Latin Verb Conjugations

All 4 Latin verb conjugations with complete paradigm tables for all 6 tenses (active and passive), 3 moods, and all 8 major irregular verbs.

Latin verbs are classified into 4 conjugations identified by the ending of the present active infinitive. Every Latin verb has 4 principal parts from which all forms are derived.

The 4 Principal Parts

The dictionary entry for a regular verb lists 4 principal parts:

  1. 1st person singular present active indicative: amō — "I love"
  2. Present active infinitive: amāre — "to love" (identifies the conjugation)
  3. 1st person singular perfect active indicative: amāvī — "I loved"
  4. Perfect passive participle (PPP): amātus — "loved" (or future active participle amātūrus for intransitives)

From these 4 parts you can form every one of the 130+ verb forms.

The 4 Conjugations

Conjugation Infinitive Ending Vowel Example Meaning
1st -āre ā amāre to love
2nd -ēre (long ē) ē monēre to warn
3rd -ere (short e) e regere to rule
3rd-io -ere (io-stem) e capere to take
4th -īre ī audīre to hear

Warning: 2nd (monēre) and 3rd (regere) differ only by the length of the e in the infinitive. Always check the dictionary entry carefully.

Present Stem Tenses — Active Voice

Present Active Indicative

Person 1st (amō) 2nd (moneō) 3rd (regō) 3rd-io (capiō) 4th (audiō)
1 sg. amō moneō regō capiō audiō
2 sg. amās monēs regis capis audīs
3 sg. amāt monēt regit capit audīt
1 pl. amāmus monēmus regimus capimus audīmus
2 pl. amātis monētis regitis capitis audītis
3 pl. amānt monēnt regunt capiunt audiunt

Imperfect Active Indicative (sign: -bā-)

Person 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd-io 4th
1 sg. amābam monēbam regēbam capiēbam audiēbam
2 sg. amābās monēbās regēbās capiēbās audiēbās
3 sg. amābat monēbat regēbat capiēbat audiēbat
1 pl. amābāmus monēbāmus regēbāmus capiēbāmus audiēbāmus
2 pl. amābātis monēbātis regēbātis capiēbātis audiēbātis
3 pl. amābant monēbant regēbant capiēbant audiēbant

Future Active Indicative (sign: -bi-/-bō- for 1st/2nd; -a-/-ē- for 3rd/4th)

Person 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd-io 4th
1 sg. amābō monēbō regam capiam audiam
2 sg. amābis monēbis regēs capiēs audiēs
3 sg. amābit monēbit reget capiet audiet
1 pl. amābimus monēbimus regēmus capiēmus audiēmus
2 pl. amābitis monēbitis regētis capiētis audiētis
3 pl. amābunt monēbunt regent capient audient

Present Stem Tenses — Passive Voice

Passive personal endings replace the active ones:

Active Passive Meaning
-ō / -m -or I (am...)
-s -ris (or -re) you (are...)
-t -tur he/she/it (is...)
-mus -mur we (are...)
-tis -minī you pl. (are...)
-nt -ntur they (are...)

Note: The 2nd person singular passive -ris (e.g., amāris) has an alternative form -re (amāre) common in poetry and in the imperfect/future of all conjugations.

Present Passive Indicative

Person 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd-io 4th
1 sg. amor moneor regor capior audior
2 sg. amāris monēris regeris caperis audīris
3 sg. amātur monētur regitur capitur audītur
1 pl. amāmur monēmur regimur capimur audīmur
2 pl. amāminī monēminī regiminī capiminī audīminī
3 pl. amāntur monēntur reguntur capiuntur audiuntur

Imperfect Passive Indicative

Person 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd-io 4th
1 sg. amābar monēbar regēbar capiēbar audiēbar
2 sg. amābāris monēbāris regēbāris capiēbāris audiēbāris
3 sg. amābātur monēbātur regēbātur capiēbātur audiēbātur
1 pl. amābāmur monēbāmur regēbāmur capiēbāmur audiēbāmur
2 pl. amābāminī monēbāminī regēbāminī capiēbāminī audiēbāminī
3 pl. amābantur monēbantur regēbantur capiēbantur audiēbantur

Future Passive Indicative

Person 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd-io 4th
1 sg. amābor monēbor regar capiar audiar
2 sg. amāberis monēberis regēris capiēris audiēris
3 sg. amābitur monēbitur regētur capiētur audiētur
1 pl. amābimur monēbimur regēmur capiēmur audiēmur
2 pl. amābiminī monēbiminī regēminī capiēminī audiēminī
3 pl. amābuntur monēbuntur regentur capientur audientur

Perfect Stem Tenses — Active Voice

Perfect stem = 3rd principal part minus -ī: amāv-, monu-, rēx-, cēp-, audīv-

Perfect Active Indicative (endings: -ī, -istī, -it, -imus, -istis, -ērunt/-ēre)

Person 1st (amāvī) 2nd (monuī) 3rd (rēxī) 4th (audīvī)
1 sg. amāvī monuī rēxī audīvī
2 sg. amāvistī monuistī rēxistī audīvistī
3 sg. amāvit monuit rēxit audīvit
1 pl. amāvimus monuimus rēximus audīvimus
2 pl. amāvistis monuistis rēxistis audīvistis
3 pl. amāvērunt monuērunt rēxērunt audīvērunt

Pluperfect Active (sign: -erā-)

Person Model (amāveram)
1 sg. amāveram
2 sg. amāverās
3 sg. amāverat
1 pl. amāverāmus
2 pl. amāverātis
3 pl. amāverant

Future Perfect Active (sign: -eri-)

Person Model (amāverō)
1 sg. amāverō
2 sg. amāveris
3 sg. amāverit
1 pl. amāverimus
2 pl. amāveritis
3 pl. amāverint

Perfect Passive System

The entire perfect passive system is formed analytically: PPP + forms of esse.

The PPP (4th principal part) is a 1st/2nd declension adjective and agrees with the subject in gender, number, and case.

  • puella amāta est — the girl was/has been loved (fem. sg.)
  • puer amātus est — the boy was/has been loved (masc. sg.)
  • bella gesta sunt — wars were waged (neut. pl.)

Perfect Passive Indicative (PPP + present of esse)

Person Masc. sg. Fem. sg. Neut. sg.
1 sg. amātus sum amāta sum —
2 sg. amātus es amāta es —
3 sg. amātus est amāta est amātum est
1 pl. amātī sumus amātae sumus —
2 pl. amātī estis amātae estis —
3 pl. amātī sunt amātae sunt amāta sunt

Pluperfect Passive Indicative (PPP + imperfect of esse)

Person Model
1 sg. amātus/a eram
2 sg. amātus/a erās
3 sg. amātus/a erat
1 pl. amātī/ae erāmus
2 pl. amātī/ae erātis
3 pl. amātī/ae erant

Future Perfect Passive Indicative (PPP + future of esse)

Person Model
1 sg. amātus/a erō
2 sg. amātus/a eris
3 sg. amātus/a erit
1 pl. amātī/ae erimus
2 pl. amātī/ae eritis
3 pl. amātī/ae erunt

Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive expresses possibility, wish, doubt, purpose, result, and conditions. Latin has four subjunctive tenses: present, imperfect, perfect, pluperfect.

Mnemonic for present subjunctive vowel: "She Eats A Bite, I Eat Anything" — 1st conjugation uses ē; conjugations 2, 3, 4 use ā.

Present Active Subjunctive

Person 1st (amem) 2nd (moneam) 3rd (regam) 3rd-io (capiam) 4th (audiam)
1 sg. amem moneam regam capiam audiam
2 sg. amēs moneās regās capiās audiās
3 sg. amet moneat regat capiat audiat
1 pl. amēmus moneāmus regāmus capiāmus audiāmus
2 pl. amētis moneātis regātis capiātis audiātis
3 pl. ament moneant regant capiant audiant

Imperfect Active Subjunctive (present active infinitive + personal endings)

The imperfect subjunctive is the easiest tense to form: take the present active infinitive and add the standard active personal endings directly.

Person 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd-io 4th
1 sg. amārem monērem regerem caperem audīrem
2 sg. amārēs monērēs regerēs caperēs audīrēs
3 sg. amāret monēret regeret caperet audīret
1 pl. amārēmus monērēmus regerēmus caperēmus audīrēmus
2 pl. amārētis monērētis regerētis caperētis audīrētis
3 pl. amārent monērent regerent caperent audīrent

Perfect Active Subjunctive (perfect stem + -eri- + endings)

Person Model (amāverim)
1 sg. amāverim
2 sg. amāveris
3 sg. amāverit
1 pl. amāverīmus
2 pl. amāverītis
3 pl. amāverint

Note: The perfect active subjunctive looks identical to the future perfect active indicative except in the 1st person singular (amāverim subj. vs. amāverō indic.).

Pluperfect Active Subjunctive (perfect stem + -issē- + endings)

Person Model (amāvissem)
1 sg. amāvissem
2 sg. amāvissēs
3 sg. amāvisset
1 pl. amāvissēmus
2 pl. amāvissētis
3 pl. amāvissent

Passive Subjunctive Forms

Present passive subjunctive: use present subjunctive stem + passive endings.

Person 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
1 sg. amer monear regar audiar
2 sg. amēris moneāris regāris audiāris
3 sg. amētur moneātur regātur audiātur
3 pl. amēntur moneāntur regāntur audiāntur

Imperfect passive subjunctive: present active infinitive + passive endings.

Person 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
1 sg. amārer monērer regerer audīrer
3 sg. amārētur monērētur regerētur audīrētur
3 pl. amārēntur monērēntur regerēntur audīrēntur

Perfect passive subjunctive: PPP + present subjunctive of esse (sim/sis/sit...).

  • amātus sim, amātus sīs, amātus sit, amātī sīmus, amātī sītis, amātī sint

Pluperfect passive subjunctive: PPP + imperfect subjunctive of esse (essem/essēs/esset...).

  • amātus essem, amātus essēs, amātus esset, amātī essēmus, amātī essētis, amātī essent

Subjunctive of esse

Tense 1 sg. 2 sg. 3 sg. 1 pl. 2 pl. 3 pl.
Present sim sīs sit sīmus sītis sint
Imperfect essem essēs esset essēmus essētis essent
Perfect fuerim fuerīs fuerit fuerīmus fuerītis fuerint
Pluperfect fuissem fuissēs fuisset fuissēmus fuissētis fuissent

Imperative Mood

Present Active Imperative

The imperative gives direct commands.

  • 2nd person singular = bare present stem (drop the -re from infinitive): amā!, monē!, rege!, cape!, audī!
  • 2nd person plural = 2nd person plural present indicative minus -s: amāte!, monēte!, regite!, capite!, audīte!
1st 2nd 3rd 3rd-io 4th
sg. amā! monē! rege! cape! audī!
pl. amāte! monēte! regite! capite! audīte!

Note: Four 3rd-conjugation verbs have irregular 2nd sg. imperatives: dīc! (say), dūc! (lead), fac! (do/make), fer! (carry).

Negative Imperative (Prohibition)

Latin does not use ne + present imperative for prohibitions in classical prose. Instead:

  • 2nd sg.: nōlī + present active infinitive — nōlī timēre! (Don't fear!)
  • 2nd pl.: nōlīte + present active infinitive — nōlīte timēre! (Don't fear! [pl.])

The construction uses forms of nōlle (to be unwilling) as an auxiliary.

Future Imperative

The future imperative is used in laws, religious formulae, and formal binding commands (e.g., the Twelve Tables). It refers to an action to be carried out at some future time.

Person Active Passive
2nd/3rd sg. amātō amātor
2nd pl. amātōte —
3rd pl. amāntō amāntor

Examples: Hominem mortuum in urbe ne sepelītō (Do not bury a dead man within the city — Twelve Tables). Dīligitō proximum tuum (You shall love your neighbor).

The 8 Irregular Verbs

1. esse (to be) — most important irregular verb

Tense 1 sg. 2 sg. 3 sg. 1 pl. 2 pl. 3 pl.
Pres. Indic. sum es est sumus estis sunt
Impf. Indic. eram erās erat erāmus erātis erant
Fut. Indic. erō eris erit erimus eritis erunt
Perf. Indic. fuī fuistī fuit fuimus fuistis fuērunt
Plupf. Indic. fueram fuerās fuerat fuerāmus fuerātis fuerant
Fut. Perf. fuerō fueris fuerit fuerimus fueritis fuerint
Pres. Subj. sim sīs sit sīmus sītis sint
Impf. Subj. essem essēs esset essēmus essētis essent

Infinitives: esse (pres.), fuisse (perf.), futūrum esse or fore (fut.) Participle: futūrus, -a, -um (future active participle only; esse has no PPP)

Compounds of esse: abesse (to be away), adesse (to be present), dēesse (to be lacking), inesse (to be in), interesse (to be between/matter), prōdesse (to benefit — prōd- before vowels), subesse (to be under), superesse (to survive).

2. posse (to be able) — pot- + esse

Tense 1 sg. 2 sg. 3 sg. 1 pl. 2 pl. 3 pl.
Pres. Indic. possum potes potest possumus potestis possunt
Impf. Indic. poteram poterās poterat poterāmus poterātis poterant
Fut. Indic. poterō poteris poterit poterimus poteritis poterunt
Perf. Indic. potuī potuistī potuit potuimus potuistis potuērunt
Pres. Subj. possim possīs possit possīmus possītis possint
Impf. Subj. possem possēs posset possēmus possētis possent

Note: The stem alternates between pot- (before e) and poss- (before s). Posse has no imperative or passive.

3. īre (to go)

Tense 1 sg. 2 sg. 3 sg. 1 pl. 2 pl. 3 pl.
Pres. Indic. eō īs it īmus ītis eunt
Impf. Indic. ībam ībās ībat ībāmus ībātis ībant
Fut. Indic. ībō ībis ībit ībimus ībitis ībunt
Perf. Indic. iī (īvī) iistī iit iimus iistis iērunt
Pres. Subj. eam eās eat eāmus eātis eant
Impf. Subj. īrem īrēs īret īrēmus īrētis īrent

Imperative: ī! (sg.), īte! (pl.) Infinitive: īre (pres.), iisse (perf.), itūrum esse (fut.) PPP: itum (used impersonally: itum est — "a going was made") Compounds: abeō (go away), adeō (approach), exeō (go out), ineō (enter), intereō (perish), redeō (return), trānseō (cross over), subeō (approach from below).

4. velle (to wish/want)

Tense 1 sg. 2 sg. 3 sg. 1 pl. 2 pl. 3 pl.
Pres. Indic. volō vīs vult volumus vultis volunt
Impf. Indic. volēbam volēbās volēbat — — volēbant
Fut. Indic. volam volēs volet — — volent
Perf. Indic. voluī voluistī voluit voluimus voluistis voluērunt
Pres. Subj. velim velīs velit velīmus velītis velint
Impf. Subj. vellem vellēs vellet vellēmus vellētis vellent

Velle has no imperative and no passive.

5. nōlle (to be unwilling / not want)

Tense 1 sg. 2 sg. 3 sg. 1 pl. 2 pl. 3 pl.
Pres. Indic. nōlō nōn vīs nōn vult nōlumus nōn vultis nōlunt
Impf. Indic. nōlēbam — nōlēbat — — nōlēbant
Perf. Indic. nōluī — nōluit — — nōluērunt
Pres. Subj. nōlim nōlīs nōlit nōlīmus nōlītis nōlint
Impf. Subj. nōllem nōllēs nōllet nōllēmus nōllētis nōllent

Imperative: nōlī! (sg.), nōlīte! (pl.) — used with infinitive to express prohibitions.

6. mālle (to prefer) — mā- + velle

Tense 1 sg. 2 sg. 3 sg. 1 pl. 2 pl. 3 pl.
Pres. Indic. mālō māvīs māvult mālumus māvultis mālunt
Impf. Indic. mālēbam — mālēbat — — mālēbant
Perf. Indic. māluī — māluit — — māluērunt
Pres. Subj. mālim mālīs mālit mālīmus mālītis mālint
Impf. Subj. māllem māllēs māllet māllēmus māllētis māllent

Mālle has no imperative and no passive.

7. ferre (to carry/bear) — shows suppletive stems

Principal parts: ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum

The three stems come from three originally separate roots: fer- (present), tul- (perfect), lāt- (PPP).

Tense Active 1 sg. Active 3 sg. Active 3 pl. Passive 1 sg. Passive 3 sg.
Pres. Indic. ferō fert ferunt feror fertur
Impf. Indic. ferēbam ferēbat ferēbant ferēbar ferēbātur
Fut. Indic. feram feret ferent ferar ferētur
Perf. Indic. tulī tulit tulērunt lātus sum lātus est
Plupf. Indic. tuleram tulerat tulerant lātus eram lātus erat
Pres. Subj. feram ferat ferant ferar ferātur
Impf. Subj. ferrem ferret ferrent ferrer ferrētur

Imperative: fer! (sg.), ferte! (pl.) — note the irregular short forms. Infinitives: ferre (pres. act.), ferrī (pres. pass.), tulisse (perf. act.), lātum esse (perf. pass.) Compounds: afferre (bring to), auferre (carry away), cōnferre (bring together/compare), dīfferre (differ/postpone), īnferre (bring in/make war), offerre (offer), referre (bring back/report), trānsferre (transfer).

8. fierī (to become / be made) — passive of facere

Fīō serves as the passive of faciō in the present system. The perfect system uses factus sum.

Tense 1 sg. 2 sg. 3 sg. 1 pl. 2 pl. 3 pl.
Pres. Indic. fiō fīs fit fīmus fītis fīunt
Impf. Indic. fīēbam fīēbās fīēbat fīēbāmus fīēbātis fīēbant
Fut. Indic. fiam fiēs fiet fiēmus fiētis fient
Perf. Indic. factus sum factus es factus est factī sumus factī estis factī sunt
Pres. Subj. fiam fiās fiat fiāmus fiātis fiant
Impf. Subj. fierem fierēs fieret fierēmus fierētis fierent

Infinitive: fierī (pres.), factum esse (perf.)

Deponent Verbs

Deponent verbs are passive in form but active in meaning. They have no active forms at all. The perfect passive participle of a deponent is active in meaning.

Principal parts: 3 parts (no PPP because no active forms exist):

  1. 1st sg. present (loquor)
  2. Present infinitive (loquī)
  3. 1st sg. perfect (locūtus sum)

1st Conjugation Deponents (-ārī)

Verb Infinitive Perfect Meaning
mīror mīrārī mīrātus sum to wonder at, admire
cōnor cōnārī cōnātus sum to try, attempt
arbitror arbitrārī arbitrātus sum to think, judge
existimō existimāre existimāvī (regular — not deponent)
hortor hortārī hortātus sum to urge, encourage
moror morārī morātus sum to delay, linger

2nd Conjugation Deponents (-ērī)

Verb Infinitive Perfect Meaning
vereor verērī veritus sum to fear, respect
polliceor pollicērī pollicitus sum to promise
fateor fatērī fassus sum to admit, confess

3rd Conjugation Deponents (-ī)

Verb Infinitive Perfect Meaning
loquor loquī locūtus sum to speak
sequor sequī secūtus sum to follow
ūtor ūtī ūsus sum to use (+ ablative)
fruor fruī frūctus sum to enjoy (+ ablative)
fungor fungī fūnctus sum to perform (+ ablative)
potior potīrī potītus sum to gain control of (+ abl./gen.)
nāscor nāscī nātus sum to be born
morior morī mortuus sum to die
proficīscor proficīscī profectus sum to set out
oblīvīscor oblīvīscī oblītus sum to forget (+ gen.)
queror querī questus sum to complain

4th Conjugation Deponents (-īrī)

Verb Infinitive Perfect Meaning
orior orīrī ortus sum to rise, arise
mentior mentīrī mentītus sum to lie, tell a falsehood
experior experīrī expertus sum to test, experience
partior partīrī partītus sum to divide, share

Semi-Deponent Verbs

Semi-deponent verbs are active in form in the present system but deponent (passive form, active meaning) in the perfect system.

Verb Present Infinitive Perfect (deponent form) Meaning
audeō active audēre ausus sum to dare
gaudeō active gaudēre gāvīsus sum to rejoice
soleō active solēre solitus sum to be accustomed
fīdō active fīdere fīsus sum to trust (+ dative)

Example: audet = "he dares" (present active); ausus est = "he dared" (perfect, passive form, active meaning).

Impersonal Verbs

Impersonal verbs are used only in the 3rd person singular (and occasionally the infinitive). The subject is an implied "it."

Verb Meaning Construction
oportet it is necessary, one ought oportet + acc. + infinitive
licet it is permitted, one may licet + dative + infinitive
libet it pleases, one likes libet + dative + infinitive
piget it disgusts, one is irked piget + acc. (person) + gen. (thing)
pudet it shames, one is ashamed pudet + acc. (person) + gen. (thing)
paenitēt it repents, one regrets paenitēt + acc. (person) + gen. (thing)
decet it is fitting, it becomes decet + acc. + infinitive
miseret it moves to pity miseret + acc. (person) + gen. (thing)
taedet it wearies, one is tired taedet + acc. (person) + gen. (thing)

Examples:

  • Mē oportet hoc facere. — I ought to do this. (lit. "It is necessary for me to do this.")
  • Tibi licet abīre. — You may leave. (lit. "It is permitted for you to leave.")
  • Mē pudet huius factī. — I am ashamed of this deed.
  • Nōs taedet bellī. — We are tired of war.
  • Decet tē tacēre. — It befits you to be silent.

Reference