In the last lesson, all the third conjugation verbs we learned had stems that ended in a consonant: drop the -ō from regō to get the stem reg-. There are some third conjugation verbs that have a stem ending in i, like capiō.

This mainly affects the present tense. You'll remember that with ordinary third conjugation verbs like regō, we have to add a vowel between the stem and the endings so the consonants don't run into each other and make unpronounceable words:

Since I-stem verbs already have a vowel there, we don't have to add any. We just add the endings to the stem. The exception is the third person plural, where we still use the -u-.

Another way to think about it is to add the endings and extra vowel just like you would for a regular third conjugation verb, but drop an “i” from any that result in two i's (ii) before the ending.

The other exception is that the -i- of the present stem is dropped in the imperative mood:

• Cape, Marce, urbem. - Marcus, capture the town!
• Capite, viri, urbem. - Men, capture the town!

In the imperfect and future tenses, the -i- of the stem is kept, and the tense-signs added, just as in the last lesson. In the perfect tenses, the I-stem isn't an issue, since it only exists in the first principal part, and the perfect system uses the third principal part.

So, after that explanation of the rules for I-stems, here is capiō conjugated next to regō, to show the differences.

As you can see, there aren't as many differences as it might sound like when you're reading the rules. Part of it just makes sense: don't add an -i- in the present tense when you don't need it. If you remember that, and that the -i- is dropped in the imperative, you'll be in good shape.

The ablative of separation is used to express separation without movement. It is usually translated in English with the word “from” or “away from.” With some verbs the ablative is used without a preposition; with other verbs the preposition ā/ab is used. Some verbs that we've learned so far:

• dēfendō - takes ā/ab
• līberō - takes ā/ab when the separation is from a person, but no preposition otherwise
• prohibeō - can be used with or without the preposition

• Oppidum ab hostibus defendit. - He defended the town from the enemy.
• Aestas pueros ludo liberavit. - Summer freed the boys from school.
• Servos a domino liberavimus. - We freed the slaves from their master.
• Fratrem ab iniuria prohibebo. - I will keep my brother away from injury.

Note that the ablative of seperation does not imply movement. When movement is implied, we use the “ablative of movement away from” that we learned much earlier, which always takes a preposition like ā/ab, de, or ex.

• A flumine ambulavimus. - We walked from (or away from) the river.

• accipiō, accipere, accēpī, acceptum, accept, receive
• capiō, capere, cēpī, captum, take, capture
• cōnficiō, cōnficere, cōnfēcī, cōnfectum, finish, accomplish
• coniciō, conicere, coniēcī, coniectum, hurl; throw together
• cupiō, cupere, cupīvī, cupītum, wish, want
• faciō, facere, fēcī, factum, do, make
• fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitum, flee, flee from
• iaciō, iacere, iēcī, iactum, throw
• incipiō, incipere, incēpī, inceptum, begin
• interficiō, interficere, interfēcī, interfectum, kill

Faciō. Like agō in the last lesson, faciō is sometimes translated as “do” in English. But faciō carries a sense of “making,” while agō has more of a sense of “driving.” If “do” in an English sentence could be changed to “make” and still make sense, you should probably translate it as faciō in Latin.

A common idiom in Latin is iter faciō, “I make a march.” This is the Latin equivalent to “I march” in English.

• Iter ad Romam facit. - He is making a march to Rome. = He is marching to Rome.

Another common idiom is cōnsilium capiō, “I am taking a plan. = I am planning.”

• Consul cōnsilium bellī cēpit. - The consul was taking a plan. = The consul was planning.

Fugiō can either take an object representing the thing the subject is fleeing from, or no object. It does not take the ablative of separation.

• Fugimus. - We are fleeing.
• Hostes fugimus. - We are fleeing (from) the enemy.

Notice that some of these words are compounds of prepositions and other words in the list. This is common in Latin, and can help us remember the meanings of words. The spelling of the root word often changes to make pronounciation easier.

• accipiō = ad (toward) + capiō (take) = take toward yourself = accept, receive
• incipiō = in (on) + capiō (take) = take on = begin, start

Inter as a preposition means between, so it has a sense of separating something into pieces.

• interficiō = inter (in pieces) + faciō (make) = make into pieces = break apart, kill

Last lesson we learned that the prefix co- has two meanings, “together” and “forcibly.” Co- sometimes becomes con- or com- in compounds.

• cōnficiō = con (together, forcibly) + ficiō (do, make) = make together or forcibly = finish, accomplish
• coniciō = con (together) + iaciō (throw) = throw together, pile up
• coniciō = con (forcibly) + iaciō (throw) = hurl

1. The boys were throwing rocks toward three ships on the river.
2. Our war with Sicily will begin within seven years.
3. At the third hour we fled from the camp of the enemy with great care.
4. After the battle, Julius hurled his broken¹⁾ sword into the sea.
5. The farmer had captured two wild horses in the forest near his fields.
6. We will finish our journey to the city within four hours.
7. The sailor had wanted a new ship for a long time.
8. Lieutenants, form a plan tomorrow.
9. Men, within three years you will have built (made) a second bridge across the river.
10. Do you want wine²⁾ with dinner?

Marcus erat rex Galliae. Bellum cum populis Italiae diu gessit et multas urbium eorum vincit. Iter ad Romam fecit et urbem cum tribus milibus militum oppugnavit. Post mortem Marci, eius filius primus Lucius multos captivorum eorum liberavit. Rex Romanus multam pecuniam et milia equorum nobilium ab eo accepit. Pacem cum Roma viginti annis fecerat.

Give an English word derived from each Latin word in the vocabulary.

Now we've seen both kinds of third conjugation verbs. Next lesson, back to more kinds of pronouns.

1. The boys were throwing rocks toward three ships on the river. - Pueri lapides ad tres naves in flumine iaciebant.
2. Our war with Sicily will begin within seven years. - Bellum nostrum cum Sicilia septem annis incipiet.
3. At the third hour we fled from the camp of the enemy with great care. - Hora tertia castra hostium magna cum diligentia fugimus.
4. After the battle, Julius hurled his broken³⁾ sword into the sea. - Julius gladium fractum in mare post proelium coniecit.
5. The farmer had captured two wild horses in the forest near his fields. - Agricola duos equos feros in silva ad agros ceperat.
6. We will finish our journey to the city within four hours. - Iter nostrum ad urbem quattuor horis conficiemus.
7. The sailor had wanted a new ship for a long time. - Nauta navem novam diu cupiverat.
8. Lieutenants, form a plan tomorrow. - Capite, legati, consilium cras.
9. Men, within three years you will have built (made) a second bridge across the river. - Pontem secundum, viri, trans flumen tribus annis feceritis.
10. Do you want wine⁴⁾ with dinner? - Cupisne vinum cum cena?

Marcus erat rex Galliae. Bellum cum populis Italiae diu gessit et multas urbium eorum vincit. Iter ad Romam fecit et urbem cum tribus milibus militum oppugnavit. Post mortem Marci, eius filius primus Lucius multos captivorum eorum liberavit. Rex Romanus multam pecuniam et milia equorum nobilium ab eo accepit. Pacem cum Roma viginti annis fecerat.

Marcus was the king of Gaul. He waged war with the people of Italy for a long time and conquered many of their cities. He marched to Rome and attacked the city with three thousand soldiers. After the death of Marcus, his son Lucius freed many of their captives. The Roman king accepted much money and thousands of fine horses from him. Within ten years, he had made peace with Rome.

• accipiō, accipere, accēpī, acceptum, accept, receive - accept
• capiō, capere, cēpī, captum, take, capture - capture
• cōnficiō, cōnficere, cōnfēcī, cōnfectum, finish, accomplish - confections
• coniciō, conicere, coniēcī, coniectum, hurl; throw together - conjecture
• cupiō, cupere, cupīvī, cupītum, wish, want - Cupid
• faciō, facere, fēcī, factum, do, make - fact
• fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitum, flee, flee from - fugitive
• iaciō, iacere, iēcī, iactum, throw - ??
• incipiō, incipere, incēpī, inceptum, begin - incipient
• interficiō, interficere, interfēcī, interfectum, kill - ??