Friday, April 26, 2024

04.04.24: future tense [1]: 1st / 2nd conjugation

The future tense (I shall, you will etc. do something) has two sets of endings in Latin depending upon the conjugation to which the verb belongs.

1st / 2nd conjugation

The future tense has the same stems as the present and imperfect tense i.e. the -re of the infinitive is removed:

1st conjugation

labōrō, labōrā │ re [1]: work

> labōrā│-

2nd conjugation

videō, vidē │ re [2]: see

> vidē│-

Remember: / -bō- / -bi- / -bu- /

To this stem, the following endings are added, which comprise a tense marker / -bō- / -bi- / -bu- /+ personal endings.

singular

1 stem vowel [ā / ē] + bō

2 stem vowel + bis

3 stem vowel + bit

plural

1 stem vowel + bimus

2 stem vowel + bitis

3 stem vowel + bunt

Here are both verbs in full with the stress [ʹ] indicated; the stress is always on the stem vowel

first conjugation

labōrā́bō [la-bo-RA-bo]: I shall work

labōrā́bis: you (sg.) will work

labōrā́bit: he / she / it will work

labōrā́bĭmus [la-bo-RA-bi-mus]: we will work

labōrā́bĭtis [la-bo-RA-bi-tis]: you (pl.) will work

labōrā́bunt: they will work

second conjugation

vidḗbō [vi-DE-bo]: I shall see

vidḗbis: you (sg.) will see

vidḗbit: he / she / it will see

vidḗbĭmus [vi-DE-bi-mus]: we will see

vidḗbĭtis [vi-DE-bi-tis]: you (pl.) will see

vidḗbunt: they will see

Some simple examples:

Optimum cibum parābō. │ I shall prepare excellent food.

Ego istuc cūrābō (Plautus). │ I’ll attend to that.

Pultābō forīs (Plautus). │ I’ll knock at the door.

Amābō tē*, cūrā fīlium meum. │ Please, take care of my son.

*amābō tē: literally means ‘I shall love you’, but it can also be used to express ‘please’; the same idea is conveyed by amābō alone or by quaesō.

Quid vidēbis? │ What will you see?

Crās pugnābunt gladiātōrēs. │ The gladiators will fight tomorrow.

Ille pauper satis pecūniae nōn habēbit. │ That poor man will not have enough money.

Ubi habitābit? │ Where will he live?

Valēbitne cīvitās post hoc bellum? │ Will the state be strong after this war?

Quis eum adiuvābit? │ Who will help him?

Nūllam spem habēbimus. │ We’ll have no hope.

Quandō cēnābimus? │ When shall we dine?

Manēbitisne in fīdē? │ Will you remain loyal?

Quem vidēbunt? │ Whom will they see?

Quō nāvigābunt nautae? │ Where will the sailors sail to?

 






 

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