Tense, Mood and Voice
A verb changes in three ways: for time, for meaning and for who acts.
How It Works
| Idea | Choices | Example with amare |
|---|---|---|
| tense | present, imperfect, future, perfect, pluperfect, future perfect | amat, amabat, amabit, amavit, amaverat, amaverit |
| mood | indicative (a fact), imperative (a command), subjunctive (a wish or doubt) | amat, ama, amet |
| voice | active (the subject acts), passive (the subject receives) | amat, amatur |
You do not need all of these at once. The first levels use the present tense, the indicative and the active voice. Each later level adds one more idea. The ideas can combine: amabatur means he was being loved, which is imperfect tense, indicative mood and passive voice.
Examples (5)
- Marcus Iuliam amat.
Marcus loves Iulia.
Present tense, indicative mood, active voice.
- Marcus Iuliam amabat.
Marcus was loving Iulia.
Imperfect tense: an action that was going on.
- Marcus Iuliam amabit.
Marcus will love Iulia.
Future tense.
- Ama Deum.
Love God.
Imperative mood: a command.
- Iulia a Marco amatur.
Iulia is loved by Marcus.
Passive voice: Iulia receives the action, and a Marco names the doer.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Tense, mood and voice are all written in the verb ending, so the first look at endings comes first.
Related Patterns
- Five Verb Families in the Present
The present tense of all five families.
Level 2 - Imperfect Tense: amabam
A past action that was going on.
Level 3 - Commands: ama!, amate!
Commands.
Level 2 - Present Passive: amor, amaris, amaturPassive Voice: Amor, Amaris, Amatur
The passive voice.
Level 4 - Present Subjunctive: amem
The subjunctive mood.
Level 5
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Tense, Mood and Voice in Bubblegum
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