POR OR T 4
Verbs - Active Voice
CHAPTER I — BASIC INFORMATION.
ABOUT VERBS
WHAT ARE VERBS?
A verb is an essential part of any sentence. Every sentence must have one. The verb tells
you what the subject (a noun, pronoun, or implied subject) is doing. To understand
what a verb is trying to tell you about the subject of a sentence you must consider the
following facts about each Latin verb.
1) Person - the point of view of the subject of the sentence.
Ist person - The subject of the sentence is talking about him or herself.
Fabulam nar. I tell a story.
Fabulam narramus. We tell a story.
2nd person - Someone is talking directly to the subject of the sentence.
Fabulam narras. You (s.) tell a story.
Fabulam narratis. You (pl.) tell a story.
3rd person - Someone is talking about the subject of the sentence,
Fabulam narrat. He tells a story.
Fabulam narrant. They tell a story.
2) Number - refers to whether a verb is singular or plural.
Singular Fabulam narro, tell a story.
Plural Fabulam narramus. We tell a story.
3) Tense- refers to the time the action of the verb takes place: Present, Future, or Past,
Present Tense Fabulam narro.
Future Tense Fabulam narrab.
Past Tense Fabulam narrabam.
Itell a story.
Twill tell a story.
Twas telling a story.
4) Conjugation - refers to the family to which a verb belongs. The verb conjugation
determines what vowels are used to link the stem of the verb to the personal
ending of the verb. The same vowel can mean a different tense depending on
to which conjugation the verb belongs.
Present Villam videt 2nd conjugation) _-He sees a house.
Future Villam petet (3rd conjugation) He will find the house.
Chapter 1—Basic Information About Verbs 975) Voice - refers to whether the subject is doing the action (active voice) or whether the
subject is being acted upon (passive voice). In Part IV we will review only verbs
that are in the active voice.
Active Voice Puer niintium salvat. The boy greets the messenger.
Passive Voice Puer 4 ndintio salvatur. The boy és greeted by the
messenger.
6) Mood - refers to how the verb is being used in a sentence. In Part {V we will review
three possible moods of verbs. The indicative mood is used for verbs that are
stating or asking a fact. The imperative mood is used for verbs that are giving a
command. The infinitive mood is ased when a verb is acting as a verbal noun.
Indicative Servus vestimenta custodit. The slave guards the clothes.
Indicative Servusne vestimenta custddit? Is the slave guarding the
clothes?
Imperative Serve, vestimenta custddi! Slave, guard the clothes.
Infinitive Vestimenta custidire est To guard clothes is
labor servi. the task of a slave.
IDENTIFYING VERB CONJUGATIONS
When you look up verbs in a Latin dictionary you will most often find four forms listed
for the verbs. These four forms are called the principal parts of a verb because all other
forms of the verb will be created from one of these four forms.
spect, spectire, spectavi, spectatus, fo see
facid, facere, féci, factus, to make
For now, we will just review the first two principal parts of the ver. These first two
principal parts of any Latin verb help you fo identify to which verb conjugation a very
elongs. There are four regular verb conjugations in Latin. All second principal parts of
regular verbs end in -re. It is the vowel before the -re that determines the verb
conjugation.
The 2nd and 3rd conjugation endings on the second principal part of verbs are identical
except for the quantity or length’ of the vowel preceding the final -re. For 2nd
conjugation the vowel is always. long e, for 3rd conjugation always a short e.
3rd conjugation verbs come in two varieties — 3rd and 3rd io, Look at the first principal
part of a 3rd conjugation verb to see which variety it is.
spectd, spectare 1st conjugation
doced, docére 2nd conjugation
peto, petere 3rd conjugation
capid, capere 3nd io conjugation
audio, audire 4th conjugation
SB Part 4—Verbs -Active VoicePRACTICE ONE
Circle the vowel + re in the infinitive that identifies each verb conjugation. Then write
the verb conjugation I, Il IU Io, or 1V i the blank for each of the following verbs.
___1. audio audire __5. ascendo ascendere __9. pugnd pugnare
2. maned manére_6. conspicid conspicere ___10. ndintio niintiare
3, salid salire 7. clams clamare ___11. punis punire
4. tenedtentre —_8. ico divere 12. capid capere
PRACTICE TWO.
Using the Latin to English dictionary at the back ofthis book, write out the correct
infinitive form for each of the following verbs. Then identify the conjugation of each verb.
The first one is done for you.
Ast_Lnamonarr | narrare__ 6 regoreg
2. moned mon 7. incipis incip,
3. facid fac a 8. vento ven
4. ofd o _ 9. curré curr
5. munid mun 10. times tim
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
‘The subject and main verb in a sentence must agree in person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) and in
number (singular or plural). In English the subject of the sentence is expressed with a
noun or pronoun.
Antonia sings. Antonia cantat.
She sings. Cantat,
Antonia and Claudia sing Antonia et Claudia cantant.
They sing. Cantant.
Jn Latin, the personal ending on the verb, in this example +t or -nt, indicates the person
and number of the subject of the sentence. The subject of a verb is regularly expressed
by a noun, but Latin can also use personal pronouns to express the subject. The
following chart will help you remember the verb endings and the corresponding,
personal pronouns.
Chapter I—Basic Information About Verbs 99