum) conveys an action that will have been completed before another action. It is signified by the tense signs erō and eri. The future perfect is the only tense that occurs in a single mood.

Future perfect indicative

As said, the future perfect is used to mention an action that will have been completed in futurity before another action. It is often used with the future tense. In simple translation, portāverō means, "I will have carried," or "I shall have carried."

Future perfect active indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portāverō portāverimus terruerō terruerimus petīverō petīverimus audīverō audīverimus
Second person portāveris portāveritis terrueris terrueritis petīveris petīveritis audīveris audīveritis
Third person portāverit portāverint terruerit terruerint petīverit petīverint audīverit audīverint

As with all perfective aspect tenses, the perfect passive participle is used in the passive voice. However, the future perfect uses the future indicative of esse as the auxiliary verb. Portātus erō is "I will have been carried," or "I shall have been carried."

Future perfect passive indicative
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First person portātus erō portātī erimus territus erō territī erimus petītus erō petītī erimus audītus erō audītī erimus
Second person portātus eris portātī eritis territus eris territī eritis petītus eris petītī eritis audītus eris audītī eritis
Third person portātus erit portātī erunt territus erit territī erunt petītus erit petītī erunt audītus erit audītī erunt

Non-finite forms

The non-finite forms of verbs are participles, infinitives, supines, gerunds and gerundives. The verbs used are:

1st conjugation: portō, portāre, portāvī, portātum – to carry, bring
2nd conjugation: terreō, terrēre, terruī, territum – to frighten, deter
3rd conjugation: petō, petere, petīvī, petītum – to seek, attack
4th conjugation: audiō, audīre, audīvī, audītum – to hear, listen (to)

Participles

There are four participles: present active, perfect passive, future passive, and future active.

Participles
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Present active portāns, –antis terrēns, –entis petēns, –entis audiēns, –entis
Perfect passive portātus, –a, –um territus, –a, –um petītus, –a, –um audītus, –a, –um
Future active portātūrus, –a, –um territūrus, –a, –um petītūrus, –a, –um audītūrus, –a, –um
Future passive portandus, –a, –um terrendus, –a, –um petendus, –a, –um audiēndus, –a, –um

Infinitives

There are six infinitives. They are in the present active, present passive, perfect active, perfect passive, future active and future passive.

Infinitives
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Present active portāre terrēre petere audīre
Present passive portārī terrērī petī audīrī
Perfect active portāvisse terruisse petīvisse audīvisse
Perfect passive portātus esse territus esse petītus esse audītus esse
Future active portātūrus esse territūrus esse petītūrus esse audītūrus esse
Future passive portātum īrī territum īrī petītum īrī audītum īrī
Here, masculine endings are used.

The Future Passive Infinitive was actually not very commonly used (Wheelock's Latin mentions it exists but makes it a point to avoid using it in any practice examples). In practice, the Romans themselves often used an alternate expression, "fore ut" followed by a subjunctive clause.

Supine

The supine is the fourth principal part of the verb, as given in Latin dictionaries. It resembles a masculine noun of the fourth declension. Supines only occur in the accusative and ablative cases.

Supine
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Accusative portātum territum petītum audītum
Ablative portātū territū petītū audītū

Gerund

The gerund is formed similarly to the present active participle. However, the –ns becomes an –ndus, and the preceding ā or ē is shortened. Gerunds are neuter nouns of the second declension, but the nominative case is not present. The gerund is a noun, meaning "the act of doing (the verb)", and forms a suppletive paradigm to the infinitive, which cannot be declined. For example, the genitive form portandī can mean "of carrying", the dative form portandō can mean "to carrying", the accusative form portandum can mean "carrying", and the ablative form portandō can mean "by carrying", "in respect to carrying", etc.

Gerund
portāre terrēre petere audīre
Accusative portandum terrendum petendum audiendum
Genitive portandī terrendī petendī audiendī
Dative portandō terrendō petendō audiendō
Ablative

One common use of the gerund is with the preposition ad to indicate purpose. For example, paratus ad oppugnandum could be translated as "ready to attack". However the gerund was avoided when an object was introduced, and a passive construction with the gerundive was preferred. For example, for "ready to attack the enemy" the construction paratus ad hostes oppugnandos is preferred over paratus ad hostes oppugnandum.[3]

Gerundive

The gerundive has a form similar to that of the gerund, but it is a first and second declension adjective, and functions as a future passive participle (see § Participles above). It means "(which is) to be ...ed". Often, the gerundive is used with an implicit esse, to show obligation.

Gerundive
portāre terrēre petere audīre
portandus, –a, –um terrendus, –a, –um petendus, –a, –um audiendus, –a, –um

For some examples of uses of Latin gerundives, see the Gerundive article.

Periphrastic conjugations

There are two periphrastic conjugations. One is active, and the other is passive.

Active

The first periphrastic conjugation uses the future participle. It is combined with the forms of esse. It is translated as "I am going to carry," "I was going to carry", etc.

Conjugation Translation
Pres. ind. portātūrus sum I am going to carry
Imp. ind. portātūrus eram I was going to carry
Fut. ind. portātūrus erō I shall be going to carry
Perf. ind. portātūrus fuī I have been going to carry
Plup. ind. portātūrus fueram I had been going to carry
Fut. perf. ind. portātūrus fuerō I shall have been going to carry
Pres. subj. portātūrus sim I may be going to carry
Imp. subj. portātūrus essem I should be going to carry
Perf. subj. portātūrus fuerim I may have been going to carry
Plup. subj. portātūrus fuissem I should have been going to carry

Passive

The second periphrastic conjugation uses the gerundive. It is combined with the forms of esse and expresses necessity. It is translated as "I am to be carried," "I was to be carried", etc., or as "I have to (must) be carried," "I had to be carried," etc.

Conjugation Translation
Pres. ind. portandus sum I am to be carried
Imp. ind. portandus eram I was to be carried
Fut. ind. portandus erō I will deserve to be carried
Perf. ind. portandus fuī I was to be carried
Plup. ind. portandus fueram I had deserved to be carried
Fut. perf. ind. portandus fuerō I will have deserved to be carried
Pres. subj. portandus sim I may deserve to be carried
Imp. subj. portandus essem I should deserve to be carried
Perf. subj. portandus fuerim I may have deserved to be carried
Plup. subj. portandus fuissem I should have deserved to be carried
Pres. inf. portandus esse To deserve to be carried
Perf. inf. portandus fuisse To have deserved to be carried

Peculiarities

Irregular verbs

There are a few irregular verbs in Latin that are not grouped into a particular conjugation (such as esse and posse), or deviate slightly from a conjugation (such as ferre, īre, and dare). It consists of the following list and their compounds (such as conferre). Many irregular verbs lack a fourth principal part.

sum, esse, fuī, futūrum – to be, exist
possum, posse, potuī – to be able, can
eō, īre, īvī / īī, ītum – to go
volō, velle, voluī – to wish, want
nōlō, nōlle, nōluī – not to want, refuse
mālō, mālle, māluī – to prefer
ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum – to bear, endure, carry, bring
fīō, fierī, factus sum – to become, happen, be made
edō, ēsse, ēdī, ēsum – to eat, waste
dō, dare, dedī, datum – to give, bestow

Of these, esse, ferre, and fierī are suppletive, that is, their deviating third and fourth principal parts reflect what was an entirely different verb historically (in Proto-Indo-European).

Deponent and semi-deponent verbs

Deponent verbs are verbs that are passive in form (that is, conjugated as though in the passive voice) but active in meaning. These verbs have only three principal parts, since the perfect of ordinary passives is formed periphrastically with the perfect participle, which is formed on the same stem as the supine. Some examples coming from all conjugations are:

1st conjugation: mīror, mīrārī, mīrātus sum – to admire, wonder
2nd conjugation: polliceor, pollicērī, pollicitus sum – to promise, offer
3rd conjugation: loquor, loquī, locūtus sum – to speak, say
4th conjugation: orior, orīrī, ortus sum – to rise, spring up (sometimes conjugated as a 3rd-conjugation -ior verb[4])

Deponent verbs use active conjugations for tenses that do not exist in the passive: the gerund, the supine, the present and future participles and the future infinitive. They cannot be used in the passive themselves (except the gerundive), and their analogues with "active" form do not in fact exist: one cannot directly translate "The word is said" with any form of loquī, and there are no forms like loquō, loquis, loquit, etc.

Semi-deponent verbs form their imperfective aspect tenses in the manner of ordinary active verbs; but their perfect tenses are built periphrastically like deponents and ordinary passives; thus, semi-deponent verbs have a perfect active participle instead of a perfect passive participle. An example:

audeō, audēre, ausus sum – to dare, venture

Unlike the proper passive of active verbs, which is always intransitive, some deponent verbs are transitive, which means that they can take an object. For example:

Eo die quo consuerat intervallo hostes sequitur. – That day he follows the enemy at his usual distance.

Note: In the Romance languages, which lack deponent or passive verb forms, the Classical Latin deponent verbs either disappeared (being replaced with non-deponent verbs of a similar meaning) or changed to a non-deponent form. For example, in Spanish and Italian, mīrārī changed to mirar(e) by changing all the verb forms to the previously nonexistent "active form", and audeō changed to osar(e) by taking the participle ausus and making an -ar(e) verb out of it (note that au went to o).

Third conjugation –iō verbs

There is a rather prolific subset of important verbs within the third conjugation. They have an –iō present in the first principal part (–ior for deponents), and resemble the fourth conjugation in some forms. Otherwise, they are still conjugated as normal, third conjugation verbs. Thus, these verbs are called third conjugation –iō verbs or third conjugation i-stems. Some examples are:

capiō, capere, cēpī, captum – to take, seize, understand
cupiō, cupere, cupīvī, cupītum – to desire, long for
faciō, facere, fēcī, factum – to do, make
morior, morī, mortuus sum (dep.) – to die, decay
patior, patī, passus sum (dep.) – to suffer, undergo, endure
rapiō, rapere, rapuī, raptum – to plunder, take up, seize, snatch, carry away

They resemble the fourth conjugation in the following instances.

Present indicative (first person singular, third person plural) – capiō, capiunt, etc.
Indicative imperfect – capiēbam, capiēbāmus, etc.
Indicative future – capiam, capiēmus, etc.
Subjunctive present – capiam, capiāmus, etc.
Imperative future (third person plural) – capiuntō, etc.
Present Active Participle – capiēns, –entis
Gerund – capiendī, capiendum, etc.
Gerundive – capiendus, –a, –um

Defective verbs

Defective verbs are verbs that are conjugated in only some instances.

ōdī, ōdisse – to hate
meminī, meminisse – to remember
coepī, coepisse – to have begun
Cedo (plur. cette), which means "Hand it over" or "Out with it" is only in the imperative mood, and only is used in the second person.

The following are conjugated irregularly:

Aio

Conjugation of aiō
Indicative
present		 Indicative
imperfect		 Subjunctive
present		 Imperative
present
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular
First person aiō —— aiēbam aiēbāmus —— —— ——
Second person ais aiēbās aiēbātis aiās* ai
Third person ait aiunt aiēbat aiēbant aiat aiant* ——
Present Active Participle: – aiēns, –entis

Inquam

Conjugation of inquam
Present indicative Future
indicative		 Perfect
indicative		 Imperfect
indicative
Singular Plural Singular Singular Singular
First person inquam inquimus[5] —— inquiī[6] ——
Second person inquis —— inquiēs inquistī[7]
Third person inquit inquiunt inquiet inquit inquiēbat

Fari

Conjugation of fārī
Present
indicative		 Future
indicative		 Perfect
indicative		 Pluperfect
indicative		 Present
imperative
Singular Plural Singular Singular Singular Singular Plural
First person for —— fābor fātus sum fātus eram —— ——
Second person —— —— —— —— fāre fāminī
Third person fātur fantur fābitur —— ——
Present Active Participle – fāns, fantis
Present Active Infinitive – fārī (variant: fārier)
Supine – (acc.) fātum, (abl.) fātū
Gerund – (gen.) fandī, (dat. and abl.) fandō, no accusative
Gerundive – fandus, –a, –um

The Romance languages lost many of these verbs, but others (such as ōdī) survived but became regular fully conjugated verbs (in Italian, odiare).

Impersonal verbs

Impersonal verbs are those lacking a person. In English impersonal verbs are usually used with the neuter pronoun "it" (as in "It seems," or "It storms"). Latin uses the third person singular. These verbs lack a fourth principal part. A few examples are:

pluit, pluere, pluvit – to rain (it rains)
ningit, ningere, ninxit – to snow (it snows)
oportet, oportēre, oportuit – to be proper (it is proper, one should/ought to)
licet, licēre, licuit – to be permitted [to] (it is allowed [to])

The third person forms of esse may also be seen as impersonal when seen from the perspective of English:

Nox aestīva calida fuit. – It was a hot, summer night.
Est eī quī terram colunt. – It is they who till the land.

Irregular future active participles

As stated, the future active participle is normally formed by removing the –um from the supine, and adding a –ūrus. However, some deviations occur.

Present
active
infinitive 		Supine Future
active
participle
iuvāre iūtum iuvātūrus
lavāre/lavere lavātum (but PPP lautus) lavātūrus
parere partum paritūrus
ruere rutum ruitūrus
secāre sectum secātūrus
fruī frūctum/fruitum fruitūrus
nascī nātum nātūrus/nascitūrus
morī mortuum moritūrus
orīrī ortum oritūrus

Alternative verb forms

Several verb forms may occur in alternative forms (in some authors these forms are fairly common, if not more common than the canonical ones):

portābāris → portābāre
portāvērunt → portāvēre

Syncopated verb forms

Like in most Romance languages, syncopated forms and contractions are present in Latin. They may occur in the following instances:

portāvisse → portāsse
portāvistī → portāstī
portāverant → portārant
portāvisset → portāsset
nōvistī → nōstī
nōvistis → nōstis
commōveram → commōram
commōverās → commōrās

Summary of forms

The four conjugations in the finite forms

The Four Conjugations, Finite Forms
1st 2nd 3rd 3rd (i-stem) 4th
laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātus terreō, terrēre, terruī, territus agō, agere, ēgī, actus capiō, capere, cēpī, captus audiō, audīre, audīvī, audītus
Active Passive Active Passive Active Passive Active Passive Active Passive
Present
Indicative
1st singular laudō laudor terreō terreor agō agor capiō capior audiō audior
2nd person laudās laudāris terrēs terrēris agis ageris capis caperis audīs audīris
3rd person laudat laudātur terret terrētur agit agitur capit capitur audit audītur
1st plural laudāmus laudāmur terrēmus terrēmur agimus agimur capimus capimur audīmus audīmur
2nd person laudātis laudāminī terrētis terrēminī agitis agiminī capitis capiminī audītis audīminī
3rd person laudant laudantur terrent terrentur agunt aguntur capiunt capiuntur audiunt audiuntur
Subjunctive
1st singular laudem lauder terream terrear agam agar capiam capiar audiam audiar
2nd person laudēs laudēris terreās terreāris agās agāris capis capāris audiās audiāris
3rd person laudet laudētur terreat terreātur agat agātur capiat capiātur audiat audiātur
1st plural laudēmus laudēmur terreāmus terreāmur agāmus agāmur capiāmus capiāmur audiāmus audiāmur
2nd person laudētis laudēminī terreātis terreāminī agātis agāminī capiātis capiāminī audiātis audiāminī
3rd person laudent laudentur terreant terreantur agant agantur capiant capiantur audiant audiantur
Imperative
2nd person laudā laudāre terrē terrēre age agere cape capere audī audīris
2nd plural laudāte laudāminī terrēte terrēminī agite agiminī capite capiminī audīte audīminī
Imperfect
Indicative
1st singular laudābam laudābar terrēbam terrēbar agēbam agēbar capiēbam capiēbar audiēbam audiēbar
2nd person laudābās laudābāris terrēbās terrēbāris agēbās agēbāris capiēbās capiēbāris audiēbās audiēbāris
3rd person laudābat laudābātur terrēbat terrēbātur agēbat agēbātur capiēbat capiēbātur audiēbat audiēbātur
1st plural laudābāmus laudābāmur terrēbāmus terrēbāmur agēbāmus agēbāmur capiēbāmus capiēbāmur audiēbāmus audiēbāmur
2nd person laudābātis laudābāminī terrēbātis terrēbāminī agēbātis agēbāminī capiēbātis capiēbāminī audiēbātis audiēbāminī
3rd person laudābant laudābantur terrēbant terrēbantur agēbant agēbantur capiēbant capiēbantur audiēbant audiēbantur
Subjunctive
1st singular laudārem laudārer terrērem terrērer agerem agerer caperem caperer audīrem audīrer
2nd person laudārēs laudārēris terrērēs terrērēris agerēs agerēris caperēs caperēris audīrēs audīrēris
3rd person laudāret laudārētur terrēret terrērētur ageret agerētur caperet caperētur audīret audīrētur
1st plural laudārēmus laudārēmur terrērēmus terrērēmur agerēmus agerēmur caperēmus caperēmur audīrēmus audīrēmur
2nd person laudārētis laudārēminī terrērētis terrērēminī agerētis agerēminī caperētis caperēminī audīrētis audīrēminī
3rd person laudārent laudārentur terrērent terrērentur agerent agerentur caperent caperentur audīrent audīrentur
Future
Indicative
1st singular laudābō laudābor terrēbō terrēbor agam agar capiam capiar audiam audiar
2nd person laudābis laudāberis terrēbis terrēberis agēs agēris capiēs capiēris audiēs audiēris
3rd person laudābit laudābitur terrēbit terrēbitur aget agētur capiet capiētur audiet audiētur
1st plural laudābimus laudābimur terrēbimus terrēbimur agēmus agēmur capiēmus capimur audiēmus audiēmur
2nd person laudābitis laudābiminī terrēbitis terrēbiminī agētis agēminī capiētis capiēminī audiētis audiēminī
3rd person laudābunt laudābuntur terrēbunt terrēbuntur agent agentur capient capientur audient audientur
Subjunctive
1st singular laudātūrus, -a, -um sim territūrus, -a, -um sim actūrus, -a, -um sim captūrus, -a, -um sim audītūrus, -a, -um sim
2nd person laudātūrus, -a, -um sis territūrus, -a, -um sis actūrus, -a, -um sis captūrus, -a, -um sim sis audītūrus, -a, -um sis
3rd person laudātūrus, -a, -um sit territūrus, -a, -um sit actūrus, -a, -um sit captūrus, -a, -um sit audītūrus, -a, -um sit
1st plural laudātūrī, -ae, -a simus territūrī, -ae, -a simus actūrī, -ae, -a simus captūrī, -ae, -a simus audītūrī, -ae, -a simus
2nd person laudātūrī, -ae, -a sitis territūrī, -ae, -a sitis actūrī, -ae, -a sitis captūrī, -ae, -a sitis audītūrī, -ae, -a sitis
3rd person laudātūrī, -ae, -a sint territūrī, -ae, -a sint actūrī, -ae, -a sint captūrī, -ae, -a sint audītūrī, -ae, -a sint
Imperative
2nd person laudātō laudātor terrētō terrēre agitō agere capitō capitor audītō audītor
3rd person laudātō laudātor terrētō terrētor agitō agitor capitō capitor audītō audītor
2nd plural laudātōte terrētōte agitōte capitōte audītōte
3rd person laudantō laudantor terrentō terrentor aguntō agunto capiuntō capiuntor audiuntō audiuntor
Perfect
Indicative
1st singular laudāvī laudātus, -a, -um sum terruī territus, -a, -um sum ēgī actus, -a, -um sum cēpī captus, -a,-um sum audīvī audītus, -a, -um sum
2nd person laudāvistī laudātus, -a, -um es terruistī territus, -a, -um es ēgistī actus, -a, -um es cēpistī captus, -a,-um es audīvistī audītus, -a, -um es
3rd person laudāvit laudātus, -a, -um est terruit territus, -a, -um est ēgit actus, -a, -um est cēpit captus, -a,-um est audīvit audītus, -a, -um est
1st plural laudāvimus laudātī, -ae, -a sumus terruimus territī, -ae, -a sumus ēgimus actī, -ae, -a sumus cēpimus captī, -ae, -a sumus audīvimus audītī, -ae, -a sumus
2nd person laudāvistis laudātī, -ae, -a estis terruistis territī, -ae, -a estis ēgistis actī, -ae, -a estis cēpistis captī, -ae, -a estis audīvistis audītī, -ae, -a estis
3rd person laudāvērunt laudātī, -ae, -a sunt terruērunt territī, -ae, -a sunt ēgērunt actī, -ae, -a sunt cēpērunt captī, -ae, -a sunt audīvērunt audītī, -ae, -a sunt
Subjunctive
1st singular laudāverim laudātus, -a, -um sim terruerim territus, -a, -um sim ēgerim actus, -a, -um sim cēperim captus, -a,-um sim audīverim audītus, -a, -um sim
2nd person laudāveris laudātus, -a, -um sis terrueris territus, -a, -um sis ēgeris actus, -a, -um sis cēperis captus, -a,-um sis audīveris audītus, -a, -um sis
3rd person laudāverit laudātus, -a, -um sit terruerit territus, -a, -um sit ēgerit actus, -a, -um sit cēperit captus, -a,-um sit audīverit audītus, -a, -um sit
1st plural laudāverimus laudātī, -ae, -a simus terruerimus territī, -ae, -a simus ēgerimus actī, -ae, -a simus cēperimus captī, -ae, -a simus audīverimus audītī, -ae, -a simus
2nd person laudāveritis laudātī, -ae, -a sitis terrueritis territī, -ae, -a sitis ēgeritis actī, -ae, -a sitis cēperitis captī, -ae, -a sitis audīveritis audītī, -ae, -a sitis
3rd person laudāverint laudātī, -ae, -a sint terruerint territī, -ae, -a sint ēgerint actī, -ae, -a sint cēperint captī, -ae, -a sint audīverint audītī, -ae, -a sint
Pluperfect
Indicative
1st singular laudāveram laudātus, -a, -um eram terrueram territus, -a, -um eram ēgeram actus, -a, -um eram cēperam captus, -a,-um eram audīveram audītus, -a, -um eram
2nd person laudāverās laudātus, -a, -um erās terruerās territus, -a, -um erās ēgerās actus, -a, -um erās cēperās captus, -a,-um erās audīverās audītus, -a, -um erās
3rd person laudāverat laudātus, -a, -um erat terruerat territus, -a, -um erat ēgerat actus, -a, -um erat cēperat captus, -a,-um erat audīverat audītus, -a, -um erat
1st plural laudāverāmus laudātī, -ae, -a erāmus terruerāmus territī, -ae, -a erāmus ēgerāmus actī, -ae, -a erāmus cēperāmus captī, -ae, -a erāmus audīverāmus audītī, -ae, -a erāmus
2nd person laudāverātis laudātī, -ae, -a erātis terruerātis territī, -ae, -a erātis ēgerātis actī, -ae, -a erātis cēperātis captī, -ae, -a erātis audīverātis audītī, -ae, -a erātis
3rd person laudāverant laudātī, -ae, -a erant terruerant territī, -ae, -a erant ēgerant actī, -ae, -a erant cēperant captī, -ae, -a erant audīverant audītī, -ae, -a erant
Subjunctive
1st singular laudāvissem laudātus, -a, -um essem terruissem territus, -a, -um essem ēgissem actus, -a, -um essem cēpissem captus, -a,-um essem audīvissem audītus, -a, -um essem
2nd person laudāvissēs laudātus, -a, -um essēs terruissēs territus, -a, -um essēs ēgissēs actus, -a, -um essēs cēpissēs captus, -a,-um essēs audīvissēs audītus, -a, -um essēs
3rd person laudāvisset laudātus, -a, -um esset terruisset territus, -a, -um esset ēgisset actus, -a, -um esset cēpisset captus, -a,-um esset audīvisset audītus, -a, -um esset
1st plural laudāvissēmus laudātī, -ae, -a essēmus terruissēmus territī, -ae, -a essēmus ēgissēmus actī, -ae, -a essēmus cēpissēmus captī, -ae, -a essēmus audīvissēmus audītī, -ae, -a essēmus
2nd person laudāvissētis laudātī, -ae, -a essētis terruissētis territī, -ae, -a essētis ēgissētis actī, -ae, -a essētis cēpissētis captī, -ae, -a essētis audīvissētis audītī, -ae, -a essētis
3rd person laudāvissent laudātī, -ae, -a essent terruissent territī, -ae, -a essent ēgissent actī, -ae, -a essent cēpissent captī, -ae, -a essent audīvissent audītī, -ae, -a essent
Future Perfect
Indicative
1st singular laudāverō laudātus, -a, -um erō terruerō territus, -a, -um erō ēgerō actus, -a, -um erō cēperō captus, -a,-um erō audīverō audītus, -a, -um erō
2nd person laudāverīs laudātus, -a, -um erīs terruerīs territus, -a, -um erīs ēgerīs actus, -a, -um erīs cēperīs captus, -a,-um erīs audīverīs audītus, -a, -um erīs
3rd person laudāverit laudātus, -a, -um erit terruerit territus, -a, -um erit ēgerit actus, -a, -um erit cēperit captus, -a,-um erit audīverit audītus, -a, -um erit
1st plural laudāverimus laudātī, -ae, -a erimus terruerimus territī, -ae, -a erimus ēgerimus actī, -ae, -a erimus cēperimus captī, -ae, -a erimus audīverimus audītī, -ae, -a erimus
2nd person laudāveritis laudātī, -ae, -a eritis terrueritis territī, -ae, -a eritis ēgeritis actī, -ae, -a eritis cēperitis captī, -ae, -a eritis audīveritis audītī, -ae, -a eritis
3rd person laudāverint laudātī, -ae, -a erunt terruerint territī, -ae, -a erunt ēgerint actī, -ae, -a erunt cēperint captī, -ae, -a erunt audīverint audītī, -ae, -a erunt

Notes

^ Futūrus esse is sometimes contracted as fore as seen in Caesar's De Bello Gallico.
^ The archaic uncontracted form potesse occurs frequently in Lucretius.
^ Form moriri, Ovid, Metamorphoses (poem) 14.215[8]
^ Used by Cicero frequently.
^ Used personally by Lucretius (2.627): ningunt[9]

  1. ↑ Jenney, Charles; Roger Scudder; Eric C. Baade (1979). First Year Latin. Allyn and Bacon. p. 123. ISBN 0-205-07859-1.
  2. ↑ Allen, Joseph and James Greenough. Allen and Greenough's Latin Grammar. New York: Ginn & Co., 1888. 282.
  3. ↑ Eitrem, S. (2006). Latinsk grammatikk (3 ed.). Oslo: Aschehoug. p. 111.
  4. ↑ http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:entry=orior
  5. ↑ Horace. "1.3.66". Sermonum liber primus (in Latin).
  6. ↑ Catullus. "10.27". Poems of Catullus (in Latin).
  7. ↑ Cicero. "2.259". De Oratore (in Latin).
  8. ↑ "P. OVIDI NASONIS METAMORPHOSEN LIBER QVARTVS DECIMVS". The Latin Library. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  9. ↑ "TITI LVCRETI CARI DE RERVM NATVRA LIBER SECVNDVS". The Latin Library. Retrieved September 1, 2010.

See also

References

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