PRESENT TENSE, ACTIVE VOICE

To conjugate in present tense, you must know the SECOND PRINCIPAL PART of the verb. Drop the -re and add the endings. However, note problems with third conjugation and fourth conjugation. Note that first person singular is always the first principal part of the verb.

FIRST CONJUGATION

amo amare  amavi amatus

amo -  I love                amamus - we love

amas - you love            amatis - y'all love

amat - he loves             amant - they love

SECOND CONJUGATION

habeo  habere  habui  habitus

habeo                                habemus

habes                                habetis

habet                                 habent

THIRD CONJUGATION- vowel change highlighted

pono  ponere posui  positus

pono                                    ponimus

ponis                                    ponitis

ponit                                    ponunt

Note the short e of the second principal part changes in the present tense: it does this for ALL third conjugation verbs.

FOURTH CONJUGATION

audio  audire  audivi auditus

audio                                        audimus

audis                                         auditis

audit                                          audiunt

Note the -iu in third person plural. This is common to all fourth conjugation verbs. Also note that all third -io verbs (capio, capere and facio, facere) conjugate like audio, with the -iu in third plural.