Learn Latin - Lesson 2

 

The Present Simple in Latin is called Praesens Activum. In the Praesens Activum, there are five kinds of regular verbs. The difference between them concerns the conjugation. Each verb has a stem and six endings. Four conjugations have a basic vowel.

In order to study and remember the different conjugations of the Praesens Activum well, it is important to take a close look to the differences between the five conjugations.

FIRST CONJUGATION

The basic vowel in the first conjugation is a, the endings are -o, -s, -t, -mus, -tis and -nt (-re for the infinitive). In the first person singular, the a disappears following the presence of the ending o. The example verb is amare (=to love), the stem of that verb is am.

Verbum amare - verb to love (stem = am)
amo (amao) - I love
amas - you (s.) love
amat - he/she/it loves
amamus - we love
amatis - you (pl.) love
amant - they love

Some other verbs of the first conjugation:
dare - do (dao) - to give
equitare - equito (equitao) - to drive a horse
festinare - festino (festinao) - to hurry
interrogare - interrogo (interrogao) - to question
ministrare - ministro (ministrao) - to serve
nuntiare - nuntio (nuntiao) - to tell, to report
portare - porto (portao) - to bear
pugnare - pugno (pugnao) - to fight