I
Puer librum legit.
Puer est fīlius poētae.
Puer in scholā linguam Latīnam discit.
Puer labōrat in agrīs.
II
Magister puerōs laudat.
Puerī magistrum audiunt.
Māter puerō librum dat.
Pater puerī agricola est.
III
Magister puerīs librōs dat.
Casae puerōrum parvae sunt.
Agricola cum puerīs in agrō labōrat.
Agricola cum puerō in viā ambulat.
(1) vocabulary
- ager, agrī [2/m]: field
- liber, librī [2/m]: book
- magister, magistrī [2/m]: teacher
- puer, -ī [2/m]: boy; child
- audiunt: they hear / listen to
(2)
Image #1
[i] There is a group of 2nd declension masculine
nouns that end in -er; common examples are:
ager: field
liber: book
magister: teacher
puer: boy; child
[ii] To this list we can also add a noun that ends in -r:
vir: man
Images #2 and #3
[iii] Apart from the nominative singular these nouns
have the same endings as 2nd declension masculine nouns in -us.
However, when endings are added:
[a] some of these nouns lose the /e/ of the nominative
singular
- ager, agrī [2/m]: field
- liber, librī [2/n]: book
- magister, magistrī [2/m]: teacher
[b] some retain the /e/ of the nominative singular
- puer, -ī (i.e. puerī) [2/m]: boy; child
- signifer, -ī (i.e. signiferī) [2/m]: standard-bearer (in the Roman army)
[iv] In vocabulary lists, this may be indicated in the
following way:
- magister, -rī [2/m]; the /e/ is lost
- puer, -ī [2/m]; the /e/ is retained
____________________
I
The boy reads a book.
The boy is the son of the poet.
The boy learns the Latin language in school.
The boy works in the fields.
II
The teacher praises the boys.
The boys listen to the teacher.
The mother gives a book to the boy.
The father of the boy is a farmer.
III
The teacher gives books to the boys.
The boys’ houses are small.
The farmer works with the boys in the field.
The farmer walks with the boy on the road.