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 - 2003.   This material is made freely available for non-commercial educational use.

  

  

  

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