Follow two easy steps to form a typical Latin perfect tense in the active voice:
1. Remove the -î from the third principal part.
2. Add the appropriate ending.
REMEMBER:
1. The sign of the Present Perfect Active is the one of special perfect personal endings:
-î, -istî, -it, -imus, istis, -êrunt.
2. The sign of the Past Perfect Active is -ERA- right before the regular personal ending (-m/-o, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt).
3. The sign of the Future Perfect Active is usually -ERI- right before the regular personal ending (-m/-o, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt). The first person singular ending is -ERÔ.
Step 1: Remove the -î from the end of the third principal part of the verb. |
| Four Principal Parts | Perfect Active Stem | |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Step 2: Attach the appropriate ending. |
-î
|
-imus
|
-eram
|
-erâmus
|
-erô
|
-erimus
|
|
= |
|
|||
|
= |
|
|||
|
|
|
||||
|
= |
|
|||
|
= |
|
|||
|
|
|
||||
|
= |
|
|||
|
|
|
||||
|
= |
|
|||
|
= |
|
|||
|
|
|
||||
|
= |
|
|||
|
|
|
||||
|
= |
|
|||
Only in the present perfect active forms ( = "I have..." ; "you have...," etc.) do we find this special set of personal endings. They are always attached only to the base coming from the third principal part of the verb (for example, amâv- / monu- / dûx- / cêp- / audîv- ).
For the ordinary present perfect tense |
The subject must be: |
-î |
I |
-istî |
you |
-it |
he / she / it |
-imus |
we |
-istis |
you (pl.) |
-êrunt |
they |
Latin Teaching Materials at Saint Louis University: © Claude Pavur 1997 - 2006. This material is being made freely available for non-commercial educational use.
