Chapter12
Today we will be looking at the Perfect tenses in Latin. Now I can imagine you saying to yourself, not some more tenses and for all those conjugations. I do understand you feelings, but these are fairly simple. First, you only have to learn how to do perfect. Why? Because all perfects, no exceptions, are done the same way. So if you know how to do one, you can do any perfect. That’s also true about a pluperfect or a future perfect. We learn how to do one, and all are done the same way.
The ending for a perfect are: I, isti, it, imus, istis, erunt.
To form a perfect you go this time the the third principle part of the verb. It will end in “I”. That is the first person, perfect. Merely copy it down. To form the other persons, remove the “i” an add the appropriate ending.
Amavi amavimus
Amavisti amavistis
Amavit amaverunt
Monui monuimus
Monuisti monuisitis
Monuit monuerunt
Cupivi cupivimus
Cupivisti cupivistis
Cupivit cupiverunt
Audivi audivimus
Audivisti audivistis
Audivit audiverunt
You translate a perfect with have or has or simply add “ed” to the verb to form the past.
So you see, all are done the same way.
The same is true of the pluper.fect. This time you will go to the third principle part, remove the “i” and add the imperfect of the verb “ to be”, no matter what verb
Amaveram amaveramus
Amaveras amaveratis
Amaverat amaverant
The same is true of the other conjugations. How do you translate a pluperfect? You use the helping verb “had” before the verb and add “ed” normally to the verb. (e.g. He had loved them.)
And for the future perfect, you guessed it, we will be adding the future of the verb “to be” to the third principle part.
Amavero amaverimus
Amaveris amaveritis
Amaverit amaverint
Notice that the third person plural was changed. Why? The Romans did that so as not to confuse the third person plural future perfect with the simple perfect. If they didn’t change one, they would both have the same endings.
To translate the future perfect you use shall or will plus the helping
verb have or has plus
the past tense of the verb.
E.G. I shall have loved him. Or He will have love them.
So now let’s try some.
Let’s use the verbs:
Porto, portare, portavi
Terrer, terrere, terui
Duco ducere, duxi
Eo, ire, ivi
Sum, esse, fui
Now back to the workbook