A verb in the imperfect tense represents a repeated, frequentitive or continuous act in the past, e.g. he used to shout, he was shouting, he would shout. Note that whereas English has three ways of expressing the imperfect tense, there is only one form in Latin, i.e. clamabat.

The imperfect tense in Latin is formed by taking the present stem (infinitive minus -re) and adding the following person endings:

The imperfect tense in Latin is easily recognized by the -ba- before the person ending. As soon as you see this -ba-, translate as was, or used to, or would.

The First Conjugation.

The first conjugation is where all the a-stem verbs are grouped together. The common vowel -a- can be seen running right through the imperfect tense before the -ba- and person ending. Only first conjugation verbs like amo, amare have this a-vowel running through the imperfect indicative active.

Other verbs conjugated like amo are:

rogo, rogare, rogavi, rogatum	to ask
ambulo, ambulare, ambulavi, ambulatum	to walk
clamo, clamare, clamavi, clamatum	to shout
navigo, navigare, navigavi, navigatum	to sail

Practising the First Conjugation Imperfect Active Indicative.

Practise forming a first conjugation verb in the imperfect active indicative by studying the table in the previous section, and then applying the rules to the first conjugation verb directly above. Type in the verb forms, and then press << Check Answers >> to see whether you are correct. You can move between the text boxes by using the << Tab >> key.

Be tested on different first conjugation verbs by clicking on the pictures below. You can be tested on either Latin to English, or English to Latin.

Latin to English			English to Latin

The Second Conjugation.

The second conjugation is where all the long-e-stem verbs are grouped together. The common vowel -e- (long) can be seen running right through the imperfect tense before the person ending. Only second conjugation verbs like moneo, monere have this long-e vowel running through the imperfect indicative active.

Other verbs conjugated like moneo are:

video, videre, vidi, visum	to see
habeo, habere, habui, habitum	to have
timeo, timere, timui	to fear
maneo, manere, mansi, mansum	to remain

Practising the Second Conjugation Imperfect Active Indicative.

Practise forming a second conjugation verb in the imperfect active indicative by studying the table in the previous section, and then applying the rules to the second conjugation verb directly above. Type in the verb forms, and then press << Check Answers >> to see whether you are correct. You can move between the text boxes by using the << Tab >> key.

Be tested on different second conjugation verbs by clicking on the pictures below. You can be tested on either Latin to English, or English to Latin.

Latin to English			English to Latin

The Third Conjugation.

The third conjugation is where all the short-e-stem verbs are grouped together. The common vowel changes from the -i- of the present tense to an -e-, which runs through the imperfect tense before the -ba- and person ending. This means that although third conjugation verbs are somewhat irregularly formed in the present, in the imperfect they follow the rule of present stem + ba + person ending without exception. All third conjugation verbs follow this pattern.

Other verbs conjugated like rego are:

mitto, mittere, misi, missum	to send
dico, dicere, dixi, dictum	to say
duco, ducere, duxi, ductum	to lead
scribo, scribere, scripsi, scriptum	to write

Practising the Third Conjugation Imperfect Active Indicative.

Practise forming a third conjugation verb in the imperfect active indicative by studying the table in the previous section, and then applying the rules to the third conjugation verb directly above. Type in the verb forms, and then press << Check Answers >> to see whether you are correct. You can move between the text boxes by using the << Tab >> key.

Be tested on different third conjugation verbs by clicking on the pictures below. You can be tested on either Latin to English, or English to Latin.

Latin to English			English to Latin

The Third-io Conjugation.

The third-io conjugation is a small sub-branch of the third conjugation. These verbs belong to the third conjugation, for their infinitive ends in -ere (short), but in the imperfect system they look exactly like a fourth conjugation verb in every respect. Like fourths, they take -ie- before the -ba- and person ending, and this can be seen running right through the imperfect tense. In this sense, third-io verbs break the normal rule for forming the imperfect tense. All third-io conjugation verbs follow this pattern.

Other verbs conjugated like capio are:

facio, facere, feci, factum	to do, make
cupio, cupere, cupivi, cupitum	to desire
accipio, accipere, accepi, acceptum	to receive, accept
interficio, interficere, interfeci, interfectum	to kill

Practising the Third-io Conjugation Imperfect Active Indicative.

Practise forming a third-io conjugation verb in the imperfect active indicative by studying the table in the previous section, and then applying the rules to the third-io conjugation verb directly above. Type in the verb forms, and then press << Check Answers >> to see whether you are correct. You can move between the text boxes by using the << Tab >> key.

Be tested on different third-io conjugation verbs by clicking on the pictures below. You can be tested on either Latin to English, or English to Latin.

Latin to English			English to Latin

The Fourth Conjugation.

The fourth conjugation is where all the i-stem verbs are grouped together. Like third-io verbs in the imperfect, the common vowels -ie- can be seen running right through the imperfect tense before -ba- and the person ending. In this sense, fourth verbs break the normal rule for forming the imperfect tense. All fourth conjugation verbs follow this pattern.

Other verbs conjugated like audio are:

custodio, custodire, custodivi, custoditum	to guard
finio, finire, finivi, finitum	to finish
venio, venire, veni, ventum	to come
punio, punire, punivi, punitum	to punish

Practising the Fourth Conjugation Imperfect Active Indicative.

Practise forming a fourth conjugation verb in the imperfect active indicative by studying the table in the previous section, and then applying the rules to the fourth conjugation verb directly above. Type in the verb forms, and then press << Check Answers >> to see whether you are correct. You can move between the text boxes by using the << Tab >> key.

Be tested on different fourth conjugation verbs by clicking on the pictures below. You can be tested on either Latin to English, or English to Latin.

Latin to English			English to Latin

Summary of the Imperfect Active Indicative.

Formation: present stem (infinitive - re) + ba + person ending (but third-io and fourth conjugation verbs have 'ie' before the -ba-).
Meanings: I used to love, I was loving, I would love.
Forms to note: capiebam, audiebam

Go to Part II			Return to Main Index			Go to Part IV

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