Ch 5 · Lesson 10Latin · Chapter 5 · Lesson 10 · Common mistake
Present or perfect?
Latin marks the perfect on the stem, not with a helping verb. Read the stem, and where the stem cannot tell you, read the time words.
The rule
The perfect usually has its own stem: - becomes dix-, cap- becomes cep-, scrib- becomes scrips-, - becomes tul-. Endings like -, - and - then mark it. A few verbs (, ) look the same in both tenses once the long vowel is unmarked, and then only the context (, ) decides.
Pick the right one
0/9Pick the right one: present or perfect.
Hostes urbem ceperunt: ceperunt is .
Rex verba dicit: dicit is .
Rex verba dixit: dixit is .
Pater litteras scripsit: scripsit is .
Heri frater meus venit: venit is .
Nunc frater meus venit: venit is .
Milites signum vident: vident is .
Puer aquam tulit: tulit is .
Quid facis? facis is .
You met this in chapter 2. Worth a second look if the drill caught you out.
Back to the full lessonLesson 10 of 31 in this chapter