The Four Conjugations | Dickinson College Commentaries (2024)

171. Verbs are classed in Four Regular Conjugations, distinguished by the stem vowel which appears before -re in the Present Infinitive Active.

172. The Principal Parts of a verb, showing the three stems which determine its conjugation throughout, are—

1. The Present Indicative (amō), showing the Present Stem.
2. The Present Infinitive (amā-re), showing the Present Stem.
3. The Perfect Indicative (amāv-ī), showing the Perfect Stem.
4. The neuter of the Perfect Participle (amāt-um), or, if that form is not in use, the Future Active Participle (amāt-ūrus), showing the Supine Stem.

173. The regular forms of the Four Conjugations are seen in the following.

1st Conjugation:

Active—amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum[love]
Passive—amor,amārī, amātu
Present Stem amā-
Perfect Stem amāv-
Supine Stem amāt-

2nd Conjugation:

Active—dēleō, dēlēre, dēlēvī, dēlētum[blot out]
Passive—dēleor, dēlērī, dēlētus
Present Stem dēlē-
Perfect Stem dēlēv-
Supine Stem dēlēt-

In the Second conjugation, however, the characteristic -ē- rarely appears in the Perfect and Perfect Participle. The common type is, therefore:

Active—moneō, monēre, monuī, monitum[warn]
Passive—moneor, monērī, monitus
Present Stem monē-
Perfect Stem monu-
Supine Stem monit-

3rd Conjugation:

Active—tegō, tegĕre, tēxī, tēctum [cover]
Passive—tegor, tegī, tēctus
Present Stem tegĕ-
Perfect Stem tēx-
Supine Stem tēct-

4th Conjugation:

Active—audiō, audīre, audīvī, audītum [hear]
Passive—audior, audīrī, audītus
Present Stem audī-
Perfect Stem audīv-
Supine Stem audīt-

a. In many verbs the principal parts take forms belonging to two or more different conjugations (cf. § 189).

1st and 2nd—domō, domāre, domuī, domitum [subdue]
2nd and 3rd—maneō, manēre, mānsī, mānsum [remain]
3rd and 4th—petō, petĕre, petīvī, petītum [seek]
4th and 3rd—vinciō, vincīre, vīnxī, vīnctum [bind]

Such verbs are classified accordingto which conjugation the Present stem belongs.

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