Lesson 8 Conjugation

How do you find the stem of a verb?

To find the stem of a verb, look at the infinitive.

· If the vowel in front of the re has a macron, take off the re.

· If the vowel in front of the re doesn’t have a macron, take off the ere.

· Some infinitives end in ere, but the first part ends with io. We treat these as special. We let them keep their i as part of the stem, and call them ‘i-stems.’

Tell me, please, what’s a conjugation?

A conjugation is a family of verbs. Family, family, who’s in the family, or rather the conjugation?

· 1^st conjugation ends with a strong āre. The stem ends with an ā.

· 2^nd conjugation ends with a strong ēre. The stem ends with an ē.

· 3^rd conjugation ends with a weak ere. The stem ends with a consonant.

Dear, oh dear! That’s no good! We need a vowel to hold on the ending. In the present tense, we’ll slip in a weak i, except for third person plural, which uses a u.
(We’ll explain person and number next!)

· 4^th conjugation ends with strong īre. The stem ends with an ī.

Answer these questions:

1. What is a conjugation?

1^st conjugation ends with ________________. The stem ends with an ____________________

2^nd conjugation ends with ________________. The stem ends with an ____________________

3^rd conjugation ends with ________________. The stem ends with a _____________________

Dear, oh dear! That’s no good! We need a vowel to hold on the ending. In the present tense, we’ll slip in a except for _______________, which uses a ______.

4^th conjugation ends with __________________ The stem ends with an __________________

2. Give the conjugations for these verbs:

example: amāre 1^st conjugation

computāre _______________________

cogitāre _________________________

sitīre ____________________________

sedēre __________________________

legere ___________________________

currere __________________________

3. Add the macra to the infinitives if needed, then find the stems of these verbs:

legō, legere _______________________

videō, videre ______________________

audiō, audire ______________________

ambulō, ambulare __________________

4. Put the macra on these infinitive endings, if they need them:

a) iacere

b) videre

c) iuvare

d) legere

e) dormire

f) rogare

g) respondere

h) perdere

5. Translate:

Ambulābam in silvā. __________________________________________________________

Vīdī virum. _________________________________________________________________

Ecce! Pilam iaciēbat. _________________________________________________________

Heu! Puer cecidit. ___________________________________________________________

Nefas! Canis cibum edēbat. ____________________________________________________

6. Translate these words from List B into Latin:

a) I make, do___________________________________________________________

b) food________________________________________________________________

c) I run________________________________________________________________

d) I help_______________________________________________________________

e) I walk_______________________________________________________________

f) I lose, waste__________________________________________________________

g) I fall________________________________________________________________

h) I grab, seize __________________________________________________________

i) I strike, hurt __________________________________________________________

j) ball_________________________________________________________________

k) I throw______________________________________________________________

l) I eat________________________________________________________________

m) I see________________________________________________________________

n) I work_______________________________________________________________

Roman Literature

Horace is considered to be one of the greatest Roman poets. He lived during the days of Caesar Augustus, and helped shape poetical expression in Rome. Horace knew the influence that poetry and literature has on the world. He knew that his poems would out-live him and continue to influence mankind. Throughout history men have built great monuments to honor themselves, so that future generations would remember them. Horace knew that he didn’t have to do this. He knew that his contribution to Roman literature would cause him to be remembered. He wrote:

exēgī monumentum aere perennius

rēgālīque sitū pyramidum altius

quod nōn imber edāx, nōn Aquilō impotēns

possit dīruere aut innumerābilis

annōrum seriēs et fuga temporum.

nōn omnis moriar.

I have raised a monument more lasting than bronze
and higher than a massive royal pyramid,
which neither the biting rain, nor the untamed north wind
can overthrow, nor even the countless years
to come and the flight of time.
Not all of me will die.

What does Horace mean when he says ‘not all of me will die’?