Those which form the diphthong ue are verbs, which, having an o in the root, change it to ue under circumstances similar to the preceding. Examples: probar, to try, makes pruebo; mover, to move, makes muevo; morir, to die, makes muero. The third division, which I have called the purely irregular, are those which are so independent of all rule, that there is no reducing them to a constant and fixed method, not only as regards their root, but as concerns the termination of their tenses and persons. The tenses and persons in which the first two divisions differ from the regular verbs are the same in both they are the Present of the Indicative, the Imperative, and the Subjunctive, in all three persons of the singular, and in the third person plural. When verbs can be so arranged according to a fixed and constant method, they scarcely deserve the title of irregular ; and I am sure by thus reducing them to system, they will be much more easily committed to memory, than by jumbling them indiscriminately together, without order or arrangement, merely because they do not exactly correspond to the first models laid down. In placing before you the conjugation of the three so-called regular verbs, I conjugated them fully, compound tenses as well as simple, in order to make you familiar with every tense. In those which I shall now give you, you will find only those tenses conjugated which are required as examples, for, where they are similar to those of the preceding verbs, there will be no necessity to put them down. For the same reason I shall abstain from giving you the compound tenses, as they are nothing more than a repetition of to have with the past participle of the verb, which remains invariable. Let me, however, advise you to conjugate them yourself most fully, either in writing or by word of mouth, until they have become familiar to you in every form, as a perfect knowledge of the verbs is most essential in either speaking or writing correctly. I will now take each of these divisions separately, commencing with the verbs which form the diphthong ie, giving you a model of each conjugation, and appending to all a list of such as follow the same method. E 2 |