ABSTRACT
Verbs: subjects and pronouns The commonest verb-endings are -t (singular subject) and -nt (plural subject). The subject may be a noun, or the subject may be implied in the verb, which we would translate with a pronoun:
e.g. Marcus taurum videt taurum videt
Marcus sees the bull he sees the bull
Verbs also have endings for the subject pronouns I, you and we:
1st person I -0, -m,-i Singular 2nd person you (singular) -s, -isti
3rd person he, she, it -t
1st person we -mus Plural 2nd person you (plural) -tis
Present Future Imperfect Perfect Future Perfect Pluperfect
I see, I am seeing I shall see, I am going to see I saw (frequently/continuously), I was seeing I saw (momentarilylbriefly), I have seen I shall have seen I had seen
The verb-ending also indicates the kind of action being described:
e.g. I see you I may see you
and whether the verb is active or passive:
e.g. I see you I am seen by you
(ordinary action) (potential action)
(active) (passive)
Pronouns are used in place of nouns (the Latin word pro means in place of). A personal pronoun is sometimes included as a subject, even though it may already be implied in the verb's ending. This use of a pronoun is for greater emphasis:
e.g. Ciceronem vidisti You have seen Cicero tu Ciceronem vidisti You have seen Cicero
Case lime you (s.) we/us you (pI.)
The Latin words for he, she, they, him, her, and them will be seen later. The possessive adjectives (my, your, etc.) have the same endings as bonus-a-um
(see p. 149):
my your (one person) our
your (more than one)
*The nominative masculine singular ends -er, otherwise the endings are the same as meus and tuus.
