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The present of regō and audiō

The third and fourth conjugations, and the vowel that changes.

LatinIntermediate Latin · Verbs: the present systemAbout 4 min: 1 reading, 3 practiceUpdated

After this lesson you can
  • Conjugate regō and audiō in the present
  • Explain why regō has -i- and -u- in its endings
  • Tell regere from audīre by the infinitive
Latin Level 2: verbs and the other declensions: lesson 6 of 35
  1. Intermediate Latin · Verbs: the present system
  2. sum: I am, I was, I shall be 3 min
  3. The present of amō and moneō 4 min
  4. The imperfect: was doing 4 min
  5. The future: will do 3 min
  6. The dative with adjectives 3 min
  7. The present of regō and audiō 4 min
  8. The imperfect of regō and audiō, and verbs that take the dative 3 min
  9. The future of regō and audiō 3 min
  10. capiō, and giving orders 3 min
  11. Intermediate Latin · The passive voice
  12. The passive: being done to 3 min
  13. The passive of regō, audiō and capiō; passive infinitives 3 min
  14. Synopses, and the ablative of "from" 3 min
  15. Intermediate Latin · The perfect tenses
  16. fuī, fueram, fuerō: the perfect tenses of sum 3 min
  17. The perfect active: did, have done 5 min
  18. Had done, will have done: pluperfect and future perfect active 3 min
  19. amātus sum: the perfect passive 4 min
  20. Principal parts, prepositions, and yes-or-no questions 5 min
  21. possum, "I can", and the infinitive 3 min
  22. Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
  23. quī, quae, quod: who, which, that 4 min
  24. Intermediate Latin · The third declension
  25. rēx, rēgis: the third declension 4 min
  26. hostis, urbs, mare: i-stems 4 min
  27. vīs and iter; gender in the third declension 4 min
  28. omnis, ācer, pār: third-declension adjectives 3 min
  29. Intermediate Latin · The fourth and fifth declensions
  30. manus, cornū: the fourth declension 3 min
  31. Rōmae, domī, Athēnīs: place and the locative 4 min
  32. diēs, rēs: the fifth declension and the ablative of time 3 min
  33. Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
  34. ego, tū, sē: personal and reflexive pronouns 4 min
  35. ipse, "himself", and īdem, "the same" 3 min
  36. hic, iste, ille: this and that 4 min
  37. aliquis, quīdam, quisque: someone, a certain, each 3 min
  38. Intermediate Latin · Comparison
  39. clārior, clārissimus: comparing adjectives 4 min
  40. melior, optimus: irregular comparison, plūs, and "by how much" 3 min
  41. clārē, fortiter: adverbs and their comparison 4 min
  42. Intermediate Latin · Numerals
  43. ūnus, duo, trēs: numerals, "of" the whole, and "for how long" 5 min
  44. Intermediate Latin · Deponent verbs
  45. hortor, sequor: deponent verbs 3 min

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Pairs with D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Ginn, 1909), Lesson XXIII ("Present Active Indicative of regō and audiō"), §§ 147–148

What it is

regō, regere (rule)audiō, audīre (hear)
Iregōaudiō
youregisaudīs
he, she, itregitaudit
weregimusaudīmus
you (pl.)regitisaudītis
theyreguntaudiunt

In the third conjugation the stem's short -e- becomes -i- (regis, regit, regimus, regitis) and -u- before -nt (regunt). The fourth keeps its long -ī- (audīs, audīmus) and adds -u- in audiunt.

Quick check

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  1. "They rule"

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    regunt. Third-conjugation present, third person plural: -unt.

Why it matters

Many of the most useful verbs are third conjugation: dūcō (lead), dīcō (say), mittō (send), agō (drive, do). The fourth gives veniō (come), mūniō (fortify), reperiō (find).

Worked example

  • Rēgīna populum regit. → The queen rules the people.
  • Lēgātus virōs ad oppidum dūcit. → The lieutenant leads the men to the town.
  • Puerī magistrum audiunt. → The boys hear the teacher.

Common mistake

Treating regere like monēre because both infinitives end in -ere. Check the vowel: monēre has a long ē (second conjugation: monēmus); regere has a short e (third: regimus). A dictionary shows it with a macron or by giving the full forms.

Key terms

regō, regere
rule
dūcō, dūcere
lead
mittō, mittere
send
audiō, audīre
hear
veniō, venīre
come

Practise the key terms

Tap a card to turn it over. 5 cards.

FrontBack
regō, regererule
dūcō, dūcerelead
mittō, mitteresend
audiō, audīrehear
veniō, venīrecome

Practice

Recognition drill

Pick the right answer, as fast as you can.

All pairs

Tap a card to turn it over. 6 cards.

FrontBack
dūcimuswe lead
mittuntthey send
dīcisyou say
venithe / she comes
audītisyou (pl.) hear
veniuntthey come

Quick quiz

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  1. "We send"

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    mittimus. Third-conjugation present: -imus.

  2. Which verb is fourth conjugation?

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    mūnīre. Infinitive -īre: fourth.

  3. "They come"

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    veniunt. audiunt, veniunt.

Practise speaking

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You are a patient Latin tutor. Use the classical pronunciation only, never the Church one: c is always k, g is always hard, v sounds like w, ae like the ai in aisle, and long vowels are held longer. Speak slowly. Use only these Latin words: regō, dūcō, mittō, audiō, veniō, reperiō. Give me a person and a verb in English (for example 'they lead', 'we come', 'you hear'), and I will say the present tense in Latin. Do 10 forms. After each answer, tell me what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again, then tell me one thing to improve. Keep every reply under 2 sentences. If I need a name or a town, I will make one up. Speak English except for the Latin itself.

Listen too. Listen to native speakers before and after: see the free listening and shadowing links.

Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. This course teaches the classical pronunciation (see lesson 1); AI voices may mix it with the Church (Italian-style) one, so ask for classical and check against lesson 1. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.

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In short

  • regō: regō, regis, regit, regimus, regitis, regunt.
  • audiō: audiō, audīs, audit, audīmus, audītis, audiunt.
  • 3rd: short e → i, and u before -nt. 4th: long ī, with -iunt.
  • -ēre (long) = 2nd; -ere (short) = 3rd.

Mastery check

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Check yourself

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  1. Conjugate dūcō in the present.

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    dūcō, dūcis, dūcit, dūcimus, dūcitis, dūcunt.

  2. Translate Fīliae magistrum audiunt.

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    The daughters hear (listen to) the teacher.

  3. Which conjugation is dīcere?

    Show answer

    The third.

Further reading

  • D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lesson XXIII, §§ 147–148. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.