01.11 First Conjugation
Salve, Aedificator!
In this lesson, we will lay another layer of bedrock for the
foundation of our Via Latina.
Construction Goals:
 learn Tool Box Terms for verbs
 understand verb principal parts
 learn first conjugation endings
 identify the present stem
 conjugate first conjugation verbs in the present
tense
Wow! we have a lot to do, better get started!
Grammaticus
Phrase: rara avis - a rare bird,
or one
of a kind
Tool Box Terms for Verbs
Tense
There are 6 tenses in Latin verbs.
The tense tells the time of the verb.
Number
There are 2 numbers in Latin verbs: singular and plural.
Person
There are 3 persons in Latin verbs:
1st = I, we
2nd = you singular, you plural (y'all)
3rd = he, she, it, they
Conjugation
Latin divides all the regular verbs into four groups
called conjugations.
To conjugate a verb means to give all the persons, singular and
plural, for all six tenses.
Vocabulary Entry for a Verb
In your vocabulary list, you will find that verbs have four principal parts listed. It is
important that you become familiar with all the principal parts of a verb. You will not
be using all the principal parts immediately, but before the end of Latin I, you will be
working with all four principal parts.
So, let's look at a verb entry from your word list.
Principal Part
Example
Explanation
amo = I love
The first principal part is
the present tense first person
singular, which is translated "I
+ verb meaning". The first
principal parts of most verbs
ends in -o.
2nd
amare = to love
The second principal part is
the present infinitive, which is
translated "to + verb
meaning". The infinitive of
most verbs ends in the letters re
3rd
amavi = I have loved
4th
amatus = having been loved
1st
We will learn these later in the
course, but be sure to learn all
four principal parts when
learning the word.
Present Stem:
To form the first three tenses of first conjugation verbs, you must be able to find the
present stem of the verb.
Golden rule:
The present stem is the second principal part of the verb minus the -re.
Examples:
Infinitive (2nd Principal
Part)
Present
Stem
amo, amare, amavi, amatus - love
amare
ama-
porto, portare, portavi, portatus - carry
portare
porta-
specto, spectare, spectavi, spectatus watch
spectare
specta-
Verb Endings (Sing them to the tune of the Mickey Mouse song: -o,-s,-t,-mus, -tis,-nt.)
Singular
Person
Plural
Latin
English
Person
Latin
English
1st
-o, -m
I
1st
-mus
we
2nd
-s
you (s.)
2nd
-tis
you (pl.), y'all
3rd
-t
he, she, it
3rd
-nt
they
Golden rule:
To form the present tense of the first conjugation, add the personal endings to the
present stem.
Present Tense
The present shows action that is happening now.
To translate use (1) the simple form of the verb, (2) is ----ing, or (3) do or does --------.
Notice that the subject pronoun is on the end of the verb, a sentence in one word!
Laboramus = we work.
Present Tense: porto, portare, portavi, portatus - carry
Singular
Person
1st
2nd
3rd
Latin
Plural
English
Person
Latin
English
porto
I carry,
I am carrying,
I do carry
1st
portamus
we carry,
we are carrying,
we do carry
portas
you carry,
you are
carrying,
you do carry
2nd
portatis
you (pl) carry,
you are carrying,
you do carry
portat
he, she, it
carries, is
carrying, does
carry
3rd
portant
they carry,
they are carrying,
they do carry
Let's Practice! Self Check