---
title: "Third Conjugation Present Tense Endings | Elementary Latin"
description: "Third conjugation present tense endings are -o, -is, -it, -imus, -itis, and -unt, used in Elementary Latin to show person and number in verbs."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms/third-conjugation-present-tense-endings"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Elementary Latin"
unit: "Unit 8"
---

# Third Conjugation Present Tense Endings | Elementary Latin

## Definition

Third conjugation present tense endings are the Latin verb endings added to third conjugation stems in the present tense: -o, -is, -it, -imus, -itis, and -unt. They show who is doing the action and whether it is singular or plural.

## What It Is

Third conjugation present tense endings are the set of endings you attach to third conjugation Latin verb stems to make a present-tense form: -o, -is, -it, -imus, -itis, and -unt. In Elementary Latin, this is one of the first places where you see how Latin verbs carry person and number directly in the ending.

Third conjugation verbs usually have infinitives ending in -ere, such as *regere* (to rule), *mittere* (to send), and *legere* (to read). That infinitive tells you the conjugation, but the present tense form is built from the stem plus the present endings. So *reg- + -it* becomes *regit* (he, she, or it rules), and *mitte- + -unt* becomes *mittunt* (they send).

The tricky part is that third conjugation stems do not always look as obvious as first conjugation verbs. A first conjugation verb like *amare* keeps a clear *ama-* base, but third conjugation forms can feel a little uneven because the stem may shift when endings are added. That is why you want to spot the infinitive first, then strip away the -re to find the stem you are working with.

These endings matter because Latin does not rely on word order as much as English does. A form like *legunt* already tells you that the subject is third person plural, so you do not need a separate pronoun. If you see *-o*, you know it is first person singular, while *-unt* signals third person plural, which makes verb endings one of your strongest translation clues.

A simple way to practice is to pair the ending with the subject: *ego lego* (I read), *tu legis* (you read), *is legit* (he reads), *nos legimus* (we read), *vos legitis* (you all read), *eī legunt* (they read). Once that pattern clicks, third conjugation present tense forms become much easier to recognize in short sentences and basic translations.

## Why It Matters

Third conjugation present tense endings are one of the fastest ways to decode a Latin sentence. Because Latin word order is flexible, you often cannot rely on the first word in a sentence to tell you who is acting. The ending gives you that information right away, so *-it* and *-unt* are not just grammar details, they are your main clues for translation.

This term also shows up right where Elementary Latin starts connecting vocabulary with sentence structure. You may know the meaning of *legere* or *mittere*, but you still need the right ending to make the verb fit the subject. If you mix up *legit* and *legunt*, the meaning changes from one person to several people, and the whole sentence can shift.

It also trains you to compare conjugations instead of memorizing each verb as a random form. Once you know how third conjugation present endings work, you can notice patterns across verbs and separate them from first conjugation or fourth conjugation forms. That makes reading simpler passages much faster, especially when the text uses common action verbs in everyday contexts like ruling, sending, hearing, or reading.

In class, this term often comes up when you translate short sentences, identify verb forms, or build your own Latin lines from prompts. It is a small piece of grammar, but it sits right at the center of sentence meaning.

## Connections

### Conjugation

Conjugation is the larger verb pattern that tells you how a Latin verb forms its tenses. Third conjugation present tense endings are one piece of that bigger system. If you can recognize the conjugation first, you can attach the right endings faster and avoid mixing third conjugation forms with first or fourth conjugation patterns.

### Subject-verb agreement

These endings show subject-verb agreement in Latin because they mark person and number. A singular subject takes a singular verb ending, while a plural subject takes a plural one. When you translate, the ending often tells you more than the word order does, especially in short sentences with no pronoun.

### Infinitive

The infinitive helps you identify a third conjugation verb before you add present tense endings. In forms like *regere* or *mittere*, the -re ending shows you the dictionary form. Once you remove that ending, you can build the present tense by adding the correct third conjugation endings.

### [Imperfect tense endings](/elementary-latin/key-terms/imperfect-tense-endings)

Imperfect tense endings are easy to confuse with present tense because both describe ongoing or repeated action in a broad sense. The difference is form and usage. Present tense endings tell you what is happening now, while imperfect endings point to action that was going on or used to happen in the past.

## On the AP Exam

A quiz question might give you a verb like *mittunt* and ask you to identify the person, number, and conjugation. Your job is to spot the ending, translate the form, and explain why it matches a plural subject. You may also be asked to change a verb from singular to plural or from one person to another.

In translation practice, this term is a decoding tool. If a sentence has no clear subject pronoun, the ending on the verb often tells you whether the subject is I, you, he/she/it, we, you all, or they. That makes third conjugation endings one of the first things to check before you try to render the whole sentence into English.

## third conjugation present tense endings vs First Conjugation Present Tense Endings

These are easy to mix up because both sets mark present tense person and number. The difference is the verb family and the stem pattern: first conjugation verbs usually have an -āre infinitive, while third conjugation verbs usually have an -ere infinitive. If you identify the infinitive correctly, the ending set becomes much easier to choose.

## Key Takeaways

- Third conjugation present tense endings are -o, -is, -it, -imus, -itis, and -unt.
- These endings attach to third conjugation verb stems and show person and number in the present tense.
- The infinitive ending -ere is your first clue that a verb belongs to the third conjugation.
- Latin verb endings matter because word order is flexible, so the ending often tells you who is doing the action.
- A form like *legunt* means “they read,” while *legit* means “he, she, or it reads.”

## FAQs

### What is third conjugation present tense endings in Elementary Latin?

They are the endings Latin adds to third conjugation verb stems to form present tense verbs: -o, -is, -it, -imus, -itis, and -unt. These endings show who is doing the action and whether the subject is singular or plural.

### How do I know a verb is third conjugation?

Look at the infinitive. Third conjugation verbs usually end in -ere, like *legere* or *mittere*. Once you know the conjugation, you can use the correct present tense endings instead of guessing.

### What is the difference between -it and -unt?

-it is third person singular, so it usually means “he, she, or it” does the action. -unt is third person plural, so it means “they” do the action. That small ending change can completely change the translation.

### How do you use third conjugation present tense endings in a sentence?

Find the verb stem, add the correct ending, and match it to the subject. For example, *legit* matches a singular subject like *puella*, while *legunt* matches a plural subject like *puellae*. This is one of the main tools for translating Latin accurately.

## Related Study Guides

- [8.2 Subject-verb agreement](/elementary-latin/unit-8/subject-verb-agreement/study-guide/BX40OogzLOY0XDtO)

## About This Document

Canonical Fiveable pages are available as Markdown at the same path plus `.md`.

- [llms.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms.txt): index of Fiveable's sections and URL patterns
- [llms-full.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms-full.txt): complete subject and unit listing
- [MCP server](https://fiveable.me/mcp): call Fiveable as tools instead of fetching pages (`https://fiveable.me/api/mcp`)
- [MCP server for AP teachers](https://fiveable.me/mcp/teachers): a teacher's classes, assignments and AP-rubric grading (`https://fiveable.me/api/mcp/teacher`)

## Structured Data

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"LearningResource","@id":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms/third-conjugation-present-tense-endings#resource","name":"Third Conjugation Present Tense Endings | Elementary Latin","url":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms/third-conjugation-present-tense-endings","learningResourceType":"Concept explainer","educationalLevel":"AP® / High School","about":{"@id":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms/third-conjugation-present-tense-endings#term"},"audience":{"@type":"EducationalAudience","educationalRole":"student"},"dateModified":"2026-07-03T02:21:22.598Z","isPartOf":{"@type":"Collection","name":"Elementary Latin Key Terms","url":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Fiveable","url":"https://fiveable.me"}},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","@id":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms/third-conjugation-present-tense-endings#term","name":"third conjugation present tense endings","description":"Third conjugation present tense endings are the Latin verb endings added to third conjugation stems in the present tense: -o, -is, -it, -imus, -itis, and -unt. They show who is doing the action and whether it is singular or plural.","url":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms/third-conjugation-present-tense-endings","inDefinedTermSet":{"@type":"DefinedTermSet","name":"Elementary Latin Key Terms","url":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms"}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is third conjugation present tense endings in Elementary Latin?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"They are the endings Latin adds to third conjugation verb stems to form present tense verbs: -o, -is, -it, -imus, -itis, and -unt. These endings show who is doing the action and whether the subject is singular or plural."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I know a verb is third conjugation?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Look at the infinitive. Third conjugation verbs usually end in -ere, like *legere* or *mittere*. Once you know the conjugation, you can use the correct present tense endings instead of guessing."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between -it and -unt?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"-it is third person singular, so it usually means “he, she, or it” does the action. -unt is third person plural, so it means “they” do the action. That small ending change can completely change the translation."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you use third conjugation present tense endings in a sentence?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Find the verb stem, add the correct ending, and match it to the subject. For example, *legit* matches a singular subject like *puella*, while *legunt* matches a plural subject like *puellae*. This is one of the main tools for translating Latin accurately."}}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Elementary Latin","item":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Key Terms","item":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/key-terms"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Unit 8","item":"https://fiveable.me/elementary-latin/unit-8"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"third conjugation present tense endings"}]}]}
```