firstconjugate

The first conjugation is a traditional class of Latin verbs characterized by an infinitive ending in -are. It is the most productive and well-known group in classical Latin, containing many regular verbs such as amāre (to love), laudāre (to praise), and servāre (to guard or protect). These verbs form their standard present, past, and future tenses with predictable endings.

In the present active indicative, verbs of the first conjugation typically take the endings -ō, -ās, -at, -āmus, -ātis, -ant on the stem. The present infinitive is -āre, and the present stem is usually formed by removing -re from the infinitive (as in amā- from amāre). Other tenses follow regular patterns as well: the imperfect uses -ābam, -ābās, -ābat, -ābāmus, -ābātis, -ābant; the future uses -ābō, -ābis, -ābit, -ābimus, -ābitis, -ābunt.

The perfect system, formed from the verb’s perfect stem, commonly adds -āvī, -āvistī, -āvit, -āvimus, -āvistis, -āverunt. The passive voice uses endings such as -or, -āris, -ātur, -āmur, -āminī, -antur, with corresponding passive forms throughout tenses. The supine, used to form certain adjuncts and with some verbs in compound constructions, ends in -ātum.

Principal parts are essential for conjugation. The four principal parts of a typical first-conjugation verb are amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum, which supply the present stem, infinitive, perfect, and supine respectively.

The first conjugation is one of four major Latin verb groups. While it is largely regular, a few verbs exhibit minor irregularities.