Conjugation

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Latin is an inflected language, and as such its verbs must be conjugated in order to express person, number, time, tense, mood or voice. A set of conjugated forms of the same verb pattern is called a conjugation (verb inflection group). There are four conjugations, which are numbered and grouped by ending.

This is a summary of the conjugation of Latin verbs.

Which conjugation a verb belongs to

Latin is a heavily inflected language, which means that Latin indicates grammatical information by changing the ending of the words. Verbs are grouped into four conjugations (verb inflection groups). If we change a verb’s ending to express the person or the time (tense), we say we “conjugate” it. To determine which conjugation group a verb belongs to, you have to look into a Latin dictionary.

In the case of the verb “have”, you will find:

habeo –ére, -bui, -bitum

This is 4 pieces of information:

(1) habeo; it is the first person singular of the verb “have”. It means “I have”.

(2) –ére; it’s an abbreviation of “habere”, the infinite of the verb. It means “to have”.

(3) –bui; it’s an abbreviation of “habui”, the perfect tense of the verb. It means “I have had” or “I had”.

(4) –bitum; abbreviation of “habitum”, it’s the supine (or the past participle).

This verb’s infinitive, “habére” (to have), indicated in the dictionary form as “–ére” shows that this verb belongs to the 2nd conjugation, as all verbs that have the infinitive ending “-ére” belong to the 2nd conjugation. The second dictionary element, the infinitive, determines which conjugation the verb belongs to. The four types of infinitive endings and the four conjugations determined by the different infinitive endings are:

-are = 1st conjugation; e.g.: am|o, -are, -avi, -atum (I love)

-ére = 2nd conjugation; e.g.: hab|eo, -ere, -bui, -bitum (I have)

-ere = 3rd conjugation

- if the first person singular ends in "-o" - Consonant Stem; e.g.: dic|o, -ere, dixi, dictum (I say)

- if the first person singular ends in "-io" - Short I-Stem; e.g.: cap|io, -ere, cepi, captum (I catch)

-ire = 4th conjugation; e.g.: aud|io, -ire, -ivi, -itum (I hear)

Note that “–ere”, which is short vowel, is different from “–ére”, which is long vowel.

How to conjugate a verb

You simply cut off the infinitive endings -are, -ére, -ere and -ire, or the the Perfect Tense first person singular ending -í, depending on which tense you want to form, and replace them with the personal endings shown below in the tables, respectively to the conjugation group to which the verb belongs to.

Present Tense

The Present Tense is equivalent of the English Present Progressive ("I am saying") and Present Simple ("I say").

Unlike English, Latin uses verb endings to express the person and number of the verb, and its tense or mood. These endings are in general the same for all conjugation groups, but there is some variation respectively to the stem vowel, which means that while, e.g. the singular third person ending is "-t" in all conjugations, in the 1st conjugation it's realized as "-at", because it's the A-Stem conjugation, in the 2nd conjugation it's "-et", (as they are the E-Stem) etc.

This tense is formed from the 2nd dictionary part, by cutting off the infinitive endings -are, -ére, -ere and -ire, and replacing them with the personal endings shown below in the table, respectively to the conjugation group to which the verb belongs to.

	First conjugation			Second conjugation			Third conjugation						Fourth conjugation
	A-Stem			E-Stem			Consonant Stem			Short I-Stem			Long í-Stem
	amó, -áre, -áví, -átum love			habeó, -ére, -buí, -bitum have			dícó, -ere, díxí, dictum say			capió, -ere, cépí, captum catch			audió, -íre, -íví, -ítum hear
S/1	amó	-ó	I love	habeó	-eó	I have	dícó	-ó	I say	capió	-ió	I catch	audió	-ió	I hear
S/2	amás	-ás	you love	habés	-és	you have	dícis	-is	you say	capis	-is	you catch	audís	-ís	you hear
S/3	amat	-at	he loves	habet	-et	he has	dícit	-it	he says	capit	-it	he catches	audit	-it	he hears
P/1	amámus	-ámus	we love	habémus	-émus	we have	dícimus	-imus	we say	capimus	-imus	we catch	audímus	-ímus	we hear
P/2	amátis	-átis	you love	habétis	-étis	you have	dícitis	-itis	you say	capitis	-itis	you catch	audítis	-ítis	you hear
P/3	amant	-ant	they love	habent	-ent	they have	dícunt	-unt	they say	capiunt	-iunt	they catch	audiunt	-iunt	they hear

Imperfect Tense

The Imperfect Tense indicates a perpetual, but incomplete action in the past. It simply expresses an action in the past that was not completed. This tense is similar to the English Past Progressive ("I was saying"), but depending on context, it can also be identified with English Past Simple ("I said"). "Dícébam" can be translated to mean, "I was saying," "I said," or "I used to say".

This tense is formed from the 2nd dictionary part, by cutting off the infinitive endings -are, -ére, -ere and -ire, and replacing them with the personal endings shown below in the table, respectively to the conjugation group to which the verb belongs to.

	First conjugation			Second conjugation			Third conjugation						Fourth conjugation
	A-Stem			E-Stem			Consonant Stem			Short I-Stem			Long í-Stem
	amó, -áre, -áví, -átum love			habeó, -ére, -buí, -bitum have			dícó, -ere, díxí, dictum say			capió, -ere, cépí, captum catch			audió, -íre, -íví, -ítum hear
S/1	amábam	-ábam	I was loving	habébam	-ébam	I was having	dícébam	-ébam	I was saying	capiébam	-iébam	I was catching	audiébam	-iébam	I was hearing
S/2	amábás	-ábás	you were loving	habébás	-ébás	you were having	dícébás	-ébás	you were saying	capiébás	-iébás	you were catching	audiébás	-iébás	you were hearing
S/3	amábat	-ábat	he was loving	habébat	-ébat	he was having	dícébat	-ébat	he was saying	capiébat	-iébat	he was catching	audiébat	-iébat	he was hearing
P/1	amábámus	-ábámus	we were loving	habébámus	-ébámus	we were having	dícébámus	-ébámus	we were saying	capiébámus	-iébámus	we were catching	audiébámus	-iébámus	we were hearing
P/2	amábátis	-ábátis	you were loving	habébátis	-ébátis	you were having	dícébátis	-ébátis	you were saying	capiébátis	-iébátis	you were catching	audiébátis	-iébátis	you were hearing
P/3	amábant	-ábant	they were loving	habébant	-ébant	they were having	dícébant	-ébant	they were saying	capiébant	-iébant	they were catching	audiébant	-iébant	they were hearing

Perfect Tense

The Perfect Tense refers to an action completed in the past. The Perfect Tense expresses a finished action in the past. If the action were not finished, but still lies in the past, one would use the Imperfect Tense. The Latin Perfect Tense is equivalent to the English Present Perfect ("I have said"), but unlike English, the Latin Perfect Tense is used in the function of English Past Simple whenever it describes a finished, completed event. Thus "díxí" can be translated as "I have said," or "I said".

This tense is formed from the 3rd dictionary part, by cutting off the Perfect Tense first person singular ending -í, and replacing it with the personal endings shown below in the table.

	First conjugation			Second conjugation			Third conjugation						Fourth conjugation
	A-Stem			E-Stem			Consonant Stem			Short I-Stem			Long í-Stem
	amó, -áre, -áví, -átum love			habeó, -ére, -buí, -bitum have			dícó, -ere, díxí, dictum say			capió, -ere, cépí, captum catch			audió, -íre, -íví, -ítum hear
S/1	amáví	-í	I have loved	habuí	-í	I have had	díxí	-í	I have said	cépí	-í	I have caught	audíví	-í	I have heard
S/2	amávistí	-istí	you have loved	habuistí	-istí	you have had	díxistí	-istí	you have said	cépistí	-istí	you have caught	audívistí	-istí	you have heard
S/3	amávit	-it	he has loved	habuit	-it	he has had	díxit	-it	he has said	cépit	-it	he has caught	audívit	-it	he has heard
P/1	amávimus	-imus	we have loved	habuimus	-imus	we have had	díximus	-imus	we have said	cépimus	-imus	we have caught	audívimus	-imus	we have heard
P/2	amávistis	-istis	you have loved	habuistis	-istis	you have had	díxistis	-istis	you have said	cépistis	-istis	you have caught	audívistis	-istis	you have heard
P/3	amávérunt	-érunt	they have loved	habuérunt	-érunt	they have had	díxérunt	-érunt	they have said	cépérunt	-érunt	they have caught	audívérunt	-érunt	they have heard

Pluperfect Tense

The Pluperfect Tense expresses an action which was completed before another completed action. As with English, in Latin, the Pluperfect is used to assert an action that was completed before another. "Díxeram" translates as "I had said."

This tense is formed from the 3rd dictionary part, by cutting off the Perfect Tense first person singular ending -í, and replacing it with the personal endings shown below in the table.

	First conjugation			Second conjugation			Third conjugation						Fourth conjugation
	A-Stem			E-Stem			Consonant Stem			Short I-Stem			Long í-Stem
	amó, -áre, -áví, -átum love			habeó, -ére, -buí, -bitum have			dícó, -ere, díxí, dictum say			capió, -ere, cépí, captum catch			audió, -íre, -íví, -ítum hear
S/1	amáveram	-eram	I had loved	habueram	-eram	I had had	díxeram	-eram	I had said	céperam	-eram	I had caught	audíveram	-eram	I had heard
S/2	amáverás	-erás	you had loved	habuerás	-erás	you had had	díxerás	-erás	you had said	céperás	-erás	you had caught	audíverás	-erás	you had heard
S/3	amáverat	-erat	he had loved	habuerat	-erat	he had had	díxerat	-erat	he had said	céperat	-erat	he had caught	audíverat	-erat	he had heard
P/1	amáverámus	-erámus	we had loved	habuerámus	-erámus	we had had	díxerámus	-erámus	we had said	céperámus	-erámus	we had caught	audíverámus	-erámus	we had heard
P/2	amáverátis	-erátis	you had loved	habuerátis	-erátis	you had had	díxerátis	-erátis	you had said	céperátis	-erátis	you had caught	audíverátis	-erátis	you had heard
P/3	amáverant	-erant	they had loved	habuerant	-erant	they had had	díxerant	-erant	they had said	céperant	-erant	they had caught	audíverant	-erant	they had heard

Subjunctive Present

You use Subjunctive Present (e.g. "Dicam") when English uses the auxiliary verbs "let" ("Let me say it"), "may" ("May I say it"), "shall", ("I shall say it"), or, mainly in subordinate clauses, when English uses Present Subjunctive or Imperative ("Imperat ut dicam": "He orders that I say"; or "Dicas": "Say it").

This tense is formed from the 2nd dictionary part, by cutting off the infinitive endings -are, -ére, -ere and -ire, and replacing them with the personal endings shown in the table below, respectively to the conjugation group to which the verb belongs to.

	First conjugation			Second conjugation			Third conjugation						Fourth conjugation
	A-Stem			E-Stem			Consonant Stem			Short I-Stem			Long í-Stem
	amó, -áre, -áví, -átum love			habeó, -ére, -buí, -bitum have			dícó, -ere, díxí, dictum say			capió, -ere, cépí, captum catch			audió, -íre, -íví, -ítum hear
S/1	amem	-em	may I love	habeam	-eam	may I have	dícam	-am	may I say	capiam	-iam	may I catch	audiam	-iam	may I hear
S/2	amés	-és	may you love	habeás	-eás	may you have	dícás	-ás	may you say	capiás	-ias	may you catch	audiás	-iás	may you hear
S/3	amet	-et	may he love	habeat	-eat	may he have	dícát	-at	may he say	capiat	-iat	may he catch	audiat	-iat	may he hear
P/1	amémus	-émus	let's love	habeámus	-eámus	let's have	dícámus	-ámus	let's say	capiámus	-iámus	let's catch	audiámus	-iámus	let's hear
P/2	amétis	-étis	may you love	habeátis	-eátis	may you have	dícátis	-átis	may you say	capiátis	-iátis	may you catch	audiátis	-iátis	may you hear
P/3	ament	-ent	may they love	habeant	-eant	may they have	dícant	-ant	may they say	capiant	-iant	may they catch	audiant	-iant	may they hear

Subjunctive Imperfect

The Subjunctive Imperfect is used when English uses the auxiliary verbs "would" and "should", "Dicerem" can be translated as "I would say" or "I should say". Sometimes it can also be translated with "could" or "might" as "I could say" or "I might say". Occasionally the Subjunctive Imperfect expresses possibility in the past and in such sentences it's best translated with "could have" or "might have". In wishes and in conditional sentences, it is translated by English Past Subjunctive ("Vellem dicerem": "I wish I said"); in subordinate clauses, however, it is translated by English Present Subjunctive ("Imperavit ut dicerem": "He ordered that I say").

This tense is formed from the 2nd dictionary part, by cutting off the infinitive endings -are, -ére, -ere and -ire, and replacing them with the personal endings shown in the table below, respectively to the conjugation group to which the verb belongs to. Practically, the formation of this Subjunctive Imperfect looks like as if the personal endings would be simple attached to the infinitive.

	First conjugation			Second conjugation			Third conjugation						Fourth conjugation
	A-Stem			E-Stem			Consonant Stem			Short I-Stem			Long í-Stem
	amó, -áre, -áví, -átum love			habeó, -ére, -buí, -bitum have			dícó, -ere, díxí, dictum say			capió, -ere, cépí, captum catch			audió, -íre, -íví, -ítum hear
S/1	amárem	-árem	I would love	habérem	-érem	I would have	dícerem	-erem	I would say	caperem	-erem	I would catch	audírem	-írem	I would hear
S/2	amárés	-árés	you would love	habérés	-érés	you would have	dícerés	-erés	you would say	caperés	-erés	you would catch	audírés	-írés	you would hear
S/3	amáret	-áret	he would love	habéret	-éret	he would have	díceret	-eret	he would say	caperet	-eret	he would catch	audíret	-íret	he would hear
P/1	amárémus	-árémus	we would love	habérémus	-érémus	we would have	dícerémus	-erémus	we would say	caperémus	-erémus	we would catch	audírémus	-írémus	we would hear
P/2	amárétis	-árétis	you would love	habérétis	-érétis	you would have	dícerétis	-erétis	you would say	caperétis	-erétis	you would catch	audírétis	-írétis	you would hear
P/3	amárent	-árent	they would love	habérent	-érent	they would have	dícerent	-erent	they would say	caperent	-erent	they would catch	audírent	-írent	they would hear

Subjunctive Perfect

The Subjunctive Perfect rarely appears in independent sentences, it's mostly used in subordinate clauses, where it's translated by English Past Subjunctive (dixerim - "I said"). When it's used independently, it normally translates with the English auxiliary verbs "may have". "Dixerim" can be translated as "I may have said".

This tense is formed from the 3rd dictionary part, by cutting off the Indicative Perfect Tense first person singular ending "-í", and replacing it with the Subjunctive Perfect personal endings shown in the table below.

	First conjugation			Second conjugation			Third conjugation						Fourth conjugation
	A-Stem			E-Stem			Consonant Stem			Short I-Stem			Long í-Stem
	amó, -áre, -áví, -átum love			habeó, -ére, -buí, -bitum have			dícó, -ere, díxí, dictum say			capió, -ere, cépí, captum catch			audió, -íre, -íví, -ítum hear
S/1	amáverim	-erim	I may have loved	habuerim	-erim	I may have had	díxerim	-erim	I may have said	céperim	-erim	I may have caught	audíverim	-erim	I may have heard
S/2	amáverís	-erís	you may have loved	habuerís	-erís	you may have had	díxerís	-erís	you may have said	céperís	-erís	you may have caught	audíverís	-erís	you may have heard
S/3	amáverit	-erit	he may have loved	habuerit	-erit	he may have had	díxerit	-erit	he may have said	céperit	-erit	he may have caught	audíverit	-erit	he may have heard
P/1	amáverímus	-erímus	we may have loved	habuerímus	-erímus	we may have had	díxerímus	-erímus	we may have said	céperímus	-erímus	we may have caught	audíverímus	-erímus	we may have heard
P/2	amáverítis	-erítis	you may have loved	habuerítis	-erítis	you may have had	díxerítis	-erítis	you may have said	céperítis	-erítis	you may have caught	audíverítis	-erítis	you may have heard
P/3	amáverint	-erint	they may have loved	habuerint	-erint	they may have had	díxerint	-erint	they may have said	céperint	-erint	they may have caught	audíverint	-erint	they may have heard

Subjunctive Pluperfect

The Subjunctive Pluperfect can be translated with the English auxiliary verbs "would have" or "should have". "Dixissem" can mean "I would have said", "I should have said". Sometimes it can be translated as "I could have said" or "I might have said". It is translated by English Pluperfect Subjunctive ("I had said") when it is used in subordinated clauses ("Vellem dixissem": "I wish I had said").

This tense is formed from the 3rd dictionary part, by cutting off the Indicative Perfect Tense first person singular ending "-í", and replacing it with the Subjunctive Pluperfect personal endings shown in the table below.

	First conjugation			Second conjugation			Third conjugation						Fourth conjugation
	A-Stem			E-Stem			Consonant Stem			Short I-Stem			Long í-Stem
	amó, -áre, -áví, -átum love			habeó, -ére, -buí, -bitum have			dícó, -ere, díxí, dictum say			capió, -ere, cépí, captum catch			audió, -íre, -íví, -ítum hear
S/1	amávissem	-issem	I would have loved	habuissem	-issem	I would have had	díxissem	-issem	I would have said	cépissem	-issem	I would have caught	audívissem	-issem	I would have heard
S/2	amávissés	-issés	you would have loved	habuissés	-issés	you would have had	díxissés	-issés	you would have said	cépissés	-issés	you would have caught	audívissés	-issés	you would have heard
S/3	amávisset	-isset	he would have loved	habuisset	-isset	he would have had	díxisset	-isset	he would have said	cépisset	-isset	he would have caught	audívisset	-isset	he would have heard
P/1	amávissémus	-issémus	we would have loved	habuissémus	-issémus	we would have had	díxissémus	-issémus	we would have said	cépissémus	-issémus	we would have caught	audívissémus	-issémus	we would have heard
P/2	amávissétis	-issétis	you would have loved	habuissétis	-issétis	you would have had	díxissétis	-issétis	you would have said	cépissétis	-issétis	you would have caught	audívissétis	-issétis	you would have heard
P/3	amávissent	-issent	they would have loved	habuissent	-issent	they would have had	díxissent	-issent	they would have said	cépissent	-issent	they would have caught	audívissent	-issent	they would have heard