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Updated on March 22, 2019Third conjugation verbs end in -ere in the infinitive (the second principal part).
In the third conjugation, a three-syllable infinitive stresses the first syllable. Our model Latin third conjugation verb below is gero, so its second principal part would be pronounced GE'reh-reh, where the "g" is hard, as in "get". [See Latin Discussion.]
Like the third declension, the third conjugation seems to have more than its share of different types, since it actually has a subtype, the -io verbs. It may also seem hard to distinguish verbs of the third conjugation from other conjugations. If this is something you have problems with, please read the following; otherwise, skip to the paradigm.
The other conjugation with an -ere as the second principal part is actually different because it has a long -e that you may see marked with a macron ( — ). The second conjugation syllable with a long -e is stressed. If you see the complete paradigm, you can tell a second from a third conjugation because the future has a -b-, just like the imperfect. Third conjugation verbs do not have a "-b-" in the future. You need to pay attention to the differences between the future indicative and the present subjunctive.
If you want to know whether a verb is in the third conjugation, you can look at the first two principal parts. The conjugations in the running are the second and fourth, but the first principal part distinguishes the second conjugation from the third, and the second principal part distinguishes the fourth conjugation from the third conjugation -io subtype of verbs.
Endings for the four Latin conjugations shown with macrons:
1st: -o, -āre | 2nd: -eo, -ēre | 3rd: -o, -ere / -io, -ere | 4th: -io, īre
Principal parts for the 3rd conjugation verb gerere, to manage