Latvian verbs fall into three conjugations, distinguished by how the present tense is formed.
The three conjugations
I conjugation
short root, e.g. nest (to carry)
II conjugation
infinitive in -āt, -ēt, -īt with present in -āju, e.g. runāt
III conjugation
present without -j-, e.g. lasīt (to read)
Present tense
| Person | I — nest | II — runāt | III — lasīt |
|---|---|---|---|
| es | nesu | runāju | lasu |
| tu | nes | runā | lasi |
| viņš/viņa | nes | runā | lasa |
| mēs | nesam | runājam | lasām |
| jūs | nesat | runājat | lasāt |
| viņi/viņas | nes | runā | lasa |
Many I-conjugation verbs change a consonant or vowel in the stem between the infinitive and the present, e.g.: celt — ceļu, pirkt — pērku.