Present, Imperfect and Perfect Tenses

English has a present tense and a past tense.

Present Tense She praises her mother. She is praising her mother. She does praise her mother.

Past Tense She praised her mother. She was praising her mother. She did praise her mother.

Latin has a present tense and TWO Past Tenses Latin is better. Latin has a present tense and TWO Past Tenses

Present Tense matrem laudat. She praises her mother. She is praising her mother. She does praise her mother.

Imperfect Tense matrem laudabat. She praised her mother. She was praising her mother. She used to praise her mother.

Perfect Tense matrem laudavit. She praised her mother. She did praise her mother. She has praised her mother.

matrem laudabat. – Imperfect Tense She praised her mother. matrem laudavit. – Perfect Tense She praised her mother.

What’s going on here? laudabat means “she praised”? laudavit means “she praised”? NON INTELLEGO.

The imperfect tense is used for continuing or repeated action in the past. The perfect tense is for single events completed in the past. See the difference?

Oh, I get it now! matrem laudabat cotidie. matrem laudavit heri. Cicero multos libros scribebat. Cicero fratri litteras scripsit.

BENE! OPTIME! bonus discipulus es.

Present Tense present stem personal ending

Personal Endings of Verbs the last part of a verb form identifies the subject three persons two numbers

Personal Endings of Verbs 1st 2nd 3rd sing. sing plural I you he, she, it we you all they -o/m -s -t -mus -tis -nt

Present Tense 1st 2nd 3rd sing. sing plural laud lauda o s t mus tis

Imperfect Tense present stem tense sign -BA- personal ending

Imperfect Tense 1st 2nd 3rd sing. sing plural lauda ba m s t mus tis nt

perfect personal ending Perfect Tense perfect stem perfect personal ending

How can I find the Perfect Stem? from the 3rd principal part

This is the present tense. 1st principal part laudo This is the present tense. “I praise”

This is the present infinitive. 2nd principal part laudare This is the present infinitive. “to praise” present stem + re

3rd principal part laudavi This is the perfect tense. “I praised” perfect stem + personal ending

Perfect Tense Personal Endings 1st 2nd 3rd sing. sing plural I you he, she, it we you all they -i -isti -it -imus -istis -erunt

Perfect Tense 1st 2nd 3rd sing. sing plural laudav i isti it imus istis erunt

porto, portare, portavi present imperfect perfect portat portabat portavit

ambulo, ambulare, ambulavi present imperfect perfect ambulat ambulabat ambulavit

dico, dicere, dixi present imperfect perfect dicit dicebat dixit

rego, regere, rexi present imperfect perfect regit regebat rexit

mitto, mittere, misi present imperfect perfect mittit mittebat misit

scribo, scribere, scripsi present imperfect perfect scribit scribebat scripsit

moneo, monere, monui present imperfect perfect monet monebat monuit

FINIS