Appendix:Catalan verbs

As with other Romance languages, Catalan shows an extensive and varied verb grammar.

Conjugation classes

The classical description of Catalan verb grammar (due to Pompeu Fabra) recognises three main conjugations, with cantar, perdre and dormir as the type verbs. These derive from the Latin first (-āre), second+third (-ēre and -ere), and fourth (-īre) conjugations respectively.

The description maintained here is based mostly on the division made by Fabra, with further splits based on the ending of the infinitive form, along with some differences in the patterns of the formation of conjugated forms. Varieties in formation based on the stem-final letter(s)/sound(s) are detailed on the pages of each individual conjugation, and any irregularities are noted. However, not all changes are unpredictable, see below.

Fabra's conjugation	Type/infinitive ending	Example verb
First (I)	-ar	cantar
Second (II)	-re	perdre
	-er	témer
	-ldre, -ndre	prendre
	-ure / imperf. -ïa	complaure
	-ure / imperf. -via	beure
	-ure / imperf. -(e)ia	creure
Third (III)	-ir with -eix-	servir
Third (III)	-ir without -eix-	dormir

Irregular verbs

Main appendix: Catalan irregular verbs

See also: Appendix:Catalan orthography

A substantial number of verbs have some kind of irregularity. This means that some of its forms are created in a way that is unpredictable and goes contrary to the normal rules of conjugation. These verbs are listed at Appendix:Catalan irregular verbs. However, not all changes are unpredictable; some are a consequence of spelling rules and can therefore be predicted and applied regularly. See Appendix:Catalan orthography for an overview, as well as examples of how those rules apply to verbs and other words.

Principal parts

It is possible to construct the conjugated forms of many verbs with knowledge of only four forms. These four forms are called the principal parts of the verb, and they are:

The infinitive
The first-person singular present indicative
The first-person singular imperfect indicative
The past participle

Knowing just the first two principal parts will allow you to conjugate regular verbs and a few slightly irregular ones, but knowing all four will allow you to conjugate almost all verbs, even those that are usually considered 'irregular' in traditional grammar. As it turns out, most irregular verbs are actually very regular, they just have a different set of rules.

Most verbs have only one stem, which can be derived from any of the four principal parts. However, several verbs have two or more stems. Knowing the principal parts allows you to recognise when to apply which rules to form the stems of each conjugated form of a verb.

To form the stem of the present participle and the first- and second-person plural present indicative:

If principal part 3 ends in -ia (not -ïa) preceded by a vowel:
- Then if the infinitive ends in -r:
  - Then remove -r from the infinitive.
  - Else remove -ure from the infinitive and add -i.
- Else remove -ava, -ia or -ïa from principal part 3.

To form the stem of the second and third person singular and the third person plural present indicative:

If principal part 2 ends in -o:
- Then remove -o from principal part 2.
- Else if the infinitive ends in:
  - -ure: Remove -re from the infinitive.
  - -r: Remove -r from the infinitive and add -u.
  - Otherwise: remove the ending -dre, -re, -er, -ir from the infinitive.

To form the stem of the imperfect indicative:

Remove -ava, -ia or -ïa from principal part 3.

To form the stem of the preterite, first- and second-person plural present subjunctive and imperfect subjunctive:

If principal part 2 ends in -o:
- Then use the present participle stem.
- Else take principal part 2 and replace -c with -gu-, and -sc with -squ-.

To form the stem of the first, second and third person singular and the third-person plural present subjunctive:

If principal part 2 ends in -o:
- Then remove -o from principal part 2.
- Else take principal part 2 and replace -c with -gu-, and -sc with -squ-.

To form the stem of the future and conditional:

If the infinitive ends in -e:
- Then remove -e from the infinitive.
- Else take the infinitive.

First conjugation

Main category: Catalan first conjugation verbs

This group contains verbs all verbs in ending -ar. These verbs characteristically form the imperfect tense with infix -av- rather than -i- as in the other two conjugations.

The majority of Catalan verbs belongs to this group, and almost all of them are completely regular and inflected the same way. There are no subgroups, so for all but a handful of first conjugation verbs, the infinitive is the only principal part that is needed to determine all forms.

Model verb: cantar

Conjugation of cantar (first conjugation)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			cantar
gerund			cantant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		cantat		cantada
		plural		cantats		cantades
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	canto	cantes	canta	cantem	canteu	canten
	imperfect	cantava	cantaves	cantava	cantàvem	cantàveu	cantaven
	future	cantaré	cantaràs	cantarà	cantarem	cantareu	cantaran
	preterite	cantí	cantares	cantà	cantàrem	cantàreu	cantaren
	conditional	cantaria	cantaries	cantaria	cantaríem	cantaríeu	cantarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	canti	cantis	canti	cantem	canteu	cantin
	imperfect	cantés	cantessis	cantés	cantéssim	cantéssiu	cantessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	canta	canti	cantem	canteu	cantin
	negative (no)	—	no cantis	no canti	no cantem	no canteu	no cantin

Second conjugation

Main category: Catalan second conjugation verbs

This group contains verbs in -re and -er. Apart from a few verbs, the verbs of this conjugation class have stress on the stem rather than on the infinitive ending. This conjugation is by far the most irregular, and many verbs have unusual changes in the stem.

There are several subgroups within the second conjugation. They are split up based on the final consonants of the stem. Historically speaking, the infinitive ending of these verbs was unstressed -ere, in which the first vowel usually disappeared and the ending contracted into -re. However, in some verbs the final consonant couldn't easily be combined with this ending. For example, the stems tem- or torç- did not "fit" with the ending -re: temre and torçre were hard to pronounce in the earlier history of Catalan. Thus, in these verbs the first vowel remained, and the second was dropped instead, resulting in unstressed -er. In modern Catalan, stems ending in the following consonants will have unstressed -er in the infinitive: -m, -ny, -rr, -x, -c/-ç, -s. The future and conditional forms are based on the infinitive, so the verbs which have kept the first -e- in the infinitive will also have it in the future and conditional (teme-ré, but perd-ré).

There are some verbs with a stressed ending -er in the infinitive. These are leftovers from the Latin second conjugation (stressed -ēre) which almost completely merged into the third conjugation (unstressed -ere) in Catalan. They do not form a coherent group, however, and many of them have alternative infinitives in -re. They are therefore best considered as irregular infinitives belonging to one of the other groups, and not as a group by themselves.

Regular type

It is hard to say exactly what is "regular" when considering the second conjugation. However, the verbs of this group most resemble the verbs of the first and third conjugations. In particular, they are almost the same as the third conjugation verbs without the -eix- infix. The verbs of this type are those whose final consonant cannot be easily combined with the velar infix (see below). More specifically, this type contains the second conjugation verbs whose stem does not end in -l, -n or a vowel. The verb cerndre also belongs here.

As noted above, the forms of the infinitive, future and conditional depend on the final consonant. Both varieties are shown here.

Model verb: perdre

Conjugation of perdre (second conjugation)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			perdre
gerund			perdent
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		perdut		perduda
		plural		perduts		perdudes
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	perdo	perds	perd	perdem	perdeu	perden
	imperfect	perdia	perdies	perdia	perdíem	perdíeu	perdien
	future	perdré	perdràs	perdrà	perdrem	perdreu	perdran
	preterite	perdí	perderes	perdé	perdérem	perdéreu	perderen
	conditional	perdria	perdries	perdria	perdríem	perdríeu	perdrien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	perdi	perdis	perdi	perdem	perdeu	perdin
	imperfect	perdés	perdessis	perdés	perdéssim	perdéssiu	perdessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	perd	perdi	perdem	perdeu	perdin
	negative (no)	—	no perdis	no perdi	no perdem	no perdeu	no perdin

Model verb: témer

Conjugation of témer (second conjugation)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			témer
gerund			tement
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		temut		temuda
		plural		temuts		temudes
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	temo	tems	tem	temem	temeu	temen
	imperfect	temia	temies	temia	temíem	temíeu	temien
	future	temeré	temeràs	temerà	temerem	temereu	temeran
	preterite	temí	temeres	temé	temérem	teméreu	temeren
	conditional	temeria	temeries	temeria	temeríem	temeríeu	temerien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	temi	temis	temi	temem	temeu	temin
	imperfect	temés	temessis	temés	teméssim	teméssiu	temessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	tem	temi	temem	temeu	temin
	negative (no)	—	no temis	no temi	no temem	no temeu	no temin

Velar-infix stems

Characteristic of the second conjugation is the appearance of many verbs which have an additional -g- attached to the end of the stem in some of the forms. This is called the "velar infix". This infix usually appears in the forms of the preterite and subjunctive (both present and imperfect). It also appears in the first-person singular present, where it becomes -c due to final devoicing; these forms do not have the -o that the regular verbs do. In addition, many verbs have a velar infix in the past participle.

The expansion of the velar infix /g/ in this verbal subclass, while its formation is debated, might be the result of the morphologic reinterpretation from the final consonant of some very frequent verbs with a velar in the present theme like DICO > dic (I say) and the consonantization of the aspectual mark of verbs with a strong perfect in -UI- like DEBUIT > dec >> degué (ought)^[1]

Second conjugation verbs with stems ending in -l or -n generally have a velar infix in all of the above forms (but note cerndre which does not have it). In these verbs, an additional -d- is inserted into the infinitive, but this is not part of the stem and it is removed in most forms (but not in the future and conditional, since those are based on the infinitive).

Model verb: prendre

Conjugation of prendre (second conjugation, irregular, with velar infix)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			prendre
gerund			prenent
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		pres		presa
		plural		presos		preses
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	prenc	prens	pren	prenem	preneu	prenen
	imperfect	prenia	prenies	prenia	preníem	preníeu	prenien
	future	prendré	prendràs	prendrà	prendrem	prendreu	prendran
	preterite	prenguí	prengueres	prengué	prenguérem	prenguéreu	prengueren
	conditional	prendria	prendries	prendria	prendríem	prendríeu	prendrien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	prengui	prenguis	prengui	prenguem	prengueu	prenguin
	imperfect	prengués	prenguessis	prengués	prenguéssim	prenguéssiu	prenguessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	pren	prengui	prenguem	preneu	prenguin
	negative (no)	—	no prenguis	no prengui	no prenguem	no prengueu	no prenguin

Vowel stems

Second conjugation verbs with stems ending in a vowel will have an infinitive ending in -ure. A few verbs (dur, dir, fer) have just -r. Vowel stem verbs normally use the velar infix as well.

This group of verbs can be further subdivided based on how the final -u of the stem behaves. This is particularly noticeable in the forms of the imperfect tense:

The stem-final -u disappears between vowels, creating a hiatus. The imperfect ending is -ïa /ˈiə/, with a diaeresis on the i to separate it from the preceding vowel.
The stem-final -u becomes a consonant -v- between vowels (just like in the adjective blau, feminine blava). The imperfect ending is -via /ˈβiə/.
The stem-final -u becomes consonantal -i- /j/ between vowels, and the stem is stressed instead of the ending. The imperfect ending is -ia /jə/. Verbs of this type tend to have the vowel -e- in the imperfect tense stem, even when the other forms have another vowel.

Model verb: complaure

Conjugation of complaure (second conjugation, irregular, with velar infix)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			complaure
gerund			complaent
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		complagut		complaguda
		plural		complaguts		complagudes
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	complac	complaus	complau	complaem	complaeu	complauen
	imperfect	complaïa	complaïes	complaïa	complaíem	complaíeu	complaïen
	future	complauré	complauràs	complaurà	complaurem	complaureu	complauran
	preterite	complaguí	complagueres	complagué	complaguérem	complaguéreu	complagueren
	conditional	complauria	complauries	complauria	complauríem	complauríeu	complaurien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	complagui	complaguis	complagui	complaguem	complagueu	complaguin
	imperfect	complagués	complaguessis	complagués	complaguéssim	complaguéssiu	complaguessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	complau	complagui	complaguem	complaeu	complaguin
	negative (no)	—	no complaguis	no complagui	no complaguem	no complagueu	no complaguin

Model verb: beure

Conjugation of beure (second conjugation, irregular, with velar infix)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			beure
gerund			bevent
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		begut		beguda
		plural		beguts		begudes
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	bec	beus	beu	bevem	beveu	beuen
	imperfect	bevia	bevies	bevia	bevíem	bevíeu	bevien
	future	beuré	beuràs	beurà	beurem	beureu	beuran
	preterite	beguí	begueres	begué	beguérem	beguéreu	begueren
	conditional	beuria	beuries	beuria	beuríem	beuríeu	beurien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	begui	beguis	begui	beguem	begueu	beguin
	imperfect	begués	beguessis	begués	beguéssim	beguéssiu	beguessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	beu	begui	beguem	beveu	beguin
	negative (no)	—	no beguis	no begui	no beguem	no begueu	no beguin

Model verb: creure

Conjugation of creure (second conjugation, irregular, with velar infix)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			creure
gerund			creient
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		cregut		creguda
		plural		creguts		cregudes
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	crec	creus	creu	creiem	creieu	creuen
	imperfect	creia	creies	creia	crèiem	crèieu	creien
	future	creuré	creuràs	creurà	creurem	creureu	creuran
	preterite	creguí	cregueres	cregué	creguérem	creguéreu	cregueren
	conditional	creuria	creuries	creuria	creuríem	creuríeu	creurien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	cregui	creguis	cregui	creguem	cregueu	creguin
	imperfect	cregués	creguessis	cregués	creguéssim	creguéssiu	creguessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	creu	cregui	creguem	creieu	creguin
	negative (no)	—	no creguis	no cregui	no creguem	no cregueu	no creguin

Third conjugation

Main category: Catalan third conjugation verbs

This group contains all verbs ending in -ir, except for tenir, venir and dir and their derivatives. It is a fairly large class with many regular verbs.

With -eix-

Main category: Catalan third conjugation verbs with -eix-

The verbs in this group add an infix -eix- between the stem and the ending, whenever the ending does not carry stress. Most third conjugation verbs follow this conjugation, and most of the verbs are regular.

These verbs are often referred to as "inchoative" verbs, because the -eix- infix descends from the Latin suffix -ēscō which was used to form inchoative verbs. This name is a misnomer, though, as these verbs are not necessarily inchoative in meaning in modern Catalan.

Model verb: servir

Conjugation of servir (third conjugation, with -eix-)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			servir
gerund			servint
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		servit		servida
		plural		servits		servides
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	serveixo	serveixes	serveix	servim	serviu	serveixen
	imperfect	servia	servies	servia	servíem	servíeu	servien
	future	serviré	serviràs	servirà	servirem	servireu	serviran
	preterite	serví	servires	serví	servírem	servíreu	serviren
	conditional	serviria	serviries	serviria	serviríem	serviríeu	servirien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	serveixi	serveixis	serveixi	servim	serviu	serveixin
	imperfect	servís	servissis	servís	servíssim	servíssiu	servissin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	serveix	serveixi	servim	serviu	serveixin
	negative (no)	—	no serveixis	no serveixi	no servim	no serviu	no serveixin

Without -eix-

Main category: Catalan third conjugation verbs without -eix-

The verbs in this group do not add the infix -eix-, and are sometimes referred to as "pure" third conjugation verbs. Only around 10% of the third conjugation verbs follow this pattern, and there is a tendency for even those verbs to be conjugated like the larger and more productive -eix- class instead. As a consequence, this group consists mostly of old "relic" verbs that tend to be used relatively frequently.

Model verb: dormir

Conjugation of dormir (third conjugation, without -eix-)

person		singular			plural
infinitive			dormir
gerund			dormint
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		dormit		dormida
		plural		dormits		dormides
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	dormo	dorms	dorm	dormim	dormiu	dormen
	imperfect	dormia	dormies	dormia	dormíem	dormíeu	dormien
	future	dormiré	dormiràs	dormirà	dormirem	dormireu	dormiran
	preterite	dormí	dormires	dormí	dormírem	dormíreu	dormiren
	conditional	dormiria	dormiries	dormiria	dormiríem	dormiríeu	dormirien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	dormi	dormis	dormi	dormim	dormiu	dormin
	imperfect	dormís	dormissis	dormís	dormíssim	dormíssiu	dormissin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	dorm	dormi	dormim	dormiu	dormin
	negative (no)	—	no dormis	no dormi	no dormim	no dormiu	no dormin

Verbs that can be conjugated as either type

These verbs can be conjugated either with or without -eix-. Sometimes there is a difference in meaning, but usually the forms without -eix- are just more archaic.

^ Manuel Badal (2020) “La expansión del afijo velar /g/ en catalán entre los siglos XIII y XV”, in Revista de Filología Studies‎^[1], →DOI, retrieved 2024-06-02

[1] Manuel Badal (2020) “La expansión del afijo velar /g/ en catalán entre los siglos XIII y XV”, in Revista de Filología Studies‎^[1], →DOI, retrieved 2024-06-02

[1]