11.10.24: Level 1; review; practice in the cases; 2nd declension in –(e)r [1]

Lectiō §46:

Meus │ ager │ est.

Magnum │ agrum  │ habet.

Multōs  │ agrōs  │ habet.

Quot  │ agrī  │ sunt?

In  │ agrō  │ sumus.

Ager Getae magnus est — ager Dāvī parvus est — in agrō Getae multum frūmentum est — in agrō Dāvī quīnque vaccae sunt — Dāvus quattuor equōs habet, sed equī in agrō nōn sunt — cūr in agrō equī nōn sunt? — quia equī in castrīs sunt — sed vaccae nōn in agrō sunt? — ubi sunt vaccae? — suntne vaccae in agrō? — cūr in agrō nōn sunt? — vaccae in agrō nōn sunt, quia Gallī in Ītaliā sunt — Rōmānī in agrīs nōn manent — sunt in oppidō — estne frūmentum in agrīs? — ēheu! multum frūmentum in agrīs est — barbarī agrum Getae vastant — sed vaccae Dāvī tūtae sunt! — equī Dāvī tūtī sunt! — nam in agrīs nōn manent — quot agrōs barbarī vastant? — ēheu! magnus est numerus agrōrum! — multī agrī tūtī sunt sed reliquōs vastant barbarī. 

[1] Find the Latin:

1. It is my field.
2. Davus’ field is small.
3. How many fields are there?
4. Many fields are safe.
5. The barbarians lay waste to / destroy Geta’s field.
6. He has many fields.
7. How many fields do the barbarians destroy?
8. There is a great number of fields.
9. We are in a field.
10. Why are they not in a field?
11. The Romans do not stay in the fields.

[2] There is a group of second declension masculine nouns ending in –(e)r.

Apart from the nominative singular (2^nd declension masculine nouns almost always end in -us in the nominative singular) these nouns have exactly the same endings in all other cases both singular and plural. However, some of these nouns, before case endings are added, drop the /e/ before the -r.

[3] Note the remark that “some” of these nouns drop /e/ which is a reason why, when learning Latin nouns, you should always learn them together with the genitive singular because it is the genitive singular that is used to indicate if there are any changes to the noun when it declines.

[i] /e/ is dropped

ager, agrī [2/m]: field

liber, librī [2/m]: book

magister, magistrī [2/m]: teacher

[ii] /e/ is retained

puer, -ī  [2/m]: boy

signifer, -ī [2/m]: standard-bearer

vir, -ī [2/m]: man