70
First Conjugation Verbs in Present Tense
Indicative Mode
Below is a verb conjugation chart showing the form that verbs take when they are linked with pronoun or
noun subjects. The grammatical linking or conjoining of verbs to pronouns and nouns is called conjugation (con- 'with,' + jug- 'yoke').
Instructions: Study the conjugation patterns below, then do the tasks, then take the test.
'I call'
'you (sg) call'
's/he calls'
(ego) voc-o
(tu) voc -a-s
(is) voc -a-t
'we call'
'you (pl) call'
'they call'
(nos) voc-a-mus
(vos) voc-a-tis
(illi) voc-a-nt
In English there is a difference in meaning between he sings and he is singing. In Latin there is only
one form for this: cantat. Depending on context, cantat can translate 'he sings' or 'he is singing.' The
question cantat? can be translated 'he sings?,' 'does he sing? ' or 'is he singing?' Which translation is appropriate depends on context. Cur lacrimo? can be translated 'Why am I crying?' or 'Why do I cry?'
FILL
IN THE BLANKS
'I fly'
'you (sg) fly'
's/he flies'
vol-o
_____-a-s
_____-a-t
'we fly'
'you (pl) fly'
'they fly'
______-a-mus
_______-a-tis
vol-______
'I devour'
'you (sg) devour'
's/he devours'
vor-__
vor-___
vor-___
'we devour'
'you (pl) devour'
'they devour'
vor-_______
vor-_______
vor-_______
'I wail'
'you (sg) wail'
's/he wails'
plor-__
_______-a-s
_______-a-t
'we wail'
'you wail'
'they wail'
______-a-mus
plor-_______
______-a-nt
'I shout'
'you (sg) shout'
's/he shouts'
clam-__
____-a-s
clam-___
'we shout'
'you (pl) shout'
'they shout'
_____-a-mus
clam-_______
______-a-nt
'I think'
'you (sg) think'
's/he thinks'
cogit-__
____-a-s
cogit-___
'we think'
'you (pl) think'
'they think'
_____-a-mus
cogit-_______
______-a-nt
'I'm crying'
'you're crying'
's/he is crying'
lacrim-___
lacrim-___
lacrim-___
'we are crying'
'you are crying'
'they are crying'
lacrim-_______
lacrim-_______
lacrim-_______
'I'm working'
'you're working'
's/he is working'
_____-o
_____-a-s
_____-a-t
'we're working'
'you're working'
'they're working'
labor-________
labor-________
labor-________
QUIZ
205
ANSWER KEY
lacrim-o, lacrim-as, lacrim-at, lacrim-amus, lacrim-atis, lacrim-ant
labor-o, labor-as, labor-at, labor-amus, labor-atis, labor-ant
A Latin verb such as laboramus 'we work' is made up of a root (labor-) plus a vowel that forms a stem
(labora-) plus a person marker, which in this case is -mus 'we.'
labor - a - mus
root
stem forming vowel
person marker (1st p. pl.)
QUIZ
Part I
Instructions: Identify the root, the stem, and the person marker of the following verbs, as shown in the
first example.
VORANT 'they devour': vor- (root), vora- (stem), vor-a-nt (stem plus 3rd person plural marker)
1. AMAS 'you love' _______ (root), ________(stem), __________ (stem + 2nd p. sg. marker)
2. VOLAT 'it flies' _______ (root), ________(stem), __________ (stem + 3rd p. sg. marker)
3. PLORATIS 'you wail' _______ (root), ________(stem), __________ (stem + 2nd p. pl. marker)
ANSWER KEY
1. am- (root), ama- (stem), ama-s (stem + person marker)
2. vol- (root), vola- (stem), vola-t (stem + person marker)
3. plor- (root), plora- (stem), plora-tis (stem + person marker)
Part II
Instructions: Compare the Latin and the English, then cover the English and translate from the Latin.
Then cover the Latin and translate from the English.
Why are you crying?
I'm crying because you are crying.
Are they (over there) crying?
Only Brutus is crying.
Why are you shouting?
I'm shouting because you are shouting.
Are they (over there) shouting?
Only Brutus is shouting.
I love you . Do you love me? Of course you do.
Where do you (sg) work?
I work in a library. And you (pl), where do you work?
We work in an office.
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Cur lacrimas?
Ego lacrimo, quia tu lacrimas.
Illi lacrimant?
Solum Brutus lacrimat.
Cur clamas?
Ego clamo, quia tu clamas.
Illi clamant?
Solum Brutus clamat.
Te amo. Amas me tu? Certe me amas.
Ubi laboras?
Laboro in bibliothecä. Et vos, ubi laboratis?
Laboramus in officinä.
PREPARATION
FOR
CREATING STORIES
Instructions:
1. Study the vocabulary.
2. Read the Latin story.
3. Cover the English and read the Latin story again.
4. Cover the Latin and see how well you can translate the English.
5. Using what you've learned, create at least one narrative, dialog or story at least six sentences in
length.
Vocabulary List
bibliotheca 'library,' librarius 'librarian,' quia 'because,' interdum 'sometimes,' ut as, bene 'well,' peccatum 'moral
wrong, sin,' objurgare 'to scold,' licet 'it's allowed/licensed,' autem 'but/however,' tamen 'still, nevertheless,'
etiam amplius 'even more.'
Plorius librarius est.
In bibliothecä laborat. In scholä.
Sed Plorius non amat laborare in bibliothecä.
Cur non amat laborare in bibliothecä?
Quia interdum pueri in bibliothecä non sunt quieti.
Interdum hi magnä voce clamant.
Ut bene scitis, clamare in bibliothecä peccatum est.
Susurrare in bibliothecä non est peccatum, sed
magna voce clamare...
Cum pueri clamant in bibliothecä, Plorius
severe eos objurgat: SHH! Non licet
clamare in bibliothecä!
Sed pueri tamen clamant. Magnä voce clamant.
Deinde Plorius plorat: WAA, WAA.
Cum autem Plorius magnä voce plorat,
pueri etiam amplius clamant.
Nunc scitis cur Plorius non amat in
bibliothecä laborare.
Plorius is a librarian.
He works in a library. In a school.
But Plorius doesn't like to work in the library.
Why doesn't he like to work in the library?
Because sometimes boys in the library aren't quiet.
Sometimes they shout in a loud voice.
As you well know, it is a sin to shout in the library.
To whisper in the library is not a sin, but
to shout in a loud voice...
When boys shout in the library, Plorius
severely scolds them: SHH! It's not allowed
to shout in the library!
But still the boys shout. They shout very loud.
Then Plorius wails: WAA, WAA.
But when Plorius wails in a loud voice,
the boys shout even more.
Now you know why Plorius doesn't like to
work in the library.
207