Form the Imperfect-Tense:
Conjugations 1 and 2

(Cf. Wheelock 5)

  

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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.

  

Result:

  

  

amâbam, amâbâs, amâbat, amâbâmus, amâbâtis, amâbant

  

monêbam, monêbâs, monêbat, monêbâmus, monêbâtis, monêbant


 
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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

  

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You will be able to derive:

  

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


  
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The clue for the imperfect tense of the first and second conjugations is:


-BA- /-BÂ-

immediately preceding the personal ending.



  

  

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Latin Teaching Materials at Saint Louis University: © Claude Pavur 1997 - 2006.  This material is being made freely available for non-commercial educational use.

  

  

  

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