Tempus Praeteritum Perfectum The Perfect Tense in Latin

When do you use Perfect Tense? Perfect is a grammatical term for past. Use the Perfect Tense for actions that took place in the past. The word perfect comes from the Latin verb perficio which means “to complete; to finish.” So perfect tense is used for completed or finished actions.

Quando? (When?) Viam spectāmus. We see (are seeing, do see) the road. Viam spectābimus. We will see (are going to see) the road. Viam spectāvimus. We have seen (saw, did see) the road.

Quando? (When?) Magister puellās docet. Magister puellās docēbit. Magister puellās docuit.

Quando? (When?) Romanī in Galliā pugnant? Romanī in Galliā pugnābunt? Romanī in Galliā pugnāvērunt?

Remember How to Form the Present and Future Tenses… Begin with which of the 4 principal parts? the Second, or Infinitive! Example: amō, amāre, amāvī, amātus Drop the –re ending –This is your present stem. Example: Amā-

Remember How to Form the Present and Future Tenses… For present tense, simply add the personal endings: -ō-ō-mus -s-tis -t-nt Amō: I loveAmāmus: we love Amās: you loveAmātis: you all love Amat: he/she/it loves Amant: they love

Remember How to Form the Present and Future Tenses… For future tense, insert the –bi- marker and then add the personal endings: -bō-bimus -bis-bitis -bit-bunt Amābō: I shall loveAmābimus: we shall love Amābis: you will loveAmābitis: you all will love Amābit: he/she/it lovesAmābunt: they love

Forming the Perfect Tense Examine the following examples of perfect verbs: –amāvī, amāvistī, amāvit, amāvimus, amāvistis, amāvērunt: I have loved, etc… –portāvī, portāvistī, portāvit, portāvimus, portāvistis, portāvērunt: I have carried, etc… –docuī, docuistī, docuit, docuimus, docuistis, docuērunt: I have taught, etc… Which principal part gives us the perfect stem?

Finding the Stem The perfect tense begins with the third principal part! Example: amō, amāre, amāvī, amātus Drop the –ī to form the stem Example: amāv- And then add the perfect personal endings!

Personal Endings, Perfect Tense Compare the Present Tense endings to the Perfect Tense endings. -ō-ī -s-istī -t-it -mus-imus -tis-istis -nt-ērunt Amō: I loveAmāvī: I have loved Amās: you loveAmāvistī: you have loved Amat: he/she/it loves Amāvit: he/she/it has loved Amāmus: we love Amāvimus: we have loved Amātis: you all love Amāvistis: you all have loved Amant: they love Amāvērunt: they have loved

Practice Makes Perfect! Find the perfect stem of the following verbs: Terreō Terru- Parō Parāv- Maneō Māns-

Practice Makes Perfect! Conjugate the first conjugation verb parō in the perfect tense. ParāvīI got, I have got, I did get ParāvistīYou got, have got, did get ParāvitHe got, has got, did get ParāvimusWe got, have got, did get ParāvistisYou all got, have got, did get ParāvēruntThey got, have got, did get

Practice Makes Perfect! Conjugate the second conjugation verb maneō in the perfect tense. MānsīI remained MānsistīYou remained MānsitHe/she/it remained MānsimusWe remained MānsistisYou all remained MānsēruntThey remained

Practice Makes Perfect! Translate… He has praised Laudāvit We entrusted Mandāvimus They scared Terruērunt We did teach Docuimus I saw Vīdī

Practice Makes Perfect! Translate… Nāvigāvit He has sailed, he did sail, he sailed Liberāvimus We have freed, we did free, we freed Habuī I have had, I did have, I had Labōrāvērunt They have worked, they did work, they worked

Congratulations! You now know how to form and recognize the perfect tense! Summary: 1.Take the 3 rd principal part 2.Drop the –ī to form the stem 3.Add the perfect personal endings: -ī, -istī, -it, -imus, -istis, -ērunt Good work!