Vertere

Vertere is a classical Latin verb meaning “to turn,” “to turn around,” or more broadly “to change direction or state.” It is a productive member of the third conjugation and appears in both literal and figurative senses, often used with prefixes to indicate various kinds of turning or changing.

The principal parts of vertere are ver-to, ver-tere, ver-si, ver-sum (commonly listed as ver-to, ver-tere, versi, versum). The present active indicative forms from the stem verte- include verto, vertis, vertit, vertimus, vertitis, vertunt. The imperfect is vertebam, vertebas, vertebat, vertebamus, vertebatis, vertebant, and the future is vertam, vertes, vertet, vertemus, vertetis, vertent. The supine is versum, and the perfect passive participle is versus. These forms illustrate its regular third-conjugation behavior, with standard endings built on the verte- stem.

Usage and nuance: vertere covers turning physical objects, changing direction, and shifting states or opinions. It also appears in phrases expressing turning toward something (e.g., directing attention or effort) and in constructions meaning “to turn into” or “to turn to a different course.” Its versatility underpins many literary and rhetorical expressions in Latin.

Derivatives and influence: the verb is the source of many English derivatives, including convert, invert, divert, and revert, as well as ad-ver-to- compounds that convey turning toward something. The root ver- remains a key semantic element in Latin vocabulary and in the formation of compounds and loose translations into Romance languages.

See also: Latin verb conjugation, Latin prefixes with ad- or in- indicating change of direction, English derivatives from vertere.