(Cf. Wheelock 5)
Form the imperfect indicative active for first and second conjugations in just two steps.
STEP 1: Get the present stem of the verb by removing the final -RE of the infinitive (the second principal part).
Principal Parts: |
PRESENT STEM: | |
I |
amô, amâre, amâvî, amâtum |
amâ- |
II |
moneô, monêre, monuî, monitum |
monê- |
STEP 2: Add -bam, -bâs, -bat, -bâmus, -bâtis, -bant.
|
amâbam, amâbâs, amâbat, amâbâmus, amâbâtis, amâbant |
|
|
monêbam, monêbâs, monêbat, monêbâmus, monêbâtis, monêbant |
The six personal endings retain their meanings:
|
amâbam = I used to love |
amâbâmus = we used to love |
amâbâs = you used to love |
amâbâtis = you (pl) used to love |
amâbat = he / she / it used to love |
amâbant = they used to love |
You will be able to derive the following imperfect forms:
vocâbam, vocâbâs, vocâbat, vocâbâmus, vocâbâtis, vocâbant
conservâbam, conservâbâs, conservâbat, conservâbâmus, conservâbâtis, conservâbant
laudâbam, laudâbâs, laudâbat, laudâbâmus, laudâbâtis, laudâbant
errâbam, errâbâs, errâbat, errâbâmus, errâbâtis, errâbant
dabam, dabâs, dabat, dabâmus, dabâtis, dabant
côgitâbam, côgitâbâs, côgitâbat, côgitâbâmus, côgitâbâtis, côgitâbant
terrêbam, terrêbâs, terrêbat, terrêbâmus, terrêbâtis, terrêbant
valêbam, valêbâs, valêbat, valêbâmus, valêbâtis, valêbant
vidêbam, vidêbâs, vidêbat, vidêbâmus, vidêbâtis, vidêbant
habêbam, habêbâs, habêbat, habêbâmus, habêbâtis, habêbant
The clue for the imperfect tense of the first and second conjugations is
-BA- /-BÂ-
immediately preceding the personal ending.
Latin Teaching Materials at Saint Louis University: © Claude Pavur 1997 - 2009. This material is being made freely available for non-commercial educational use.
