Principal parts, prepositions, and yes-or-no questions
Four parts for every verb, which case each preposition takes, and -ne, nōnne, num.
LatinIntermediate Latin · The perfect tensesAbout 5 min: 2 reading, 3 practiceUpdated
- Give the four principal parts of the common verbs
- Say which case each preposition takes
- Ask a yes-or-no question with -ne, nōnne or num
Latin Level 2: verbs and the other declensions: lesson 17 of 35
- Intermediate Latin · Verbs: the present system
- sum: I am, I was, I shall be 3 min
- The present of amō and moneō 4 min
- The imperfect: was doing 4 min
- The future: will do 3 min
- The dative with adjectives 3 min
- The present of regō and audiō 4 min
- The imperfect of regō and audiō, and verbs that take the dative 3 min
- The future of regō and audiō 3 min
- capiō, and giving orders 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The passive voice
- The passive: being done to 3 min
- The passive of regō, audiō and capiō; passive infinitives 3 min
- Synopses, and the ablative of "from" 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The perfect tenses
- fuī, fueram, fuerō: the perfect tenses of sum 3 min
- The perfect active: did, have done 5 min
- Had done, will have done: pluperfect and future perfect active 3 min
- amātus sum: the perfect passive 4 min
- Principal parts, prepositions, and yes-or-no questions 5 min
- possum, "I can", and the infinitive 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
- quī, quae, quod: who, which, that 4 min
- Intermediate Latin · The third declension
- rēx, rēgis: the third declension 4 min
- hostis, urbs, mare: i-stems 4 min
- vīs and iter; gender in the third declension 4 min
- omnis, ācer, pār: third-declension adjectives 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · The fourth and fifth declensions
- manus, cornū: the fourth declension 3 min
- Rōmae, domī, Athēnīs: place and the locative 4 min
- diēs, rēs: the fifth declension and the ablative of time 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Pronouns
- ego, tū, sē: personal and reflexive pronouns 4 min
- ipse, "himself", and īdem, "the same" 3 min
- hic, iste, ille: this and that 4 min
- aliquis, quīdam, quisque: someone, a certain, each 3 min
- Intermediate Latin · Comparison
- clārior, clārissimus: comparing adjectives 4 min
- melior, optimus: irregular comparison, plūs, and "by how much" 3 min
- clārē, fortiter: adverbs and their comparison 4 min
- Intermediate Latin · Numerals
- ūnus, duo, trēs: numerals, "of" the whole, and "for how long" 5 min
- Intermediate Latin · Deponent verbs
- hortor, sequor: deponent verbs 3 min
Try first
You haven't learned this yet, so guess. Guessing before you read helps the explanation stick. Nothing here is scored.
Pairs with D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Ginn, 1909), Lesson XXXVI ("Review of Principal Parts · Prepositions · Yes-or-No Questions"), §§ 208–210
What it is
Principal parts. Verbs are now learned with four parts (a few lack one): present, infinitive, perfect, perfect passive participle. Most first-conjugation verbs are regular (portō, portāre, portāvī, portātus); dō and the other conjugations must be learned:
| Principal parts | Meaning |
|---|---|
| dō, dare, dedī, datus | give |
| dēleō, dēlēre, dēlēvī, dēlētus | destroy |
| videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsus | see |
| dūcō, dūcere, dūxī, ductus | lead |
| mittō, mittere, mīsī, missus | send |
| faciō, facere, fēcī, factus | make, do |
| veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventus | come |
Some verbs have no participle (pāreō, pārēre, pāruī, obey) or give a future participle in -ūrus instead (sum, esse, fuī, futūrus).
Prepositions take either the accusative or the ablative:
| Ablative | Accusative |
|---|---|
| ā / ab, from, by | ad, to |
| cum, with | apud, among |
| dē, down from, about | per, through |
| ē / ex, out of | |
| prō, in front of, for | |
| sine, without |
In takes the ablative for "in, on" (in oppidō, in the town) and the accusative for "into, against" (in oppidum, into the town).
Yes-or-no questions come in three kinds:
| Latin | English | Expects |
|---|---|---|
| Venitne? | Is he coming? | nothing |
| Nōnne venit? | He is coming, isn't he? | yes |
| Num venit? | He isn't coming, is he? | no |
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
"into the fields"
- Ablative means "in the fields"
Show answer
in agrōs. in + accusative = into.
Why it matters
The principal parts are the key to every tense: the second gives the present system, the third the perfect active, the fourth the perfect passive. And nōnne and num let a Latin speaker tilt a question, just as English does with "isn't it?" and "surely not?".
Worked example
- Nōnne puerī in lūdō sunt? → The boys are at school, aren't they? (expects yes)
- Num Gallī vēnērunt? → The Gauls haven't come, have they? (expects no)
- Lēgātus per agrōs ad oppidum vēnit. → The lieutenant came through the fields to the town.
Common mistake
Using num for a neutral question. Num expects the answer no. For a plain question, add -ne to the first word, usually the verb: Vēnitne? Has he come?
Key terms
- principal parts
- present, infinitive, perfect, participle
- -ne
- question sign, no answer expected
- nōnne
- expects "yes"
- num
- expects "no"
- in + accusative
- into, against
- epistula, -ae
- letter
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 6 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| principal parts | present, infinitive, perfect, participle |
| -ne | question sign, no answer expected |
| nōnne | expects "yes" |
| num | expects "no" |
| in + accusative | into, against |
| epistula, -ae | letter |
Practice
Sort it
Which case does the preposition take?
sine
sine, without: ablative.Show answer
Ablative. sine, without: ablative.
ad
ad, to: accusative.Show answer
Accusative. ad, to: accusative.
per
per, through: accusative.Show answer
Accusative. per, through: accusative.
dē
dē, down from, about: ablative.Show answer
Ablative. dē, down from, about: ablative.
apud
apud, among: accusative.Show answer
Accusative. apud, among: accusative.
prō
prō, in front of, for: ablative.Show answer
Ablative. prō, in front of, for: ablative.
Recognition drill
Pick the right answer, as fast as you can.
All pairs
Tap a card to turn it over. 6 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| videō | vīsus |
| dūcō | ductus |
| mittō | missus |
| faciō | factus |
| dō | datus |
| dēleō | dēlētus |
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
"The town hasn't been taken, has it?"
- Nōnne expects yes
Show answer
Num oppidum captum est?. Num expects the answer no.
Practise speaking
Studyfern has no voice tools of its own. To practise out loud, copy this prompt into a voice-capable AI assistant and talk with it.
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: dō, dēleō, videō, dūcō, mittō, faciō, veniō, -ne, nōnne, num. First ask me the four principal parts of these verbs, one at a time. Then say a yes-or-no question in English ('he came, didn't he?', 'they haven't come, have they?', 'did you send it?') and I will say it in Latin with -ne, nōnne or num. Do 6 questions. 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
- Four principal parts: present, infinitive, perfect, participle.
- Ablative: ā/ab, cum, dē, ē/ex, prō, sine. Accusative: ad, apud, per.
- in + ablative = in, on; in + accusative = into, against.
- -ne (open question), nōnne (expects yes), num (expects no).
Mastery check
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Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then open the answer. Nothing is saved.
Give the principal parts of veniō.
Show answer
veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventus.
Translate Nōnne epistulam mīsistī?
Show answer
You sent the letter, didn't you?
Which case does sine take?
Show answer
The ablative.
Further reading
- D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lesson XXXVI, §§ 208–210. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.
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