26.04.26: Level 1 (review); verbs; second conjugation present tense

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/010324-2nd-conjugation-verbs-present.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399789079299033/

The formation of the present tense of 2nd conjugation verbs involves only a minor change compared to 1st conjugation verbs.

The infinitives of first conjugation verbs end in -āre e.g. habitāre (to live), labōrāre (to work) etc. The stem vowel, when -re is removed ends in -ā / -a to which the personal endings -ō, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt are then added.

The infinitive of 2nd conjugation verbs, an example of which is vidēre (to see) ends in -ēre. The same rules apply for the adding of personal endings: remove the -re and add the personal endings to the stem vowel /e/; this time, unlike the first conjugation where first person singular also loses the stem vowel, the second conjugation adds the personal endings to the stem vowel in all forms of the verb:

[1] infinitive: vidēre

[2] remove -re: vidē- which gives you the stem

[3] add the personal endings to the stem; apart from the third person singular, which has a short /e/ stem vowel, all other forms of the verb have a long /ē/ in the stem

[4] the accent mark [ʹ] is only there to indicate where the syllable is stressed; it will not be used again

vídeō│ I see; I do see; I am seeing

vídēs│you (sg.) see

vídet│he / she / it sees

vidḗmus│we see

vidḗtis│you (pl.) see

vídent│ they see

[5] The video includes two subject pronouns:

nōs: we

vōs: you (plural), when talking to more than one person

As with other subject pronouns, they are generally not required, but can be used:

[1] for emphasis:

nōs puerī … │ we boys …

[2] when the people being addressed are named, for example:

Vōs, mīlitēs, … │ You, soldiers, …

01.08.25: Level 1; Road to Latin [23]; Tullia, magistra fīliārum II

"Nōnne rōsae sunt pulchrae, fīliae meae? Manē ego in vīllam rosās portō. Tū, Cornēliā, aquam portās. Secunda quoque aquam portat. Tum nōs rōsās ad statuās deārum portāmus et statuās ōrnāmus. Vōs puellae rubrās rosās amātis et vestrās rosās rubrās ad Diānae statuam portātis. Cotīdiē agricolae corbulās plēnās rosārum ad vīllam nostram portant. Ego rosās libenter cūrō.

"Nōnne corōnae rosārum pulchrae sunt, puellae? Vidēsne corōnam rosārum albārum, Cornēlia?

"Corōnam videō, Tullia. Nōnne est pulchra?" "Videtne dea Diāna corōnās, Tullia?" "Certē, mea fīlia parva! Deae omnia (everything) vident." "Sed nōs deās nōn vidēmus." "Vōs, puellae, deās nōn vidētis quod deae in terrā nōn habitant."

Vocabulary

amō, amāre [1]: love

cūrō, -āre [1]: take care of

habitō, habitāre [1]: live

māne: in the morning

nostra: our

ōrnō, ōrnāre [1]: decorate

portō, portāre [1]: carry

vestra: your

videō, vidēre [2]: see

Exercise

Respondē Latīnē:

1. Quō manē rosās portō?
2. Quid portās, Cornēlia?
3. Quid Secunda quoque portat?
4. Quid ad statuās deārum portāmus?
5. Quālēs rosās ad Diānae statuam portātis?
6. Quid agricolae ad vīllam nostram portant?
7. Quid vidēs, Cornēlia?
8. Num corōnam rosārum rubrārum videō?
9. Nõnne dea Diānā corānās videt?
10. Videntne deae omnia?
11. Num deās vidēmus?
12. Cūr vōs puellae deās nōn vidētis?

Notes

[1] verbs: 1^st conjugation

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/verbs-first-conjugation-present-tense.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/397175869560354

https://mega.nz/file/yYtDTBJb#x6MNIqoFJb_As9X2_9BsmnGZOzMOaoxAj7K-B4lG3uo

[2] verbs: 2^nd conjugation

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/010324-2nd-conjugation-verbs-present.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399789079299033/

https://mega.nz/file/mQFijRxD#aCvwzNlq3dHeEP7hr7VGmdLry_1z6cCoGYFAhdh8K6g

29.07.25: Level 1; Road to Latin [22]; Tullia, magistra fīliārum I

[present tense of sum, and of verbs of the first and second conjugation]

Tullia Cornēliam et Secundam linguam Latīnam docet. Tullia sevēra magistra est; itaque puellae dīligenter student.

"Ego sum (I am) fēmina. Ego sum mātrōna Rōmāna. Tū (You), Cornēlia, es (are) puella. Tū es fīlia mea. Secunda quoque est puella Rōmāna. Secunda est parva fīlia mea. Sum matrōna Rōmāna; es fīlia mea; Secunda est parva fīlia mea."

Vocabulary

dīligenter: diligently, carefully

doceō, docēre [2]: teach

Latīna: Latin

lingua, -ae [1/f]: tongue, language

mātrōna, -ae [1/f]:  matron; married woman

mea: my​ (feminine singular)

sevēra: severe

studeō, studēre [2]: be eager; study

Exercise [1]

Respondē Latīnē:

1. Quis sum?
2. Quis es Cornēlia?
3. Quis est Secunda?
4. Quis es Secunda?
5. Quis est Cornēlia?
6. Quis est Tullia?

"Sum incola Rōmae. Tū, Cornēlia, quoque es incola Rōmae. Ego et tū sumus (are) incolae Rōmae. Nōs (We) sumus laetae. Tū, Cornēlia, es fīlia mea. Tū quoque, Secunda, es fīlia mea. Vōs (You all), puellae, estis (are) fīliae meae. Estis puellae cārae. Lucia est fīlia Camillae. Tertia est parva fīlia Camillae. Lucia et Tertia sunt fīliae Camillae."

meae: my (feminine plural)

Exercise [2]

Respondē Latīnē:

1. Quis sum?
2. Quis es?
3. Estisne incolae Rōmae?
4. Nōnne sumus laetae, Tullia?
5. Cuius fīliae sunt Lucia et Tertia?

Only the key points will be referred to since these texts deal with topics that have been covered extensively in earlier posts; links to the most important posts are given below

Notes

[1] subject pronouns

ego (or egō): I

tū: you (singular)

is, ea, id: he / she / it (see links)

nōs: we

vōs: you (plural)

eī [m] / eae [f] / ea [n]: they (see links)

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/subject-pronouns-it-has-already-been.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/397325229545418/

https://mega.nz/file/2B8AFZIB#JhIUpdxyusiK2MZ953PleUhHNmZ0Yd5wrXXWojbs8o8

[2] the verb esse (to be)

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/02/070525-level-1-readings-6-11-review-18.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/396233422987932

https://mega.nz/file/DZNlEAbB#l82i7KjEFJcpsXTeH42gMXAgWGQwzX78MV66llDnSHY

12.06.25: Level 1; readings [17]: the situation becomes critical; future tense 1st / 2nd conjugation [2]

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Latin_for_beginners_(1911)/Part_II/Lesson_XXI

The tense sign of the Future Indicative in the first and second conjugations is -bō / -bi- / -bu-. This is joined to the present stem of the verb and followed by the personal ending, as follows:

1^st conjugation

amābō: I shall love

amābis: you (singular) will love

amābit: (s)he will love

amābimus: we will love

amābitis: you (plural) will love

amābunt: they will love

2^nd conjugation

monēbō: I shall advise

monēbis: you (singular) will advise

monēbit: (s)he will advise

monēbimus: we will advise

monēbitis: you (plural) will advise

monēbunt: they will advise

[1]

[i] movēbitis, laudābis, arābō

[ii] dēlēbitis, vocābitis, dabunt

[iii] mātūrābis, dēsīderābit, vidēbimus

[iv] habēbit, movēbunt, necābit

[v] nārrābimus, monēbis, vidēbunt

[vi] labōrābitis, cūrābunt, dabis

[vii] habitābimus, properābitis, iubēbunt, parābit

[viii] nūntiābō, portābimus, iubēbō

[2]

[i] we shall announce, we shall see, I shall hasten

[ii] I shall carry, he will plough, they will care for

[iii] you will announce, you will move, you will give (sing and plur)

[iv] we shall fight, we shall destroy, I shall long for

[v] he will call, they will see, you will tell (plur)

[vi] they will dwell, we shall order, he will praise

[vii] they will work, we shall kill, you will have (sing and plur), he will destroy

12.06.25: Level 1; readings [17]: the situation becomes critical; future tense 1st / 2nd conjugation [1]

Mārcus autem: “Ego manēbō et amīcōs meōs adiuvābō!”

Tum Rōmānī: “Sī tū Graecōs adiuvābis, et tibi et amīcīs tuīs malum (1) dabimus!”

“Tum vōs nōn iam iuvābit hīc esse! Immō vērō timēbitis et horrēbitis.”

“Gaudēbimus, sī maestī vōs movēbitis! (2)”

“Nōs cūnctōs Graecōs fugābimus, Rōmam nostram līberābimus, nōbīs dīvitiās parābimus. Tum dēmum laetī et contentī erimus.”

“Cūnctī Rōmānī nōbīs grātī erunt et gaudēbunt!”

“Neque ego tum maestus et miser sedēbō, sed opulentus erō. Nunc Graecī multās vīllās, multōs agrōs possident: mox erunt Rōmānōrum. Nunc nōbīs nihil est nisi vīta misera, mox autem et tibi et mihi magnae dīvitiae erunt! (3) Tum nōs vīnō bonō et cibīs iūcundīs implēbimus!”

Subitō magnus Molossus in caupōnā stat, valdē lātrat, cūnctōs Rōmānōs fugat.

Et Mārcus: “Ecce! Nunc ūnus Graecus – nam Molossus sine dubiō Graecus est – multōs Rōmānōs terret!”

(1) (here): beating

(2) literally: you will move yourselves = you will disappear

(3) tibi et mihi ¦ magnae dīvitiae erunt │ literally: to you and to me there will be great riches = you and I will have great wealth

This text uses the future tense i.e. describing what somebody will do:

manēbō │ I shall remain

Graecōs adiuvābis │ you (singular) will help the Greeks

vōs nōn iam iuvābit │ it will no longer please you

tibi … malum dabimus │ we will give you a beating

timēbitis │ you (plural) will fear

Cūnctī Rōmānī … gaudēbunt │ All the Romans will rejoice

opulentus erō │ I shall be wealthy

contentī erimus │ we will be content

mox erunt Rōmānōrum │ they will soon be the Romans’

Links to all posts on the future tense:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/permalink/469186389025968

09.06.25: Level 1; readings [16]: the good old days; imperfect tense 1st / 2nd conjugation [2]

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Latin_for_beginners_(1911)/Part_II/Lesson_XX

tense signs

Instead of using auxiliary verbs to express differences in tense, like was, shall, will, etc., Latin adds to the verb stem certain elements that have the force of auxiliary verbs. These are called tense signs (also known as tense markers).

formation and inflection of the imperfect

The tense sign of the imperfect is -ba- / -bā-, which is added to the present stem. The imperfect consists, therefore, of three parts:

[1] present stem: amā-

[2] tense sign: -ba-

[3] personal ending: -m

> amā¦ba¦m

The inflection is as follows:

1^st conjugation

amābam: I was loving / used to love

amābās: you (singular) were loving

amābat: (s)he was loving

amābāmus: we were loving

amābātis: you (plural) were loving

amābant: they were loving

2^nd conjugation

monēbam: I was advising / used to love

monēbās: you (singular) were advising

monēbat: (s)he was advising

monēbāmus: we were advising

monēbātis: you (plural) were advising

monēbant: they were advising

Note that the ā of the tense sign -bā- is shortened to -ba- before the personal endings -m, -t and -nt.

meaning of the imperfect

The Latin imperfect describes an act as going on or progressing in past time, like the English past-progressive tense (I was walking). It is the regular tense used to describe a past situation or condition of affairs.

Exercises

arō, -āre [1]: plough

cūrō, -āre [1]: care for

desīderō, -āre [1]: desire, long for

dō, dare [1]: give

habitō, -āre [1]: live

labōrō, -āre [1]: work

laudō, -āre [1]: praise

mātūrō, -āre [1]: hurry

narrō, -āre [1]: tell (e.g. a story); recount

necō, -āre [1]: kill

nūntiō, -āre [1]: announce

parō, -āre [1]: prepare

portō, -āre [1]: carry

properō, -āre [1]: rush

pugnō, -āre [1]: fight

vocō, -āre [1]: call

dēleō, -ēre [2]: destroy

habeō, -ēre [2]: have

iubeō, -ēre [2]: order

moveō, -ēre [2]: move

videō, -ēre [2]: see

[1]

[i] vidēbāmus, dēsīderābat, mātūrābās

[ii] dabant, vocābātis, dēlēbāmus

[iii] pugnabant, laudābās, movēbātis

[iv] iubēbant, properābātis, portābāmus

[v] dabās, nārrābant, labōrābātis

[vi] vidēbant, movēbās, nūntiābāmus

[vii] necābat, movēbam, habēbat, parābātis

[2]

[i] you were having (sing and plur), we were killing, they were working

[ii] he was moving, we were ordering, we were fighting

[iii] we were telling, they were seeing, he was calling

[iv] they were living, I was longing for, we were destroying

[v] you were giving, you were moving, you were announcing, (sing and plur)

[vi] they were caring for, he was ploughing, we were praising

[3] Niobe and her children (1)

fōrma, -ae, [1/f]: form, beauty

poena, -ae, [1/f]: punishment, penalty

potentia, -ae, [1/f]: power 

rēgīna, -ae, [1/f]: queen 

superbia, -ae, [1/f]: pride, haughtiness

trīstitia, -ae, [1/f]: sadness, sorrow

septem: seven

superbus, -a, -um: proud, haughty 

nōn sōlum . . . sed etiam: not only . . . but also

Niobē, rēgīna Thēbānōrum, erat pulchra fēmina sed superba. Erat superba nōn sōlum fōrmā suā marītīque potentiā sed etiam magnō līberōrum numerō. Nam habēbat septem fīliōs et septem fīliās. Sed ea superbia erat rēgīnae causa magnae trīstitiae et līberīs causa dūrae poenae.

Notes:

[i] Erat superba …[1] fōrmā suā … marītīque [2] potentiā … [3] magnō ¦ liberōrum ¦ [3] numerō │ she was arrogant … because of [1] her beauty … [2] the power ¦ of her husband … [3] the large number ¦ of children; the ablative case can be used to express cause

[ii]

rēgīnae [dative] causa ¦ magnae trīstitiae [genitive] │ a cause ¦ of great sadness ¦ to the queen

līberīs [dative] causa ¦ dūrae poenae [genitive] │ a cause ¦ of harsh punishment ¦  for the children

[4] Niobe and her children (2)

sacrum, -ī [2 n]: sacrifice, offering, rite

verbum, -ī [2/n]: word

sedeō, -ēre [2]: sit

volō, -āre [1]: fly 

interfectus, -a, -um: slain

molestus, -a, -um: troublesome, annoying (molest)

perpetuus, -a, -um: perpetual, continuous

Apollō et Diāna erant līberī Lātōnae. Eīs Thēbānī sacra crēbra parābant. Oppidānī amābant Lātōnam et līberōs eius. Id superbae rēgīnae erat molestum. “Cūr,” inquit, “Lātōnae et līberīs sacra parātis? Duōs līberōs habet Lātōna; quattuordecim habeō ego. Ubi sunt mea sacra?” Lātōna eīs verbīs īrāta līberōs suōs vocat. Ad eam volant Apollō Diānaque et sagittīssuīs miserōs līberōs rēgīnae superbae dēlent. Niobē, nūper laeta, nunc misera, sedet apud līberōs interfectōs et cum perpetuīs lacrimīs eōs dēsīderat.

Notes:

Apollō Diānaque … sagittīs suīs … līberōs rēgīnae … dēlent │ Apollo and Diana … destroy the queen’s children with (by means of) their arrows; the ablative case is used to indicate the means or instrument by which an action is performed

09.06.25: Level 1; readings [16]: the good old days; imperfect tense 1st / 2nd conjugation [1]

Demaratus talks about the time when his country wasn’t occupied by the Romans:

“Multa saecula Athēnae, patria mea, līberae erant. Nōs Graecī līberī erāmus cūnctī, dum in nostrīs oppidīs līberī habitābāmus. Interdum tyrannī in nōnnūllīs oppidīs rēgnāre studēbant, sed Graecī vītam līberam valdē amābant et tyrannōs ut adversāriōs fugāre solēbant.”

Tum Epicharmus: “Pīsistratus quidem multōs annōs imperium Athēnārum obtinēbat, quod bonus et iūstus erat…”

Sed Mārcus: “Dionȳsius autem Syrācūsānīs totidem ferē annōs imperābat, quamquam neque bonus neque iūstus, sed iniūstus et malus erat: Populum enim iniūriīs terrēbat, multōs virōs integrōs necābat. Dionȳsiō quidem magnum rēgnum, magnae dīvitiae erant; neque tamen beātus, immō vērō miser erat, quod semper īnsidiās timēbat.”

[1] This text uses the imperfect tense; this tense describes:

[i] what somebody was doing i.e. an action that was incomplete

[ii] what somebody used to do i.e. an action that happened frequently in the past

[iii] an action that took place or a situation that existed over a period of time with no real sense of beginning or end e.g. what the character of a person was like

dum in nostrīs oppidīs … habitābāmus │ while we were living / used to live in our towns

Nōs Graecī līberī erāmus …│ We Greeks were / used to be free

semper īnsidiās timēbat │ he always feared / used to fear treachery

bonus et iūstus erat │ he was good and just

Pīsistratus … multōs annōs imperium … obtinēbat │ Pisistratus … held political power … for many years

Dionȳsius autem Syrācūsānīs totidem ferē annōs imperābat │ Dionysius ruled the Syracusans for almost as many years.

[2] a verb to look out for is soleō, -ēre [2]: to be accustomed (to doing something); it is used with an infinitive and can translate as somebody who usually does or did something i.e. the verb conveys a frequentative meaning.

Graecī … adversāriōs ¦ fugāre ¦ solēbant │literally: the Greeks ¦ were accustomed ¦ to putting ¦ enemies to flight = the Greeks usually chased their enemies away

[3] Links to all posts on the imperfect tense:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/permalink/469186202359320/

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/220824-maxey-11-2-past-tenses-2.html

[4] Latin tutorial: imperfect tense

https://youtu.be/3-OLocTTe50

03.06.25: Level 1; readings [12] - [15]: review (5); the imperative (command); 1st / 2nd conjugation

The term imperative comes from the Latin verb imperō, imperāre [1]: order; command. It’s also known as the command form i.e. it’s used when you’re telling somebody to do, or not to do something.

The Latin imperative most often has no tense (there is a future imperative but it’s by no means as common, and can be dealt with when it appears in reading); the only disctinction Latin makes is when a command is being given to one or more than one person. It’s straightforward to form.

Talking to one person:

1st conjugation

portāre: to carry; remove the -re > portā! carry! That’s the command. Latin had no exclamation mark, but it’s commonly used now to indicate it. It doesn’t mean that the person is shouting.

festināre: to hurry

> festinā lente: Hasten slowly.

2nd conjugation

manēre: to stay; remove the -re > manē! stay!

cavēre: to beware

> cavē canem! Beware (of) the dog!

audēre: to dare

> Sapere audē. (Horace) Dare to be wise.

Talking to more than one person:

[ii] Talking to more than one person:

-te is added to the imperative singular forms

1^st conjugation

portāte! carry!

2^nd conjugation

cavēte! beware!

[iii] Telling somebody not to do something

Latin has more than one way of doing this, but the easiest way is to use:

nōlī + the infintive of the verb (talking to one person)

nōlīte + the infinitive of the verb (talking to more than one person)

nōlī(te) are in themselves the imperative forms of the verb nōlō, -ere: ‘be unwilling’, but are used to express do not / don’t [do something]:

Nōlī mē tangere! │ Do not touch me! 

Nōlīte spēluncās intrāre! │ Don’t enter the caves!

04.05.25: Level 1; readings [6] - [11]: review (17); verbs; 1st / 2nd conjugation [iv]

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Latin_for_beginners_(1911)/Part_II/Lesson_XIX

Further practice:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/211024-level-1-review-practice-in-verbs.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/2310-24-level-1-review-practice-in.html

04.05.25: Level 1; readings [6] - [11]: review (16); verbs; 1st / 2nd conjugation [iii]

Exercise [1]*

[a] translate the verbs into English

[b] take a second look and list them according to whether they are first or second conjugation

[c] underline or circle the personal endings of the Latin verbs

1. vocāmus; properātis; iubent
2. movētis; laudās; vidēs
3. dēlētis; habētis; dant
4. mātūrās; dēsīderat; vidēmus
5. iubet; movent; necat
6. nārrāmus; movēs; vident
7. labōrātis; properant; portās; parant
8. dēlet; habētis; iubēmus; dās
9. habitō; videō; sedeō; nūntiō

Exercise [2]**

Translate into Latin

1. we plough; we are ploughing; / we do plough
2. they care for; they are caring for / they do care for
3. you (singular) give; you (singular) are having / you (singular) do have
4. we destroy; I do long for; they are living
5. he calls; they see; we are telling
6. we do fight; we order; (s)he / it is moving; (s)he / it prepares
7. they are working; we kill; you (singular and plural) announce

____________________

*[1]

1. vocāmus; we call (we are calling / we do call); 1^st conj. │ properātis; you (plural) hasten / hurry; 1^st conj. │iubent; they order / command’; 2^nd conj.
2. movētis; you (plural) move; 2^nd conj. │ laudās: you (singular) praise; 1^st conj. │ vidēs: you (singular) see; 2^nd conj.
3. dēlētis: you (plural) destroy; 2^nd conj. │ habētis: you (plural) have; 2^nd conj. │ dant: they give; 1^st conj.
4. mātūrās: you (singular) hasten / hurry; 1^st conj. │ dēsīderat: he / she / it desires / longs for; 1^st conj. │  vidēmus: we see; 2^nd conj.
5. iubet: he / she commands; 2^nd conj. │ movent: they move; 2^nd conj. │ necat: he / she / it kills; 1^st conj.
6. nārrāmus: we tell; 1^st conj. │ movēs: you (singular) move; 2^nd conj. │ vident: they see; 2^nd conj.
7. labōrātis: you (plural) work; 1^st conj. │ properant: they hasten / hurry; 1^st conj. │ portās: you (singular) carry; 1^st conj. │ parant: they prepare; 1^st conj.
8. dēlet: he / she / it destroys; 2^nd conj. │ habētis: you (plural) have; 2^nd conj. │ iubēmus: we command; 2^nd conj. │ dās: you (singular) give; 1^st conj.
9. habitō: I live (I am living; I do live); 1^st conj. │ videō: I see; 2^nd conj. │ sedeō: I sit; 2^nd conj. │ nūntiō: I announce; 1^st conj.

**[2]

1. arāmus; one verb form conveys all three meanings in English
2. cūrant; one verb form conveys all three meanings in English
3. dās; habēs
4. dēlēmus; dēsīderō; habitant
5. vocat; vident; nārrāmus
6. pugnāmus; iubēmus; movet; parat
7. labōrant; necāmus; nūntiās / nūntiātis

01.05.25: Level 1; readings [6] - [11]: review (15); verbs; 1st / 2nd conjugation [ii]

[1] image #1: key terms commonly used in Latin grammar courses / textbooks

verb

conjugation

stem

infinitive

personal endings

subject of the sentence

subject pronouns

person

number

singular

plural

tense

present tense

principal parts

[2] There are four conjugations of the regular verbs; conjugation refers to “groups” of verbs which have the same endings.

These conjugations are distinguished from each other by the final vowel of the present conjugation stem; the stem refers to the verb before any endings are added. This vowel is called the stem vowel*, and is best seen in the infinitive; the infinitive refers to the equivalent of English “to write”, “to go”, French “écrire”, “aller”, and German “schreiben”, “gehen” (and, of course, you can see where French got the -re ending from!)

*D’Ooge uses the term distinguishing vowel, which means the same but the term stem vowel is more commonly used now.

Image #2: the  infinitive of a verb of each conjugation, the stem, and the stem vowel.

[3] Image #3: to the stem, the personal endings  are added:

-ō: I

-s: you (singular)

-t: he / she / it

-mus: we

-tis: you (plural)

-nt: they

[i] Knowing these personal endings is crucial since they operate throughout the Latin verb systen i.e. they apply to all the conjugations and all the tenses.

[ii] Although Latin does have pronouns i.e. the equivalent of the English subject pronouns ‘I’, ‘you’ etc. they are most often not used in Latin because the personal ending shows the subject of the sentence i.e. the person / thing performing the action.

[iii] The verb is divided into [1] person, the term used in grammar to refer to who is performing the action, and

[iv] number i.e. singular (one person performing the action) or plural (more than one person performing the action)

Singular

1^st person: labōrō │ I work

2^nd person: labōrās│ you (singular) work

3^rd person: labōrat│ he / she / it works

Plural

1^st person: labōrāmus│ we work

2^nd person: labōrātis│ you (plural) work

3^rd person: labōrant │ they work

[v] There are two forms of the second person i.e. ‘you’: singular (talking to one person) and plural (talking to more than one person); unlike, for example, French tu and vous or German du, ihr or Sie where the choice of the second person pronoun can be dependent upon a person’s status e.g. family member, police officer, Classical Latin does not make that distinction: an Ancient Roman, whether talking to one emperor or to one slave, would use the second person singular

[vi] Tense refers to the time when the action was / is / will be performed. Here we are dealing with the present tense of the 1^st and 2^nd conjugation verbs. In English there are three ways of expressing present action. We may say, for example, I live, I am living, or I do live. In Latin the one expression habitō covers all three of these expressions.

[4] Images #4  and #5: because verbs belong to different conjugations, they, like nouns, are usually listed in dictionaries or vocabularies with specific additional information which, for verbs, is known as the principal parts. For most verbs there are four principal parts but, at this stage, only two will be listed:

amō [first person singular], amāre [infinitive]; the number of the conjugation may also be included

• amō, amāre [1]: love
• habeō, habēre [2]: have

1^st conjugation

amō, I love; amāre, to love

arō, I plough; arāre, to plough

cūrō, I care for; cūrāre, to care for

dēsīderō, I long for; dēsīderāre, to long for

dō, I give; dare, to give

habitō, I live, I dwell; habitāre, to live, to dwell

labōrō, I work; labōrāre, to work

laudō, I praise; laudāre, to praise

mātūrō, I hasten; mātūrāre, to hasten

And the rest we will put in abbreviated form:

nārrō, nārrāre [1]:  tell

necō, necāre[1]: kill

nūntiō, nūntiāre [1]: announce

parō,  parāre [1]:  prepare

portō, portāre [1]: to carry

properō, properāre [1]: to hasten

pugnō, pugnāre [1]: to fight

vocō, vocāre [1]: to call

2^nd conjugation

dēleō, I destroy; dēlēre, to destroy

habeō, I have; habēre, to have

iubeō, I order; iubēre, to order

moneō, monēre [2]: warn; advise

moveō, movēre [2]: move

pāreō, pārēre [2]: obey

possideō, possidēre [2]: possess

rideō, ridēre [2]: laugh

sedeō, sedēre [2]: sit; be seated

studeō, studēre [2]: [i] dedicate oneself (to something) [ii] (Late / Mediaeval) study

taceō, tacēre [2]: be silent

timeō, timēre [2]: fear; be afraid

valeō, valēre [2]: be strong / healthy / well

videō, vidēre [2]: see

01.05.25: Level 1; readings [6] - [11]: review (14); verbs; 1st / 2nd conjugation [i]

Match the English and Latin verbs

Wordcloud #1: first conjugation verbs

• to appease; placate; pacify
• to approach
• to ask
• to conquer
• to enter
• to give
• to hesitate
• to hurry
• to import
• to invite
• to order; command
• to praise
• to sacrifice
• to scold
• to show
• to stand
• to take care of
• to tell
• to visit
• to wait for
• to wander; make a mistake
• to watch; look at

appropinquāre; cūrāre; dare; dubitāre; errāre; exspectāre; immolāre; imperāre; importāre; intrāre; invitāre; laudāre; mōnstrāre; nārrāre; plācāre;  properāre; rogāre; spectāre; stāre; superāre; vīsitāre; vituperāre

Wordcloud #2: second conjugation verbs

• to be accustomed to / in the habit of (doing something)
• to be quiet
• to be well / strong / healthy
• to dedicate oneself to
• to fear
• to give shelter; protect
• to have
• to laugh
• to mock; laugh at
• to obey
• to owe; to have to (do something)
• to possess
• to sit

dēbēre; habēre; irrīdēre; pārēre; possidēre; praesidēre; ridēre; sedēre; solēre; studēre; tacēre; timēre; valēre

06.04.25: Level 2; grammar revision; verbs [2]; second conjugation

Match the English with the Latin verbs in the word cloud; an example of a second conjugation verb in full is given for reference

1. we warn (are warning) / advise (are advising)
2. we were warning
3. we will warn
4. we (have) warned
5. we had warned
6. we will have warned
7. we are (being) warned
8. we were being warned
9. we will be warned
10. we (masc. plu.) have been warned
11. we (fem. plu.) had been warned
12. we (fem. plu.) will have been warned

05.04.24: future tense [2] simple practice for 1st / 2nd conjugation verbs

Give the English for the following future tense verbs:

aedificō, aedificāre [1]: build

ambulō, ambulāre [1]: walk

amō, amāre [1]: love

cantō, cantāre [1]: sing

vīsitō, vīsitāre [1]: go to see; visit

dēbeō, dēbēre [2]: have to; must

maneō, manēre [2]: stay

portō, portāre [2]: carry

respondeō, respondēre [2]: reply

rīdeō, rīdēre [2]: laugh

timeō, timēre [2]: fear

videō, vidēre [2]: see

1. aedificābunt

2. amābō

3. ambulābis

4. cantābimus

5. dēbēbō

6. manēbimus

7. portābit

8. respondēbis

9. rīdēbitis

10. timēbunt

11. vidēbit

12. vīsitābitis

 

 

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?