Latin – Basic Latin Grammar Pt. 1
Latin 1.2.1 Noun cases, first and second declensions
Latin is an inflected language. It changes form or ending of some words when the way in which they are used in sentences changes.
Gender (masc., fem., neuter) – depends on the suffix attached to the word
The gender of adj. + noun have to match.
*there are no articles in Latin.
case – the particular use of a noun in a sentence.
genitive – indicates possession
accusative – direct object
ablative – expresses how, when, where, or why
subject – the person or thing being described or performing the action
object – the person or thing that is acted upon by the subject
direct object – receives the action of a sentence; whom, what
indirect object – affected by the action; receives the direct object
Jake(subj.) ate the cereal(DO).
Jake gave me(IO) some cereal.
declension – a group of nouns that form their cases the same way
to decline a noun – to list all possible case forms for that noun
First-Declension Nouns (only masc./fem., no neuter)
First-Declension Case Endings
Declining a First-Declension Noun
nominative puēlla puēllae
genitive puēllae puellārum
accusative puēllam puēllas
Ex: Terram agricolarum puella amat.
terram: terra (land); -am – accusative; DO
agricolarum: agricola (farmer); -arum –plural genitive; “of the farmer”
puella: (girl); -a – singular nominative; subject
amat: (love); verb; “she loves”
So then: The girl loves the land of the farmers.
Second-Declension Masc./Fem. Case Endings
Declining a Second-Declension Masc. Noun
Second-Declension Neuter Case Endings
*underlined endings are different from gendered noun endings
Declining a Second-Declension Neuter Noun
Ex: Portat saxa puella in agua.
saxum (rock) – accusative singular (DO)
puella (girl) – nominative singular (Subj.)
agua (water) – ablative singular (where)
So then: The girl in the water carries rocks.
*a Latin dictionary gives the nominative and genitive singular forms
Next Latin post: Latin 1.2.2 Verbs and Tenses Basics