Meet Latin's four verb conjugations, form the present tense, learn personal endings, master the irregular verb sum (to be), and understand principal parts — the key to every verb form.
Estimated Time: 45–55 minutes
Latin verbs are grouped into four conjugations based on the vowel before the infinitive ending -re:
| Conjugation | Theme Vowel | Infinitive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | -ā- | amāre | to love |
| 2nd | -ē- | vidēre | to see |
| 3rd | -e- (short) | dūcere | to lead |
| 3rd -iō | -e-/-i- | capere | to take/seize |
| 4th | -ī- | audīre | to hear |
Every Latin verb ending tells you the person and number — no separate pronouns needed:
| Person | Singular | Meaning | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | -ō / -m | I | -mus | we |
| 2nd | -s | you | -tis | you (pl.) |
| 3rd | -t | he/she/it | -nt | they |
| Person | 1st: amō | 2nd: videō | 3rd: dūcō | 4th: audiō |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | amō | videō | dūcō | audiō |
| you | amās | vidēs | dūcis | audīs |
| he/she/it | amat | videt | dūcit | audit |
| we | amāmus | vidēmus | dūcimus | audīmus |
| you (pl.) | amātis | vidētis | dūcitis | audītis |
| they | amant | vident | dūcunt | audiunt |
Sum is the most important and most irregular verb in Latin:
| Person | Latin | English |
|---|---|---|
| I am | sum | I am |
| you are | es | you are |
| he/she/it is | est | he/she/it is |
| we are | sumus | we are |
| you (pl.) are | estis | you are |
| they are | sunt | they are |
Every Latin verb has four principal parts that you must memorize — they are the building blocks for every tense:
| # | Form | Used For | Example (amō) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1st person sg. present | Present system | amō |
| 2nd | Present infinitive | Identifies conjugation | amāre |
| 3rd | 1st person sg. perfect | Perfect system | amāvī |
| 4th | Perfect passive participle | Passive & compound tenses | amātum |
Dictionaries list: amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum — love. videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum — see. dūcō, dūcere, dūxī, ductum — lead. audiō, audīre, audīvī, audītum — hear. The third principal part is especially unpredictable and must be memorized for each verb.
1. What conjugation does "audīre" belong to?
2. What does "amāmus" mean?
3. Which form of "sum" means "they are"?
✦ Four conjugations identified by infinitive vowel: -āre, -ēre, -ere (short), -īre.
✦ Personal endings: -ō/-m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt — no pronouns needed.
✦ Sum (to be): sum, es, est, sumus, estis, sunt — completely irregular, totally essential.
✦ Four principal parts (amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum) are the DNA of every verb. Memorize them.