1. Present, Imperfect & Perfect Tenses
Conjugating Verbs
Present, Imperfect & Perfect Tenses

2. Background Info To conjugate a verb means to list the forms.
Verbs are grouped into conjugations.
Conjugations determine the linking vowels for present tense and imperfect tense.
1st conjugation verbs have 2nd PP ending –are
2nd conjugation verbs have 2nd PP ending –ēre
3rd conjugation verbs have 2nd PP ending –ere
4th conjugation verbs have 2nd PP ending –ire

3. Conjugating in Present Tense
The endings are: -o -mus
-s -tis
-t -nt
The linking vowels for present tense are:
a e i i
To form the present tense, remove infinitive ending from the end of the 2nd pp, then add the correct linking vowel plus the endings.
Remember that in 1st and 3rd conjugation, -o swallows the vowel.
Remember that in 3rd and 4th conjugation, the 3rd person plural ending is
–unt and –iunt.

4. Conjugating in Imperfect Tense
The endings are: -bam -bamus
-bas -batis
-bat -bant
The linking vowels for imperfect tense are:
a e e ie
To form the imperfect tense, remove the infinitive ending from the end of the 2nd pp, then add the correct linking vowel plus the endings.

5. Conjugating in Perfect Tense
The endings are: -i -imus
-isti -istis
-it -erunt
To form the perfect tense, remove –i from the end of the 3rd pp, then add the endings.
This applies for all conjugations, including irregular verbs.
There are no linking vowels for perfect tense.

6. Conjugate porto, portare, portavi – carry in present, imperfect and perfect tenses.
Since the 2nd pp ends in –are, this verb is 1st conjugation.
1st conjugation verbs use –a for the linking vowel for both present and imperfect.
Present Tense Imperfect Tense
porto portamus portabam portabamus
portas portatis portabas portabatis
portat portant portabat portabant
Perfect Tense – 3rd pp is portavi, minus -i, plus endings 
portavi portavimus
portavisti portavistis
portavit portaverunt

7. Conjugate rideo, ridēre, risi – laugh in present, imperfect and perfect tenses.
Since the 2nd pp ends in –ēre, this verb is 2nd conjugation.
2nd conjugation verbs use –e for the linking vowel for both present and imperfect.
Present Tense Imperfect Tense
rideo ridemus ridebam ridebamus
rides ridetis ridebas ridebatis
ridet rident ridebat ridebant
Perfect Tense – 3rd pp is risi, minus -i, plus endings 
risi risimus
risisti risistis
risit riserunt

8. Conjugate vendo, vendere, vendidi– sell in present, imperfect and perfect tenses.
Since the 2nd pp ends in –ere, this verb is 3rd conjugation.
3rd conjugation verbs use –i for present tense and –e for the imperfect tense.
Present Tense Imperfect Tense
vendo vendimus vendebam vendebamus
vendis venditis vendebas vendebatis
vendit vendunt vendebat vendebant
Perfect Tense – 3rd pp is vendidi, minus -i, plus endings 
vendidi vendidimus
vendidisti vendidistis
vendidit vendiderunt

9. Conjugate dormio, dormire, dormivi – sleep in present, imperfect and perfect tenses.
Since the 2nd pp ends in –ire, this verb is 4th conjugation.
4th conjugation verbs use –i for present tense and –ie for the imperfect tense.
Present Tense Imperfect Tense
dormio dormimus dormiebam dormiebamus
dormis dormitis dormiebas dormiebatis
dormit dormiunt dormiebat dormiebant
Perfect Tense – 3rd pp is dormivi, minus -i, plus endings 
dormivi dormivimus
dormivisti dormivistis
dormivit dormiverunt

10. Conjugate sum, esse, fui – to be in present, imperfect and perfect tenses.
Since this verb is irregular, it doesn’t belong to any conjugation.
The forms must be memorized for present and imperfect.
Present Tense Imperfect Tense
sum sumus eram eramus
es estis eras eratis
est sunt erat erant
Perfect Tense – 3rd pp is fui, minus -i, plus endings 
fui fuimus
fuisti fuistis
fuit fuerunt
Compounds will be conjugated similarly.

11. Conjugate eo, ire, ii – go in present, imperfect and perfect tenses.
Since this verb is irregular, it doesn’t belong to any conjugation.
The forms must be memorized for present and imperfect.
Present Tense Imperfect Tense
eo imus ibam ibamus
is itis ibas ibatis
it eunt ibat ibant
Perfect Tense – 3rd pp is ii, minus -i, plus endings 
ii iimus
iisti iistis
iit ierunt
Compounds will be conjugated similarly.