24.04.24: 3rd declension adjectives [3]; examples of 3rd declension 2 termination adjectives in the different cases: singular

Singular

[1] Nominative: -is [m/f], -e [n]

[i] masculine and feminine have the same ending: -is

Dominus ¦ crūdēlis ¦ servum castīgat. │ The cruel master punishes the slave.

[ii] neuter: -e

Hoc opus ¦ difficile ¦ est. │ This work is difficult.

[2] Genitive: -is

all genders have the same ending: -is i.e. the same as the nominative masculine and feminine above but applies to all genders in the genitive singular

Dolor mātris ¦ fortis ¦ erat magnus. │ The sorrow ¦ of the brave mother ¦ was great.

[3] Dative: -ī

all genders have the same ending: -ī

Rēx ¦ fortī ¦ mīlitī praemium dat. │ The king gives a reward ¦ to the brave soldier.

[4] Accusative: -em [m/f]; -e [n]

[i] masculine and feminine have the same ending: -em

• Servī dominum ¦ crūdēlem ¦ timent. │ The slaves fear ¦ the cruel master.

[ii] neuter is the same as the nominative singular: -e

• Hoc opus ¦ difficile ¦ nōn amō. │ I don’t like this ¦ difficult work

[5] Ablative: -ī

all genders have the same ending: -ī

• brevī tempore │ in a short time; shortly

Very important note! The grammatical terminology can be misleading.

3rd declension adjectives are not only used with 3rd declension nouns; they just happen to share the same endings, for example:

Dominus [2nd declension noun] crūdelis [3rd declension adjective] servōs cāstigat. │ The cruel master punishes the slaves.

Servī dominum [2nd declension noun in the accusative] crūdelem [3rd declension adjective in the accusative] timent. │ The slaves fear the cruel master.