< Latin IV

Latin IV/Imperfect Subjunctive irregular verbs

Salvēte omnēs! Welcome back to Latin for Wikiversity. In our last lesson, we learned how to form the regular imperfect subjunctive. Today we'll look at some important irregular verbs in the imperfect subjunctive that you'll need to know.

New Grammar

Remember that most verbs form the imperfect subjunctive from the present infinitive. However, some of our most common verbs are irregular. Here they are:

Verb1st sg2nd sg3rd sg1st pl2nd pl3rd pl
sumessemessēsessetessēmusessētisessent
possumpossempossēspossetpossēmuspossētispossent
volōvellemvellēsvelletvellēmusvellētisvellent
nōlōnōllemnōllēsnōlletnōllēmusnōllētisnōllent
ferōferremferrēsferretferrēmusferrētisferrent
īremīrēsīretīrēmusīrētisīrent

Notice how these still follow similar patterns to each other, even though they're irregular!

New Words

Latin English Audio (Classical) Notes
heriyesterday
saepeoften
rursusagain

New Sentences

Latin English Notes
Utinam dīves essem!If only I were rich!Simple wish
Utinam domī essēs!If only you were at home!Simple wish
Sī possem cantāre!If I could sing!Ability wish
Utinam venīre vellēs!If only you wanted to come!Complex wish
Sī nōllet labōrāre!If he didn't want to work!Negative wish
Utinam librum ferrem!If only I were carrying the book!Action wish
Sī ad lūdum īrēmus!If we were going to school!Movement wish
Utinam heri adesset!If only he had been here yesterday!Past reference
Sī saepe fēlīx essēs!If you were often happy!With time word
Utinam rursus venīret!If only he would come again!With time word

Practice

Practice and learn the words and phrases in this lesson
Step oneFirst learn the words using this lesson:
Step twoNext try learning and writing the sentences using this:
Note that the Memrise stage covers the content for all lessons in each stage.
If you are skipping previous stages you may need to manually "ignore" the words in previous levels (use the 'select all' function)

Next time, we'll learn how to use these forms in more complex sentences. Until then, utinam fēlīcēs essētis! (If only you all were happy!)

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