September 15th, 2011

First and Second Conjugation Verbsand

First and Second Declension Noun

5 primary characteristics.Person (1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person).Number (singular, plural).Tense (present, past, future).Mood (indicative, subjunctive, imperative).Voice (active, passive).To “parse” a verb means to list its person,

number, mood, tense, and voice.To “conjugate” a verb is to list its forms

according to person and number according to its specific tense, mood, and voice.

Verbs – General Remarks

1st person singular = I.2nd person singular = You.3rd person singular = She/He/It.

1stperson plural = We.2nd person plural = You (Latin distinguishes

between “you” singular and “you” plural).3rd person plural = They.

Person and Number

1st singular = I praise.2nd singular = You praise.3rd singular = She/He/It praises.

1st plural = We praise.2nd plural = You praise.3rd plural = They praise.

NOTE: English requires the presence of the pronoun or an otherwise stated subject.

Example – To Praise

Latin does not always require the subject to be explicitly stated.Determined by personal verb endings.

Personal Endings in the Present Indicative Active.1st singular = -o or -m.2nd singular = -s.3rd singular = -t.

1st plural = -mus.2nd plural = -tis3rd plural = -nt.

Personal endings are added to the verb stem.

Personal Endings

Step 1: Find the Verb Stem:2nd form listed in any dictionary entry; always

ends in “re”. (Laudāre – To Praise; Monēre – To advise).

Step 2: Drop the infinitive ending “re” – Laudā - , Monē - .

Step 3: Add personal endings.

Putting It All Together

Laudare – Stem = Lauda-1st sing. – Laudo – I praise.2nd sing. – Laudas – Your

praise.3rd sing. – Laudat –

She/He/It praises.

1st pl. – Laudamus - We praise.

2nd pl. – Laudatis – You praise.

3rd pl. – Laudant – They praise.

1st sing. – Moneo – I advise.2nd sing. – Mones – You

advise.3rd sing. – Monet –

She/He/It advises.

1st pl. – Monemus – We advise.

2nd pl. – Monetis – You advise.

3rd pl. – Monent – They advise.

Conjugation of Laudare and Monerein the Present, Indicative, Active

Monere – Stem = Mone-

Laudare = 1st conjugation verb; characterized by the infinitive –āre; thus “a” is retained on the verb stem.

Monere = 2nd conjugation verb; characterized by the infinitive –ēre; thus “e” is retained on the verb stem.

A subject need not always be present in the sentence; often implied by the verb ending ( i.e. “I praise the dog” = “Ego canem laudo” OR “Canem laudo.”

The present tense can be translated two ways (i.e. Laudo = “I praise” OR “I am praising”); context will determine which translation is required.

Things to Note

Imperative = A direct order or a command.Therefore has only second person singular or plural

forms.

The Singular imperative - Simply the verb stem. Laudā - “Praise!”Monē - “Advise!”

The Plural Imperative – Verb stem + -te:Laudāte – “Praise!”.Monēte – “Advise!”.

The Imperative

Role of a noun and/or adjective in a sentence determined by its “case” not by word order.

Latin has 7 cases: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Ablative, Vocative, Locative.

To list all the forms of a noun/adjective according to its cases is called “declension.”

Latin has 5 declensions (i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc); Each declension follows a specific pattern; learn to recognize the pattern.

Nouns/adjectives also possess one of three genders: Feminine, Masculine, and Neuter.

Nouns/Adjectives and Cases

Nominative – Always the subject of the sentence. Accusative – Direct object (except after certain prepositions, esp. motion

toward). Genitive – Usually the possessive case; translate with “of” (i.e. The book of

the poet OR the poet’s book). Dative – Indirect object; indicate for whom/what or to whose advantage a

certain action is performed; translate as “to” or “for –” (i.e. The poet gave the roses to the girl. He sacrificed his life for his country.); certain verbs take dative objects.

Ablative – An adverbial case because it describes the means or the agent by which an action was done (i.e. He shouted with great anger); accompaniment (i.e. She went to Italy with her father.); place where or from which (i.e. He departed from Greece to look for Caesar); time when or within which (i.e. On the ides of March Caesar met his end); following certain prepositions (i.e. Ab = by, from, Cum = with, De and Ex = from, in = on). NOTE: For now translate with “by, with, or from” according to context.

Vocative – Implies an address; highly rhetorical (i.e. Oh Great Caesar....).

Basic Summary of Declensions and Their Uses

Porta (Gate) Nom – Porta – a. Gen – Portae – ae. Dat – Portae – ae. Acc – Portam – am Abl – Portā – ā. Voc – Porta – a.

Nom – Portae – ae. Gen – Portārum – ārum. Dat – Portīs – īs. Acc – Portās – ās. Abl – Portīs – īs. Voc – Portae – ae.

Nom – Magna –a. Gen – Magnae – ae. Dat – Magnae – ae. Acc – Magnam – am. Abl – Magnā – ā. Voc – Magna – a.

Nom – Magnae – ae. Gen – Magnārum – ārum. Dat – Magnīs – īs. Acc – Magnās – ās. Abl – Magnīs – īs. Voc – Magnae.

First Declension (Feminine)Nouns and Adjectives

Magna, Magnus, Magnum (Great)

Amicus (Friend) Nom – Amicus – us. Gen – Amicī – ī. Dat – Amicō – ō. Acc – Amicum – um. Abl - Amicō – ō. Voc – Amice – e.

Nom - Amicī – ī. Gen – Amicōrum – ōrum. Dat – Amicīs. - īs. Acc – Amicōs – ōs. Abl - Amicīs. - īs. Voc - Amicī – ī.

Nom – Magnus – us. Gen – Magnī – ī. Dat – Magnō – ō. Acc – Magnum – um. Abl - Magnō – ō. Voc – Magne – e.

Nom - Magnī – ī. Gen – Magnōrum – ōrum. Dat – Magnīs. - īs. Acc – Magnōs – ōs. Abl - Magnīs. - īs. Voc - Magnī – ī.

Second Declension (Masculine) Nouns and Adjectives

Magnus, Magna, Magnum (Great)

An adjective must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case (i.e. Magnarum portarum – “of the great gates”; cum magnis amicis – “with great friends”).

Some cases are the same in form; only context which tell you which one to use.

Memorize declensions; first declension is feminine and is characterized by the “a” attached to the root; second declension is masculine and is characterized by “u” attached to the root.

Memorize what declension a noun belongs to when you learn that noun.

Always identify 1. Main verb. 2. Subject (Nominative if expressed at all). 3. Direct object (Accusative) – then fill in the rest.

Basic Rules and Hints.

Sometimes a noun is used to further describe another noun in the sentence: (i.e. I see Gaius, my son, in the field).

“Son” provides additional information about “Gaius” and so “son” and “Gaius” are in apposition.

Will agree in case and number.

Gaium, filium meum, in agro video.

Apposition

Sententiae Antiquae(pp. 21-22)