past tense Flashcards
How is the past tense formed in Latin?
A past stem is derived from the infinitive and then an appropriate ending is added.
- tenere - to hold
- stem = tenu
- 1st person singular ending = i
- tenui = I hold
How is the past stem formed for 1st conjugation verbs,
e.g. laborare - to work
- remove the ‘are’ ending from the infinitive
- add ‘av’
e.g. laborare … labor … laborav
How is the past stem formed for 2nd conjugation verbs,
e.g. tenere - to hold
- remove the ‘ere’ ending from the infinitive
- add ‘u’
e.g. tenere … ten … tenu
How is the past stem formed for 3rd conjugation verbs,
e.g. dicere - to say
There is no set rule for creating the past stem of third conjugation verbs.
dicere - dix
facere- fec
ducere - dux
How is the past stem formed for 4th conjugation verbs,
e.g. audire - to hear
- remove the ‘ire’ ending from the infinitive
- add ‘iv’
e.g. audire… aud … audiv
What is the past tense ending for 1st person singular (I)?
-I
What is the past tense ending for 2nd person singular (you)?
-ISTI
What is the past tense ending for 3rd person singular (he, she, it)?
-IT
What is the past tense ending for 1st person plural (we)?
-IMUS
What is the past tense ending for 2nd person plural (you)?
-ISTIS
What is the past tense ending for 3rd person plural (they)?
-ERUNT
Conjugate the verb tenere - to hold, in the past tense
(1st, 2nd, 3rd person, singular and plural)
- tenui (I held)
- tenuisti (you held)
- tenuit (he/she/it held)
- tenuimus (we held)
- tenuistis (you held)
- tenuerunt (they held)
Conjugate the irregular verb esse - to be, in the past tense
(1st, 2nd, 3rd person, singular and plural)
- fui (I was)
- fuisti (you were)
- fuit (he/she/it were)
- fuimus (we were)
- fuistis (you were)
- fuerunt (they were)
