Past of Third-Conjugation Verbs
Start from the infinitive, not the present: drop -t and add -ju, -ji, -ja, -jām, -jāt, -ja. Lasīt has the present lasu but the past lasīju; redzēt has redzu but redzēju.
How It Works
1. The pattern. lasīt (to read): es lasīju, tu lasīji, viņš/viņa lasīja, mēs lasījām, jūs lasījāt, viņi/viņas lasīja.
2. Common verbs.
- In -īt: darīt → darīju (did), rakstīt → rakstīju (wrote)
- In -ēt: redzēt → redzēju (saw), gribēt → gribēju (wanted), varēt → varēju (could), gulēt → gulēju (slept)
- In -āt: dziedāt → dziedāju (sang), zināt → zināju (knew)
3. Present and past side by side.
- es lasu (I read) / es lasīju (I read, in the past)
- viņš redz (he sees) / viņš redzēja (he saw)
- mēs zinām (we know) / mēs zinājām (we knew)
Tip: you do not need to know whether a verb belongs to the second or the third conjugation to form its past. For both, take the infinitive, drop -t and add -ju: spēlēt → spēlēju, redzēt → redzēju. Only the present differs. Reflexive verbs such as mācīties follow the same idea with their own endings: mācījos (I studied), see reflexive verbs in the past.
Examples (6)
- Vakar es lasīju interesantu grāmatu.
Yesterday I read an interesting book.
Lasīt → lasīju: the ī comes back in the past.
- Vai tu redzēji Annu?
Did you see Anna?
Redzēt → redzēji; the present would be redzi.
- Ko tu vakar darīji?
What did you do yesterday?
Darīt → darīji.
- Mēs to nezinājām.
We did not know that.
Zināt → zinājām; the present is zinām.
- Koris ļoti skaisti dziedāja.
The choir sang very beautifully.
Dziedāt → dziedāja; the present is dzied.
- Es negribēju tev traucēt.
I did not want to disturb you.
Gribēt → gribēju, with ne- in front.
Common Mistakes
Using the present after a past time word.
Vakar es lasu grāmatu.Vakar es lasīju grāmatu.Lasu is present. The past takes back the ī: lasīju.
Leaving out the long ā in the mēs form.
Mēs to nezinājam.Mēs to nezinājām.The past ending for mēs is always -jām, with a long ā.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The third-conjugation past follows the other past forms.
Related Patterns
- Present Forms of Verbs Ending in -ītPresent of Verbs Like Lasīt
The present of verbs like lasīt, which drops the ī.
Level 1 - Past of First-Conjugation Verbs
Short verbs whose past stems must be learned.
Level 2 - gribēt / varēt + InfinitiveWant to and Can
Gribēju and varēju are the past forms of these verbs.
Level 1 - Reflexive Verbs in Past and Future
Reflexive verbs such as mācīties form their past as mācījos.
Level 3
Practice Past of Third-Conjugation Verbs in Bubblegum
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