On Imperative Verbs and infinitive case.

[Neil Song]

Hi guys!

I am a bit confused about how a verb can be changed into the imperative case. Are there specific endings like declensions or conjugations? For example, how do you change the verb "porto" to imperative? Also, for the infinitive, how do you know if it's going to have the ending -are or the ending -ere etc.?

 

[aegor]

A few points of clarification:

1) Verbs have person, number, tense, mood, voice. The imperative is a mood. Verbs do not have case; nouns do.

2) There are indeed specific endings to the imperative based on the conjugation. Thus the singular present imperative of portāre is portā. Basically:

First conjugation: -ā/āte (singular/plural)
Second conjugation: -ē/-ēte
Third conjugation: -e/-ite
Fourth conjugation: -ī/-īte


There are a small number of exceptions to the above rules. Note that the above are active. Latin also has the passive imperative (you can say both, "carry!" and "be carried!"). Those forms are different than the above but still based on the conjugations.

 

[john abshire]

Hi guys!

I am a bit confused about how a verb can be changed into the imperative case. Are there specific endings like declensions or conjugations? For example, how do you change the verb "porto" to imperative? Also, for the infinitive, how do you know if it's going to have the ending -are or the ending -ere etc.?

infinitive- (active) verb endings
as general rule, the infinitive of verbs follow the pattern of their conjugation.
So, if you know the conjugation you will know the infinitive- (and visa versa).

the verbs of 1st conjugation end in -o, and have infinitive -are.
porto, portare
ambulo, ambulare
amo, amare

verbs of 2nd conjugaton end in -eo, and have infinitive -ere (macron over 1st e)
video, videre
moneo, monere
maneo, manere

but;
3rd conjugation verbs end in -o (like 1st) , with infinitive -ere (like 2nd but no macron).
rego, regere
cado, cadere

4th ends -io, -ire
audio, audire
venio, venire

mixed ends -io, -ere (cross between 3 and 4)
capio, capere
fugio, fugere

irregulars-
many irregulars follow the pattern; -eo, -ire
adeo, adire
pereo, perire

 

[Neil Song]

Thank you, it really cleared up my confusion!