Latin for Learners: declensions and cases

Showing posts with label declensions and cases. Show all posts

Saturday, October 31, 2026

04.06.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (22); review [3]

[1] Match the English with the Latin in the word cloud:

dangerous

dark

dear; beloved

famous; well-known

good

happy

kind

large; great

Latin

many; much

open

pleasing; welcome

small

your

apertus, -a, -um; benignus, -a, -um; bonus, -a, -um; cārus, -a, -um; clārus, -a, -um;

grātus, -a, -um; laetus, -a, -um; Latīnus, -a, -um; magnus, -a, -um; meus, -a, -um;

multus, -a, -um; obscūrus, -a, -um; parvus, -a, -um; perīculōsus, -a, -um; tuus, -a, -um

[2] Label the images:

miser, -a, -um

pulcher, -chra, -chrum

vester, -stra, -strum

aeger, -gra, -grum

noster, -tra, -trum

impiger, -gra, -grum

[3] Which of the images illustrates these sentences?

Casa parva est.

Iānua aperta est.

Multam pecūniam habeō.

Puella aegra est.

Puer miser est.

Vir dēfessus est.

Sunday, October 25, 2026

29.05.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (21); 1st / 2nd declension adjectives [4]; possessive adjectives

I: Amīcus meus multōs librōs habet. Librōs amat. Fīlius amīcī meī librōs nōn amat. Sed puer bonus est, et bene labōrat. Validus et impiger est. Equōs bonōs amat et laetus est cum in agrīs labōrat.

Amiikus meus multoos libroos habet. Libroos aamat. Fiilius amiikii meii libroos noon aamat. Sed puuer bonus est, et bene laboorat. Uualidus et impiger est. Equoos bonoos aamat et laitus est kum in aagriis laboorat.

II: Māter tua parvum hortum habet. In hortō sunt rosae et līlia. Māter tua mihi saepe rosās dat. Soror mea līlia et rosās amat, et in hortō cum fīliā amīcī meī interdum ambulat. Ex fenestrā tēctī nostrī hortum vidēmus.

III: Hortus Mārcī est pulcher, et ibi cum Mārcō saepe ambulō. Mārcus est amīcus meus. Sed hodiē in hortō sōlus ambulō quod Mārcus est aeger. Miser sum quod amīcus meus est aeger.

IV: Sextus equōs meōs laudat. Bellum longum exspectāmus. Fīlia tua est puella bona. Īnsula est parva sed pulchra. Nautae sunt validī.

līlium, -ī [2/n]: lily

(1) nautae sunt validī; although nauta is 1^st declension, it is masculine and so the plural adjective agrees in gender

(2) māter (mother) and soror (sister) belong to a different declension that you have not yet seen. However, they are both feminine and, therefore, the adjective is feminine:

māter tua: your mother

soror mea: my sister

(3) The possessive adjectives in Latin – my, your, our – also act as possessive pronouns: mine, yours, ours.

[i]

meus, -a, -um: my [or: mine]

tuus, -a, -um: your (singular) [or: yours]

These have the same endings as 1^st / 2^nd declension adjectives e.g. bonus, -a, -um

Amīcus meus multōs librōs habet. | My friend has many books.

Fīlius amīcī meī librōs nōn amat. | My friend’s son [ = the son of my friend] does not like books.

Sextus equōs meōs laudat. | Sextus praises my horses.

Fīlia tua est puella bona. | Your daughter is a good girl.

Note: meus also has a vocative singular form when addressing a person (or, technically, an object) that is masculine singular.

Nominative: meus

Vocative: mī

Ō fīlī mī! | Oh, my son!

Valē, amīce mī! | Farewell, my friend!

Quid istuc est, mī vir, negōtī? (Plautus) | What is that business, my husband?

[ii]

noster, nostra, nostrum: our [or: ours]

vester, vestra, vestrum: your (plural) [or: yours]

These have the same endings as 1^st / 2^nd declension adjectives in -er where the /e/ is lost e.g. pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum

Ex fenestrā tēctī nostrī hortum vidēmus. | From the window of our house we see the garden.

[iii] 3^rd person possessives i.e. his / her(s) / their(s) are not adjectives, but pronouns and they do not decline:

(1)

eius: his / her(s); literally: of him / of her

no agreement in gender, number and case

Equus eius validus est. | His / her horse is strong.

Amīcī eius in viā ambulant. | His / her friends are walking on the road.

Amīcum eius videō. | I see his / her friend.

(2)

eōrum: their(s) [masculine]; eārum [feminine]; literally: of them

These do not agree with what is ‘owned’, but with the ‘owner’:

Puerī [masculine] in agrīs labōrant. Casae eōrum [masculine] parvae sunt. Casās eōrum [masculine] videō.

The boys are working in the fields. Their cottages are small. I see their cottages.

Puellae [feminine] linguam Latīnam discunt. Magister eārum [feminine] benignus est. Magistrum eārum [feminine; referring to the girls] saepe audiō.

The girls are learning Latin. Their teacher is kind. I often hear their teacher.

Latin has other ways of expressing 3^rd person possessives but, at this stage, focus on and recognise the ones that are given here.

LINKS

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/210224-meus-mea-meum-my-mine.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/tuus-tua-tuum-eius-1-tuus-tua-tuum-are.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/nominative-plural-of-meus-mea-meum-and.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/03/280525-level-1-readings-12-15-review-3.html

The tables are given for reference, but the endings are exactly the same as for 1^st / 2^nd declension nouns and adjectives.

____________________

I: My friend has many books. He loves books. My friend's son does not love books. But the boy is good, and he works well. He is strong and hardworking. He loves good horses and is happy when he works in the fields.

II: Your mother has a small garden. In the garden there are roses and lilies. Your mother often gives me roses. My sister loves lilies and roses, and she sometimes walks in the garden with my friend's daughter. From the window of our roofed building/house we see the garden.

III: Marcus's garden is beautiful, and I often walk there with Marcus. Marcus is my friend. But today I walk alone in the garden because Marcus is ill. I am sad because my friend is ill.

IV: Sextus praises my horses. We are expecting a long war. Your daughter is a good girl. The island is small but beautiful. The sailors are strong.

Monday, October 19, 2026

23.05.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (20); 1st / 2nd declension adjectives [3]; adjectives in -er

Images #1 and #2

[i] 1st / 2nd declension adjectives, like some 2nd declension masculine nouns, can end in -er. These will also decline in exactly the same way and, as with this noun type:

(1) some lose the /e/ of the nominative singular when endings are added

aeger, aegra, aegrum: sick [aeger, -gra, -grum]
impiger, -gra, -grum: energetic; diligent
pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum: beautiful [pulcher, -chra, -chrum]

(2) some adjectives retain the /e/

miser, misera, miserum: wretched [miser, -a, -um]

LINKS

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/declensions%3A%202nd%20in%20-er

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

18.05.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (19); 1st / 2nd declension adjectives [2]

I: Sextus bonus agricola est, et multum frūmentum habet. Magnum tēctum et parvum hortum habet. In hortō cum fīliā et fīliō nunc stat. Vesperī saepe in viīs cum amīcīs ambulat. Multī Sextum amant quod benignus est.

II: Fīlius Sextī in magnō bellō pugnat, et gladium et scūtum habet. Pūblius quoque, amīcus Sextī, in bellō pugnat.

III: Librōs multōrum poētārum laudō, sed librōs tuōs nōn laudō. Poēta bonus nōn es. Fāma tua nōn magna est.

IV: Nauta sōlus in viā stat. Amīcum exspectat. Sed amīcus in tēctō tuō manet. Nautam nōn videt.

V: Nunc amīcus ex tēctō properat. Nauta laetus est quod amīcum videt. Nauta et amīcus nōn diū in viā ambulant, quod amīcus dēfessus est.

VI: Cūr, amīce, ex tēctō tuō properās? Ex tēctō meō properō quod nautam in viā videō.

VII: Amīcus tuus sum, sed cōnsilium tuum nōn laudō. Nōn est cōnsilium bonum. Pūblius habet cōnsilium bonum.

VIII: Sextus magnōs equōs habet. Tēctum meum est magnum, casa tua est parva. Amīcōs benignōs habeō. Puerī in silvā sunt sōlī. Nauta est validus, sed fīlius nautae nōn est validus.

(1) vocabulary

bellum, -ī [2/n]: war
cōnsilium, -ī [2/n]: plan
scūtum, -ī [2/n]: shield
gladius, -ī [2/m]: sword
pugnō, -āre [1]: fight
dēfessus, -a, -um: tired; weary

(2)

bonus agricola: a good farmer

poēta bonus: a good poet

librōs multōrum poētārum laudō: I praise the books of many poets

nauta laetus est: the sailor is happy

nauta est validus: the sailor is strong

nauta sōlus in viā stat: the sailor stands alone on the road

Although the nouns agricola, poēta and nauta are first declension, they are masculine in gender and so the adjective becomes masculine (see the previous unit: note [4]).

(3)

As in English, adjectives in Latin can stand alone and act as nouns:

Robin Hood robs from the rich to give to the poor.

In the text:

Multī Sextum amant | Many (people) love Sextus

(4) Give the case and number of the adjectives in bold:

[i] Nauta sōlus in viā stat.

[ii] Puerī in silvā sunt sōlī.

[iii] Fīlius Sextī in magnō bellō pugnat.

[iv] Sextus magnōs equōs habet.

[v] Nōn est cōnsilium bonum.

[vi] Cōnsilium tuum nōn laudō.

[vii] Librōs tuōs nōn laudō.

[viii] Fāma tua nōn magna est.

[ix] Cūr, amīce, ex tēctō tuō properās?

[x] (a) Multī Sextum amant quod (b) benignus est.

[xi] Multum frūmentum habet.

[xii] Librōs multōrum poētārum laudō.

[xiii] Amīcōs benignōs habeō.

____________________

[i] Nominative singular

[ii] Nominative plural

[iii] Ablative singular

[iv] Accusative plural

[v] Nominative singular

[vi] Accusative singular

[vii] Accusative plural

[viii] Nominative singular

[ix] Ablative singular

[x] (a) Nominative plural; (b) Nominative singular

[xi] Accusative singular

[xii] Genitive plural

[xiii] Accusative plural

____________________

I: Sextus is a good farmer, and has a lot of grain. He has a large house and a small garden. He is now standing in the garden with his daughter and son. In the evening he often walks in the streets with his friends. Many people love Sextus because he is kind.

II: Sextus' son is fighting in a great war, and has a sword and a shield. Publius also, Sextus' friend, is fighting in the war.

III: I praise the books of many poets, but I do not praise your books. You are not a good poet. Your reputation is not great.

IV: The sailor is standing alone on the road. He is waiting for his friend. But his friend is staying in your house. He does not see the sailor.

V: Now the friend hurries out of the house. The sailor is happy because he sees his friend. The sailor and his friend do not walk on the road for long, because the friend is tired.

VI: "Why are you hurrying out of your house, friend?" "I am hurrying out of my house because I see the sailor on the road."

VII: I am your friend, but I do not praise your plan. It is not a good plan. Publius has a good plan.

VIII: Sextus has large horses. My house is large; your cottage is small. I have kind friends. The boys are alone in the forest. The sailor is strong, but the sailor's son is not strong.

Friday, October 9, 2026

13.05.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (18); 1st / 2nd declension adjectives [1]

[1] Review of earlier units

(1) An adjective can be [i] attributive or [ii] predicative

[i] attributive: a little girl; in English the attributive adjective usually comes immediately before the noun. In Latin the attributive adjective may come before or after the noun:

parva puella | the / a little girl
īnsula magna | the / a large island
Britannia īnsula magna et pulchra est. | Britain is a large and beautiful island.

[ii] predicative: the cottage is beautiful; the adjective follows the verb ‘to be’:

casa est pulchra | the cottage is beautiful
casa est pulchra sed parva | the cottage is beautiful but small

Latin word order is flexible and so, very often, the verb is at the end of the sentence:

casa nōn magna est | the cottage is not big

(2) adjectives agree; their endings will show:

[i] the gender, number (singular / plural) and case of the attributive adjective:

nominative

parva puella epistulam habet | the little girl has a letter
Patria tua nōn est America | your homeland is not America

accusative

parvam puellam amō | I love the little girl
patriam meam amō | I love my homeland

[ii] the gender and number after the verb ‘to be’; the case will be nominative

Hibernia quoque est magna et pulchra | Ireland is also large and beautiful

[2] 1^st / 2^nd declension adjectives

There are two types of adjectives in Latin. You have seen the first type throughout all the units so far. At this stage, we will focus only on this type.

[i] 1^st / 2^nd declension adjectives have the nominative singular endings -us, -a, -um and decline with the same endings as 1^stand 2^nd declension nouns.

The term ‘2-1-2’ is also used to describe them since:

the masculine adjective has the same endings as a 2^nd declension masculine noun: 2

the feminine adjective has the same endings as a 1^st declension feminine noun: 1

the neuter adjective has the same endings as a 2^nd declension neuter noun: 2

Masculine: bonus; same ending as a 2^nd declension masculine noun [‘2’]
Feminine: bona; same ending as a 1^st declension feminine noun [‘1’]
Neuter: bonum; same ending as a 2^nd declension neuter noun [‘2’]

The adjectives are normally listed in vocabularies as: bonus, -a, -um

[ii] Only the masculine vocative singular is listed with a separate ending; in the plural and in all other adjective declensions the vocative singular is the same as the nominative singular, the vocative plural the same as the nominative plural.

[3] 1^st / 2^nd declension adjectives are not copying the endings of 1^st / 2^nd declension nouns. They just happen to have the same endings. There are other noun declensions in Latin, but the 1^st / 2^nd declension adjectives will retain their own endings, for example:

bonus vir: a good man

rēx [masculine] irātus: an angry king

urbs [feminine] magna: a large city

flūmen [neuter] altum: a deep river

[4] 1^st declension nouns are mainly feminine and, therefore, the adjective agrees in gender:

puella [feminine] pulchra: a beautiful girl

casa [feminine] parva: a small cottage

However, some are masculine and refer to occupations / activities traditionally associated with males, for example:

agricola, -ae [1/m]: farmer

nauta, -ae [1/m]: sailor

pīrāta, -ae [1/m]: pirate

poēta, -ae [1/m]: poet

When an adjective describes these nouns, the masculine form is used:

poēta [masculine] clārus: a famous poet

pīrāta [masculine] malus: an evil pirate

LINKS

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/adjectives%3A%201st%20%2F%202nd%20declension

Monday, October 5, 2026

09.05.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (17); 2nd declension; review [2]

(1) vocabulary

frūmentum, -ī [2/n]: grain
hortus, -ī [2/m]: garden
edunt: (they) eat
hodiē: today
sōlus: alone
validus: strong; well

multī: many; note:

multum frūmentum | much / a lot of grain

multī equī | many horses

> multōs equōs [accusative] habet | he has many horses

(2) Listen to the recording and complete the text with the missing endings.

I: Mārc_____, amīc_____ me_____, agricola est, et mult_____ equ_____ habet. Mārc_____ equ_____ hieme mult_____ frūment_____ dat. Equ_____ magn_____ et valid_____ sunt. Aestāte equ_____ interdum in agr_____ sunt, et tum frūment_____ nōn edunt. Sed frūment_____ equ_____ damus cum⁠ labōrant.

-ī; -īs; -ōs; -um; -us

II: Puer_____ in agr_____ cum agricolā vidēmus. Pu_____ fīli_____ agricolae est. Agricola fīliam quoque habet. Fīlia hodiē in hort_____ labōrat. Sed fīlia nōn est sōla in hort_____. Māter puellae quoque in hort_____ est.

-er; -ō; -um; -us

III:

Cūr, Sext_____, sōl_____ in viā ambulās?

Sōl_____ in viā ambulō quod amīc_____ me_____ hodiē in agr_____ labōrant.

Cūr in agr_____ cum amīc_____ tu_____ nōn labōrās?

In agr_____ nōn labōrō quod nōn valid_____ sum.

-us; -īs; -ī; -e

(3) Choose the correct translation:

[i] The boy is the son of my friend.

[A] Puer est fīliae meae amīcus.
[B] Puer est amīcī meī fīlius.
[C] Puer est amīcus fīliī meī.

[ii] I often praise the boy but I don’t praise the boy’s friend.

[A] Puerum interdum laudō sed puer amīcum nōn laudat.
[B] Puerōs saepe laudō sed amīcōs puerōrum nōn laudō
[C] Puerum saepe laudō sed amīcum puerī nōn laudō.

[iii] We see the farmer’s fields from the window of the cottage.

[A] Agrōs agricolae ex fenestrā casae vidēmus.
[B] Agrōs agricolae ex fenestrā casae videt.
[C] Agrum agricolae ex fenestrā casae vidēmus.

[iv] The boys are now in the garden with your daughter.

[A] Fīliī tuī nunc in hortō cum fīliā tuā sunt.
[B] Puerī nunc in hortō cum fīliā meā sunt.
[C] Puerī nunc in hortō cum fīliā tuā sunt.

[v] My friend’s horse is standing on the road.

[A] Cum equō amīcī meī in viā stō.
[B] Equus amīcī meī in viā stat.
[C] Equī amīcī meī in viā stant.

____________________

(2)

I: Mārcus, amīcus meus, agricola est, et multōs equōs habet. Mārcus equīs hieme multum frūmentum dat. Equī magnī et validī sunt. Aestāte equī interdum in agrīs sunt, et tum frūmentum nōn edunt. Sed frūmentum equīs damus cum⁠ labōrant.

II: Puerum in agrō cum agricolā vidēmus. Puer fīlius agricolae est. Agricola fīliam quoque habet. Fīlia hodiē in hortō labōrat. Sed fīlia nōn est sōla in hortō. Māter puellae quoque in hortō est.

III:

Cūr, Sexte, sōlus in viā ambulās?

Sōlus in viā ambulō quod amīcī meī hodiē in agrīs labōrant.

Cūr in agrīs cum amīcīs tuīs nōn labōrās?

In agrīs nōn labōrō quod nōn validus sum.

____________________

I: Marcus, my friend, is a farmer, and he has many horses. Marcus gives the horses a great deal of grain in the winter. The horses are big and strong. In the summer the horses are sometimes in the fields, and then they do not eat grain. But we give grain to the horses when they work.

II: We see a boy in the field with the farmer. The boy is the farmer's son. The farmer also has a daughter. Today the daughter is working in the garden. But the daughter is not alone in the garden. The girl's mother is also in the garden.

III:

“Why, Sextus, are you walking alone on the road?”

“I am walking alone on the road because my friends are working in the fields today.”

“Why are you not working in the fields with your friends?”

“I am not working in the fields because I am not well.”

Thursday, October 1, 2026

05.05.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (16); 2nd declension; review [1]; question words

Quid? | What?

Quis? | Who?

Cūr? | Why?

[A] Complete the Latin sentences by using the words listed below. Some words are used more than once.

[1] What is the boy reading? The boy is reading a book.

__________ __________ puer? Puer __________ __________.

[2] Who is the boy? The boy is the poet’s son.

__________ est puer? Puer est __________ poētae.

[3] What does the boy learn in school? The boy learns the Latin language in school.

__________ __________ puer in scholā? Puer in scholā __________ Latīnam __________.

[4] What does the boy do when he is not in school. The boy works in the fields when he is not in school.

__________ __________ puer __________ ⁠ in scholā nōn est? Puer __________ in __________ __________⁠ in scholā nōn est.

[5] Why does Sextus not have money? He does not have money because he does not work.

__________ Sextus nōn __________ __________? Sextus nōn __________ __________ __________ nōn __________.

cum; cūr; discit; facit; fīlius; habet; labōrat; legit; librum; linguam; pecūniam; quid; quis; quod

[B] Complete these sentences by choosing the correct word in brackets.

[6] What is the girl doing? She is writing a letter.

[quis / cūr / quid] facit [puella / puellae / puellam]? [Epistulās / epistulam / epistulā] scrībit.

[7] Why do you not praise the girl? I do not praise the girl because she is not hard-working.

[quis / cūr / quid] puellam nōn [laudō / laudās / laudat]? Puellam nōn [laudō / laudās / laudat] quod nōn est impigra.

[8] What is your sister carrying? My sister is carrying roses.

Quid portat soror [tuus / tua / tuum]? Soror [meum / meam / mea] [rosās / rosam / rosae] portat.

[9] What does the lady give to the boy? The lady gives a book to the boy.

Quid fēmina [puerum / puerō / puer] dat? Fēmina [puerum / puer / puerō] [librī / librōs / librum] dat.

[10] What does the girl see in the farmer’s field [ = the field of the farmer]? She sees a horse.

Quid puella in [ager / agrum / agrō] [agricola / agricolam / agricolae] videt? [Equōs / equum / equīs] videt.

[C] Translate the following sentences into Latin. Note: Latin word order usually puts the verb at the end of the sentence. This is not a ‘hard-and-fast’ rule – and Latin word order is flexible – but, at the early stages, it is best to adhere to it.

[i] The boy is reading a book.

[ii] Sextus is working in the field with the farmer.

[iii] Why do you not praise the boys?

[iv] I do not praise the boys because they are not working.

[v] I do not give a reward to the boys.

____________________

[A]

[1] Quid legit puer? Puer librum legit.

[2] Quis est puer? Puer est fīlius poētae.

[3] Quid discit puer in scholā? Puer in scholā linguam Latīnam discit.

[4] Quid facit puer cum⁠ in scholā nōn est? Puer labōrat in agrīs cum⁠ in scholā nōn est.

[5] Cūr Sextus nōn habet pecūniam? Sextus nōn habet pecūniam quod nōn labōrat.

[B]

[6] Quid facit puella? Epistulam scrībit.

[7] Cūr puellam nōn laudās? Puellam nōn laudō quod nōn est impigra.

[8] Quid portat soror tua? Soror mea rosās portat.

[9] Quid fēmina puerō dat? Fēmina puerō librum dat.

[10] Quid puella in agrō agricolae videt? Equum videt.

[C]

[i] Puer librum legit.

[ii] Sextus in agrō cum agricolā labōrat.

[iii] Cūr puerōs nōn laudās?

[iv] Puerōs nōn laudō quod nōn labōrant.

[v] Puerīs praemium nōn dō.

Saturday, September 26, 2026

30.04.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (15); 2nd declension; -(e)r

Puer librum legit.

Puer est fīlius poētae.

Puer in scholā linguam Latīnam discit.

Puer labōrat in agrīs.

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 2^nd 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 2^nd 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

LINKS

https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/declensions%3A%202nd%20in%20-er

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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.

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.