The 1st Conjugation Verbs in Latin

There are four conjugations of Latin verbs that you need to learn to read or translate Latin. In addition to the verbs of the 4 regular conjugations, there are also several irregular verbs.

The Latin 1st conjugation verbs, like the Latin 1st declension nouns, are marked by an "a" as in amare. Noting this "a" (a thematic vowel) should help you to distinguish verbs of the first conjugation from those of the second, third, or fourth conjugations.

Amare: To Love

The infinitive (which we translate as "to ...") ending for the first conjugation is "-are." Note that there is no separate word "to". The infinitive includes the sense of "to" within it. One of the difficulties of Latin is learning that there is often not a neat, one-to-one correspondence between words in English and Latin. The infinitive of the 1st conjugation verb. e.g., amare, translates into English as "to love".

The 4 principal parts of a 1st conjugation verb have the following endings: -o, -are, -avi, -atus. A typical verb is laudo 'praise', so its principal parts are:

• laudo
• laudare
• laudavi
• laudatus.

Infinitives

Read More

What Are the Principal Parts of Latin Verbs?

By N.S. Gill

Active

• Present - portare to carry, to be carrying
• Perfect - portavisse to have carried
• Future - portaturus esse to be about to carry, to be going to be carrying

Passive

• Present - portari to be carried
• Perfect - portatus esse to have been carried
• Future - portatum iri to be about to be carried, to be going to be carried, to be carried

Participles

Active

• Present - portans carrying
• Future - portaturus about to carry

Passive

• Perfect - portatus loved, having been carried
• Future - portandus to be carried

Imperative

Active

• Present - porta, portate (second person) Carry!
• Future - portato, portatote (second person)
  portato, portanto (third person)

Passive

• Present - portare, portamini (second person) Be carried!
• Future - portator (second person singular)
  portator, portantor (third person)