b stem certain elements that have the force of auxiliary verbs.
These are called _tense signs_.

_133._ Formation and Inflection of the Imperfect. The tense sign of
the imperfect is -ba:-, which is added to the present stem. The
imperfect consists, therefore, of three parts:

PRESENT STEM TENSE SIGN PERSONAL ENDING
ama:- ba- m
_loving_ _was_ _I_

The inflection is as follows:

CONJUGATION I CONJUGATION II
PERSONAL
SINGULAR ENDINGS
1. ama:'bam, _I was loving_ mone:'bam, _I was advising_ -m
2. ama:'ba:s, _you were loving_ mone:'ba:s, _you were advising_ -s
3. ama:'bat, _he was loving_ mone:'bat, _he was advising_ -t

PLURAL
1. ama:ba:'mus, _we were loving_ mone:ba:'mus, _we were advising_ -mus
2. ama:ba:'tis, _you were loving_ mone:ba:'tis, _you were advising_ -tis
3. ama:'bant, _they were loving_ mone:'bant, _they wereadvising_ -nt

_a._ Note that the /a:\ of the tense sign -ba:- is shortened before
-nt, and before /m\ and /t\ when final. (Cf. Sec. 12.2.)

In a similar manner inflect the verbs given in Sec. 129.

_134._ Meaning of the Imperfect. The Latin imperfect describes an
act as _going on_ or _progressing in past time_, like the English
past-progressive tense (as, _I was walking_). It is the regular tense
used to describe a past situation or condition of affairs.

_135._ EXERCISES

I. 1. Videbamus, desiderabat, maturabas. 2. Dabant, vocabatis,
delebamus. 3. Pugnant, laudabas, movebatis. 4. Iubebant, properabatis,
portabamus. 5. Dabas, narrabant, laborabatis. 6. Videbant, movebas,
nuntiabamus. 7. Necabat, movebam, habebat, parabatis.

II. 1. You were having (_sing. and plur._), we were killing, they were
laboring. 2. He was moving, we were ordering, we were fighting. 3. We
were telling, they were seeing, he was calling. 4. They were living,
I was longing for, we were destroying. 5. You were giving, you were
moving, you were announcing, (_sing. and plur._). 6. They were caring
for, he was plowing, we were praising.

_136._ NI'OBE AND HER CHILDREN

First learn the special vocabulary, p. 287.

Niobe, regina Thebanorum, erat pulchra femina sed superba. Erat superba
non solum forma[1] sua maritique potentia[1] sed etiam magno liberorum
numero.[1] Nam habebat[2] septem filios et septem filias. Sed