Third conjugation verbs are a crucial part of Latin grammar. They have unique patterns in conjugation and formation, characterized by a short -e- in the second principal part. Mastering these verbs is key to understanding complex Latin texts.
Third conjugation verbs have distinct present, perfect, and supine stems. The present stem forms present system tenses, while the perfect stem constructs perfect system tenses. The supine stem is used for participles and verbal nouns. Understanding these stems is essential for conjugating verbs correctly.
Overview of third conjugation
Third conjugation represents a significant group of Latin verbs with distinct patterns in conjugation and stem formation
Characterized by the short vowel -e- in the second principal part, distinguishing it from other conjugation groups
Mastery of third conjugation verbs enhances overall Latin proficiency and comprehension of complex texts
Stem formation
Present stem
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Formed by removing the -ere ending from the second principal part
Often undergoes consonant changes or vowel alterations in conjugation
Serves as the base for present system tenses and some non-finite forms
Perfect stem
Derived from the third principal part by removing the final -i
Exhibits various formation patterns including reduplication, vowel lengthening, and suffixation
Used to construct perfect system tenses and related forms
Supine stem
Obtained by removing the -um ending from the fourth principal part
Forms the basis for perfect passive participles and future active participles
Plays a crucial role in the formation of certain verbal nouns and adjectives
Principal parts
Identifying third conjugation verbs
Second principal part ends in -ere with a short -e- (ducere, regere, mittere)
First person singular present indicative often ends in or -io
Third principal part typically ends in -i, with various stem changes possible
Fourth principal part usually ends in -um or -sum
Memorizing principal parts
Group verbs with similar patterns to aid memorization (, cepi, captum)
Create mnemonic devices or visual associations for irregular forms
Practice reciting principal parts in order to reinforce memory
Utilize flashcards or digital tools for spaced repetition learning
Present system
Present tense forms
Utilize the present stem with personal endings (-o, , , -imus, -itis, -unt)
Incorporate a connecting vowel -i- before endings in some persons and numbers
Active and forms follow distinct patterns
Irregular verbs may deviate from standard conjugation (fero, ferre, tuli, latum)
Imperfect tense forms
Formed by adding -ba- to the present stem, followed by personal endings
Denotes ongoing or habitual actions in the past
Uses the same endings for both active and passive voices
Translate with "was/were" + verb-ing or "used to" + verb in English
Future tense forms
Constructed by adding -a- (1st and 2nd conjugation) or -e- (3rd and 4th) to the present stem
Personal endings vary slightly from (-m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt)
Expresses actions that will occur in the future
Passive voice forms use the same stem with passive personal endings
Perfect system
Perfect tense forms
Utilize the perfect stem with specific perfect endings (-i, -isti, -it, -imus, -istis, -erunt)
Denote completed actions in the past
Often translate to simple past tense in English (scripsit = "he wrote")
Passive voice forms use the perfect passive with forms of "sum"
Pluperfect tense forms
Formed by adding -era- to the perfect stem, followed by personal endings
Expresses actions completed before another past action
Translates to "had" + past participle in English (scripseramus = "we had written")
Passive voice uses the perfect passive participle with imperfect forms of "sum"
Future perfect tense forms
Constructed by adding -eri- to the perfect stem, with slight variations in endings
Indicates actions that will be completed in the future before another action
Translates to "will have" + past participle in English (scripserit = "he will have written")
Passive voice employs the perfect passive participle with future forms of "sum"
Imperative mood
Present imperative
Second person singular formed by removing -re from the (duc, rege)
Second person plural adds -te to the present stem (ducite, regite)
Negative commands use "noli" or "nolite" with the infinitive
follow active endings but retain passive meaning
Future imperative
Used for commands to be carried out in the future or continued over time
Second and third person forms exist in both singular and plural
Formed by adding specific endings to the present stem (-to, -tote, -nto)
Less common than present imperative but important in legal or formal contexts
Subjunctive mood
Present subjunctive
Formed by changing the thematic vowel of the present stem to -a- (except first conjugation)
Uses regular personal endings (-m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt)
Expresses wishes, possibilities, or actions in subordinate clauses
Often translated with "may" or "let" in independent uses
Imperfect subjunctive
Constructed by adding -re- to the present infinitive, followed by personal endings
Used in contrary-to-fact conditions in the present
Appears in subordinate clauses in sequence of tenses
Can express wishes impossible to fulfill in the present
Perfect subjunctive
Utilizes the perfect stem with specific endings (-erim, -eris, -erit, -erimus, -eritis, -erint)
Denotes completed action in subordinate clauses
Used in result clauses and indirect questions
Passive forms use the perfect passive participle with present subjunctive of "sum"
Pluperfect subjunctive
Formed by adding -isse- to the perfect stem, followed by personal endings
Expresses completed action prior to a past reference point in subordinate clauses
Used in contrary-to-fact conditions in the past
Passive forms employ the perfect passive participle with imperfect subjunctive of "sum"
Infinitives
Present active infinitive
Formed by adding -ere to the present stem (ducere, regere)
Used as the verbal noun and in indirect statements
Often serves as the dictionary form of the verb
Can function as the subject or object of a sentence
Present passive infinitive
Constructed by adding -i to the present stem (duci, regi)
Expresses the action of being acted upon in the present
Used in passive periphrastic constructions
Appears in indirect statements with accusative subject
Perfect infinitive
Active form uses the perfect stem with -isse (duxisse, rexisse)
Passive form employs the perfect passive participle with "esse"
Denotes completed action in indirect statements
Used with certain verbs like "memini" to express present meaning
Participles
Present active participle
Formed by adding -ns (nominative) or -ntis (genitive) to the present stem
Declines like a third declension adjective
Expresses action occurring simultaneously with the main verb
Often translated as "-ing" in English (ducens = "leading")
Future active participle
Constructed by adding -urus, -a, -um to the supine stem
Declines like a first and second declension adjective
Indicates action that is about to happen or intended
Used in the active periphrastic construction to express intention
Perfect passive participle
Formed from the supine stem with -us, -a, -um endings
Declines like a first and second declension adjective
Denotes completed action or resulting state
Used to form passive perfect system tenses and the passive voice
Third conjugation -io verbs
Characteristics of -io verbs
Present stem ends in -i- before a consonant (capio, capere, cepi, captum)
Follow third conjugation patterns in most forms
Present tense forms resemble fourth conjugation in some persons
Include both transitive and intransitive verbs
Differences from regular third conjugation
Present indicative third person plural ends in -iunt instead of -unt
Present subjunctive forms retain the -i- throughout (capiam, capias, etc.)
Imperative singular lacks the final -e (cape instead of *capie)
Present passive infinitive ends in -i like regular third conjugation, not -iri
Common third conjugation verbs
High-frequency verbs
, agere, egi, actum (to do, drive)
, dicere, dixi, dictum (to say)
mitto, mittere, misi, missum (to send)
pono, ponere, posui, positum (to place)
Recognizing these verbs improves reading fluency and comprehension
Irregular verbs
fero, ferre, tuli, latum (to bear, carry)
eo, ire, ivi/ii, itum (to go)
fio, fieri, factus sum (to become, be made)
volo, velle, volui (to wish, want)
These verbs require special attention due to their unique conjugation patterns
Third conjugation vs other conjugations
Similarities and differences
Shares perfect system formations with other conjugations
Present system forms distinct due to the short -e- in infinitive
Participle formation follows similar patterns across conjugations
Subjunctive mood formation aligns closely with fourth conjugation
Recognition strategies
Identify the -ere ending in the infinitive with a short -e-
Look for consonant stems in the present tense
Note the variety of perfect stem formations
Be aware of -io verbs that blend third and fourth conjugation features
Translation considerations
Tense and aspect
Consider the context to determine appropriate English tense
Perfect tense can translate as simple past or present perfect depending on context
often requires progressive or habitual past in English
Future tenses may need auxiliary verbs like "will" or "shall" in translation
Voice and mood
Distinguish between active and passive voice for accurate translation
Subjunctive mood may require additional words to convey uncertainty or possibility
Imperative mood translations should reflect the command or exhortation
Participles often translate as relative clauses or temporal phrases in English