VERBS IN -IŌ OF THE THIRD CONJUGATION · THE IMPERATIVE MOOD

[159.] There are a few common verbs ending in -iō which do not belong to the fourth conjugation, as you might infer, but to the third. The fact that they belong to the third conjugation is shown by the ending of the infinitive. (Cf. [§ 126].) Compare

audiō, audī´re (hear), fourth conjugation capiō, ca´pere (take), third conjugation

[160.] The present, imperfect, and future active indicative of capiō are inflected as follows:

capiō, capere, take
Pres. Stem cape-
PresentImperfectFuture
SINGULAR
1. ca´piōcapiē´bamca´piam
2. ca´piscapiē´bāsca´piēs
3. ca´pitcapiē´batca´piet
PLURAL
1. ca´pimuscapiēbā´muscapiē´mus
2. ca´pitiscapiēbā´tiscapiē´tis
3. ca´piuntcapiē´bantca´pient

1. Observe that capiō and the other -iō verbs follow the fourth conjugation wherever in the fourth conjugation two vowels occur in succession. (Cf. capiō, audiō; capiunt, audiunt; and all the imperfect and future.) All other forms are like the third conjugation. (Cf. capis, regis; capit, regit; etc.)

2. Like capiō, inflect

faciō, facere, make, do fugiō, fugere, flee iaciō, iacere, hurl rapiō, rapere, seize

[161.] The Imperative Mood. The imperative mood expresses a command; as, come! send! The present tense of the imperative is used only in the second person, singular and plural. The singular in the active voice is regularly the same in form as the present stem. The plural is formed by adding -te to the singular.

ConjugationSingularPlural
I.amā, love thouamā´te, love ye
II.monē, advise thoumonē´te, advise ye
III.(a)rege, rule thoure´gite, rule ye
(b)cape, take thouca´pite, take ye
IV.audī, hear thouaudī´te, hear ye
sum (irregular)es, be thoueste, be ye