VES: Lesson - 4th Conjugation - Present System
4th Conjugation - Present System
Let's look at the last conjugation: 4th conjugation. 4th conjugation shares similarities with 1st conjugation (it has a very regular set of principal parts, just like 1st conjugation, but with an -i instead of an -a), but also with 3rd-io conjugation.
4th Conjugation - Present Stem
Use the regular method to form the present stem for 4th conjugation: 2nd principal part - re.
Examples:
- audio, audire, audivi, auditus
- 2nd PP = audire
- Drop -re: audire - re
- Present stem: audi-
Present System
Please download the Vesuvius Example Conjugation and Translation Charts for 3rd and 4th Conjugation Links to an external site. handout for a printable version of the charts below.
The Present Tense
For 4th conjugation, there are a few things to remember to successfully conjugation:
- 1st person singular = 1st principal part. This will always be true. If you are asked to conjugate a verb in the present tense, don't forget this rule!
- 3rd person plural: add -u to the present stem before the -nt ending
Let's look at an example to see what this looks like in practice.
- audio, audire, audivi, auditus - to listen
- Base: audi (audire - re)
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | audio | audimus |
| 2nd Person | audis | auditis |
| 3rd Person | audit | audiunt |
Translation Example - Present Tense
- audio - I listen, I am listening, I do listen
The Imperfect Tense
For the imperfect tense, we will use the present stem followed by -ba, but there is an important difference. Now, instead of just adding -ba, we are going to include an -e before the -ba. So, for imperfect, you will have:
- Present stem + eba + personal endings
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | audiebam | audiebamus |
| 2nd Person | audiebas | audiebatis |
| 3rd Person | audiebat | audiebant |
Translation Examples - Imperfect Tense
- audiebam - I was listening, I kept listening, I used to listen; I listened
The Future Tense
The tense endings you have learned so far remain the same for the two new conjugations with one exception. The future tense for third, third -io and fourth conjugations uses a new set of inflections: am, es, et, emus, etis, ent. Compare that to the endings for 1st/2nd conjugation: bo, bis, bit, bimus, bitis, bunt. Pay careful attention to the conjugation of the verb to be sure that the correct future endings are being used.
| Person | 1st/2nd - Singular | 1st/2nd - Plural | 3rd/4th - Singular | 3rd/4th - Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | bo | bimus | am | emus |
| 2nd Person | bis | bitis | es | etis |
| 3rd Person | bit | bunt | et | ent |
Add these new future endings directly to the present stem: audi + am = audiam - I will listen.
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | audiam | audiemus |
| 2nd Person | audies | audietis |
| 3rd Person | audiet | audient |
Translation Examples - Future Tense
- audiam - I will listen