26.10.25: Level 1; Carolus et Maria [12][ii] introduction to past tenses

The text throws you in at the deep end slightly, but only slightly since it is gradually introducing the two past tenses of Latin: [1] the imperfect tense; [2] the perfect tense

At this stage it is enough to grasp the difference in meaning between the two, and to recognise the endings.

[1] Imperfect tense: describes what somebody was doing or used to do, or an action that went on for a period of time (with no sense of end) or happened more than once

Diū vocābat │ She was calling for a long time

hī puerī multās hōrās aquam … portābant │ These boys were carrying water for many hours

Maesta erat et diū lacrimābat │ She was gloomy and was crying for a long time

Hōrae erant longae quod puerum exspectābat │ The hours were long because she was waiting for the boy

Nōn erat laeta │ She was not happy (i.e. this was how she felt over a period of time)

mātrēs erant miserae │ The mothers were sad

iānua … clausa erat │ The door was closed

From Carolus et Maria 10:

Herī medicus erat in casā │ Yesterday the doctor was in the cottage

Puerō medicīnam dabat │ He gave (was giving) medicine to the boy

Medicīnam habēre nōn cupiēbat │ He didn’t want to have the medicine

Medicus puerum esse aegrum vidēbat │ Literally: The doctor was seeing the boy to be ill = The doctor saw / could see that the boy was ill

Puer medicō grātiās agēbat │ Literally: The boy was thanking the doctor = The boy was thankful to the doctor

From Carolus et Maria 11:

Maria, puella bona erās. │ Maria, you were a good girl

LINK: imperfect tense; all posts

https://mega.nz/file/DIVQXRSL#68KnGlwq6-6lFYguvSxIYL8p3b-kQHlGHDKjN_JSjnQ

[2] Perfect tense: describes single, “one off” / finished actions in the past; it is the most common tense used in past tense narrative. None of the examples suggest that the action was still continuing. In English this is most often translated as a simple past e.g. dīxit │ (s)he said, but it can (less frequently) express the English present perfect i.e. ‘I have done something’ e.g. ad aquam iērunt │ they went, or (depending on context) they have gone to the water

Post ūnam hōram magistra hoc dīxit: … │After an hour the teacher said this: …

Mox Carolum vocāvit │ She soon called Carolus

Nōn saltāvit │ She did not dance

… respondit puella │ … the girl replied

Maria … sōla domum iit │ Maria … went home alone

Māter domō iit │ The mother went from the house

Cum Cassiō ad aquam iit │ He went / has gone with Cassius to the water

Ad aquam iērunt │ They went to the water

Carolus et Cassius domum nōn iērunt │ Carolus and Cassius did not go home

Diū ibi mānsērunt │ They stayed there for a long time

Multum dē tabernāculō … dīxērunt │ They said / talked a lot about the tent

Diū puerōs exspectāvērunt │ They waited for the boys for a long time

fīliōs suōs nōn vidērunt │ They did not see their sons

From Carolus et Maria 10:

Puerō pecūniam dedit │ He gave money to the boy

LINK: perfect tense; all posts

https://mega.nz/file/WQtmyLQL#pRb1pfjewQtMCIAyiApva9LHKPTakittNaCdQ1RC7po

Images #1 and #2

Although this text focuses on the 3^rd person i.e. what he / she / they were doing or did, both tenses have very distinct endings which are summarised in the images and you should become familiar with them.

Image #3: the imperfect tense of esse (to be)