29.02.24: accusative case plural of first declension nouns

Sometimes, a single and memorable phrase can be enough to have complete mastery over case endings. The image in the previous post gives you both the accusative singular and the accusative plural of first declension nouns:

Lūnam et stēllās spectāmus: We look at the moon and the stars

The accusative plural of first declension nouns is -ās:

Accusative singular:

Schola Rōmāna neque iānuam neque fenestram habet. The Roman school has neither a door nor a window.

> Accusative plural:

Schola Americāna et iānuās et fenestrās habet. The American school has both doors and windows.

Scholae magistram [accusative singular] et puellās [accusative plural] dēlectant. [Literally: The schools please the teacher and the girls] = The teacher and the girls like the schools.

And, as always, the same endings apply to the adjectives:

Schola antīqua longās sellās habet. The old school has long seats (benches).

Schola nova parvās sellās habet. The new school has small seats.

Schola Rōmāna puellās Americānās dēlectat … [Literally: the Roman school pleases the American girls] = The American girls like the Roman school.

Puellae Americānae scholās apertās amant. The American girls love open-air schools.

And while you’re looking at the moon and the stars, add two adjectives …

Lūnam candidam et stēllās pulchrās spectō. I look at the bright white moon and the beautiful stars …

... and you have the case endings!

[1] Practise saying who you love:

Quem amās? Who(m) do you love?

fīliae meae: my daughters > Fīliās meās amō. I love my daughters.

• amīcae meae
• magistrae meae

[2] Practise saying what you want in a shop by asking ‘do you have’: habēsne...?

ūvae: grapes > Habēsne ūvās? Do you have grapes?

• olīvae (olives)
• ostreae (oysters)
• fabae (beans))

[3] Practise saying what things you see in a house. And you see two things every time!

Quid in domō vidēs? What do you see in the house?

Duae mēnsae > Duās mēnsās videō. I see two tables.

• duae fenestrae
• duae iānuae
• duae sellae
• duae statuae

[4] And take a step further. How do you translate these sentences.

1. Duās vaccās magnās in agrō videō.
2. Duās mēnsās longās in scholā videō.
3. Duās puellās parvās et trēs ancillās pulchrās In hortō videō.
4. Multās puellās Americānās in pictūrā videō.
5. Ūnam magistram Americānam in pictūrā videō. Why is it ūnam?