The Perfect Tense

the perfect tense means that something is done, over, finished, or completed

  • “it rained” would be perfect while “it did rain” would be imperfect. the difference is that perfect is over completely and imperfect may happen again


Utilizes the third principal part

  • Example: Porto, portare, portavi, portatum → portavi is the third principal part

The stem comes from crossing off the “i” in the ending “-avi” or “-edi” (for do and sto)

  • portavi → portav


The personal endings for the perfect tense (verbs)

  • i (avi) → I

  • imus (avimus) → we

  • isti (avisti) → you

  • istis (avistis) → you all

  • it (avit) → (s)he/it

  • erunt (averunt) → they