17.10.26: Level 1; Follow-up on the previous post [2]: words and their ‘stories’; tightrope walkers, crucial questions and Reggae Music

Referring to:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/1101999429077991

Words have ‘stories’ and sometimes long journeys; knowing the story can help you to remember the word, even if it is more like a question in Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

We’ll look again at the three nouns Magister Andrews uses in his video:

(1) fūnis, -is [3/m]: rope; cord; line

Engl: funambulist < Lat: fūnambulus, -ī [2/m]: tightrope walker < fūnis (rope) + ambulāre (to walk)

(2) collum, -ī [2/n]: neck

Engl: collar < Lat: collāre, -is [3/n]: collar; neckband < collum (neck)

(3) The one, however, that involves greater ‘exploration’ is:

[i] crux, crucis [3/f]: any wooden instrument of punishment or execution, particularly (but not exclusively) a cross

agunt eum praecipitem poenae cīvium Rōmānōrum, quōs partim secūrī percussit, partim in vinculīs necāvit, partim … in crucem sustulit. (Cicero)

The punishments of Roman citizens are driving him mad [literally: headlong; ‘over the edge’], some of whom he has delivered to the executioner [literally: struck with an axe], others he has put to death in prison [literally: (while) in chains], others he has crucified … [literally: raised up onto a cross].

This quotation is from Cicero’s prosecution of Gaius Verres, the corrupt governor of Sicily. In the Roman world, crucifixion was normally reserved for non-citizens, slaves, and low classes of criminals. Among the litany of accusations against Verres was that he had crucified Roman citizens - meaning he had seriously overstepped the mark and violated their rights.

[ii] However, the word can have a transferred meaning of feeling tormented or tortured:

… sed fierī sentiō et excrucior (Catullus) | … but I feel it happening and I am tortured

[iii] It can refer to any form of ‘trouble’ or ‘misery’ often with ‘mala’ (evil / bad):

Quae tē mala crux agitat? (Plautus) | What tormentor troubles you?

[iv] And if your local political candidate comes knocking at your door …

Ī in malam crucem! | Go to the Devil! / Go and be hanged!

[v] But what about the English derivatives crux and crucial?

They are good examples of how an original meaning changes over time. Let’s go back to Plautus:

Quae tē mala crux agitat? | What tormentor troubles you?

The character is not referring to an instrument of punishment but to some form of difficulty.

In English, crux – taken directly from Latin – can convey a puzzle or difficulty, but its meaning has broadened to the idea of a critical turning point or core issue, often of a problem:

“The crux of the matter is that people just don’t vote.”

“The movie hits its dramatic crux an hour in”

The adjective crucial is from French (there was no original Latin adjective); in French its initial meaning was ‘cross-shaped,’ later adopting the English definition of ‘crucial’ meaning ‘decisive’.

However …

“Delbert Wilkins is the most crucial pirate radio DJ in Brixton.”

A fictional character created by Lenny Henry, Delbert Wilkins uses the term 'crucial' to describe his mixture of, for example, Reggae and Hip-Hop as very good, i.e. the polar opposite of what the Latin crux originally meant.

17.10.26: Level 1; Follow-up on the previous post [1]

Referring to:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/1101999429077991

Again, Magister Andrews produces a short video which, if you want, you can explore in more depth:

One key concept and two “steps up” i.e. don’t try to do everything at once. Step [1] is absolute basic Latin. Step [2] makes you aware that words in Latin change. Step [3], i.e. it is not a first step, explains briefly what particular changes are.  

Step [1]

[i] Quid est hoc? | What is this?

[ii] Haec est crux. | This is a cross.

Why does it change from hoc to haec?

[i] If you don’t know what it is, then you don’t know what gender it is. Therefore, Latin uses the neuter form to ask the question. German, Spanish and Russian, for example, do the same:

Gmn: Was ist das?

Sp: ¿Qué es eso?

Russ: Chto eto? (Что это?)

[ii] However, Magister Andrews knows what it is – and he knows the gender: crux is feminine, and the feminine form for ‘this’ is haec:

Haec est crux. | This is a cross.

But you can avoid the issue by simply saying: crux est | it’s a cross

The next noun he uses is fūnis (cord / string)

[i] Don’t know what it is?

Quid est hoc?

[ii] Now you do (it’s masculine):

Hic est fūnis. | This is a cord / string.

Fūnis est. | It’s a cord / string.

[iii] The third noun he uses is collum (neck); it is a neuter noun and so hoc is used for both the question and the answer.

Quid est hoc?

Hoc est collum meum. | This is my neck.

Collum meum est. | It’s my neck.

Therefore, three key words:

this: hic (masculine), haec (feminine), hoc (neuter)

Step [2]

If you are new to Latin then you need to be aware from an early stage that words change depending on what they are doing in a sentence. Becoming familiar with these changes takes time and patience, but Magister Andrews gives some examples.

[i] Crux in fūne est. | The cross is on the string.

in collō | on the neck

Lat: in = Engl: in or on

Step [3]

crucem in collō pōnō | I put the cross on the neck (or: on my neck; Latin does not normally use the possessive ‘my’ if it’s obvious who you’re talking about)

2 points to note:

[i] Here, crux is the direct object i.e. the action is being done to the cross: -em indicates this.

[ii] crucem: a large number of Latin nouns change the stem before an ending is added:

crux > cruc¦em

This is not as random as it first appears; there are patterns and English has many derivatives where that change is shown.

crux > cruc¦em > Engl. crucify; crucifixion; excruciating; cruciform (in the shape of a cross); crucial

25.04.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [12] grammar notes (4) cases; accusative case singular and plural

The accusative case is used when the noun is the direct object of the sentence i.e. the action is being done to that noun.

Again, the endings of the accusative case depend on the declension to which the noun belongs:

[1] 1^st declension

nominative singular: -a

accusative singular: -am

nominative plural: -ae

accusative plural: -ās

Epistulam [singular] scrībō. | I’m writing a/the letter.

Epistulās [plural] scrībō. | I write (the) letters.

[2]

[a] 2^nd declension in -us

nominative singular: -us

accusative singular: -um

nominative plural: -ī

accusative plural: -ōs

Equum emō. | I’m buying a horse.

Equōs cūrō. | I take care of the horses.

[b] 2^nd declension in -um

The nominative and accusative singular endings are the same; the nominative and accusative plural endings are the same:

nominative singular: -um

accusative singular: -um

nominative plural: -a

accusative plural: -a

Ōvum edō. | I’m eating an egg.

Ōva edō. | I eat eggs.

LINKS

(1) 28.02.24: the accusative case (singular and plural) of first declension nouns

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/28_7.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/398913862719888

(2) 29.02.24: accusative case singular of first declension nouns

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/29.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399267342684540

(3) 29.02.24: accusative case plural of first declension nouns

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/29_7.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399307466013861

(4) 29.02.24: accusative singular and plural of second declension nouns in -us

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/29_63.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399373682673906

(5) 29.02.24: accusative singular and plural of 2nd declension masculine nouns

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399447592666515

(6) 29.02.24: leaving the easiest to last; the accusative singular and plural of 2nd declension neuter nouns in -um

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/29_11.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399534969324444

(7) 29.02.24: practice with the accusative case

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/1-answer-questions-in-full-sentences.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399480822663192

(7) 01.03.24: summary of the nominative and accusative case singular of 1st / 2nd declension nouns

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/blog-post_86.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399747519303189

(8) 01.03.24: summary of the nominative and accusative singular and plural of 1st / 2nd declension nouns

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/blog-post_94.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/399755895969018

17.04.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [11] grammar notes (3) cases; nominative case singular and plural

Key words:

singular

plural

Nouns are either [i] singular: referring to one person / thing, or [ii] plural: referring to more than one person / thing

Plural endings are formed according to the declension to which the noun belongs:

[1] first declension: -a > -ae

nominative singular: -a

nominative plural: -ae

puell¦a: (a/the) girl

puell¦ae: (the) girls

[2]

[a] second declension: -us > -ī

nominative singular: -us

nominative plural: -ī

discipul¦us: pupil

discipul¦ī: pupils

[b] second declension: -um > -a

nominative singular: -um

nominative plural: -a

templ¦um: temple

templ¦a: temples

LINKS

(1) 26.02.24: nominative plural of first and second declension nouns [1]; hī / hae

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/nominative-plural-of-first-and-second.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/397673796177228

(2) 26.02.24: nominative plural of first and second declension nouns [2]; quot?

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/26.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/397675569510384

(3) 26.02.24: practise recognising and forming the nominative plural

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/practise-recognising-and-forming.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/397685162842758

(4) 26.02.24: talking about the number of things / people

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/397747239503217

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/talking-about-number-of-things-people.html

12.04.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [10] grammar notes (2) cases; nominative

Key words:

case

nominative

predicative nominative

Too often, learners are faced with seemingly interminable tables of endings and grammatical rules which they need to memorise immediately.

While declensions and cases are of great importance in the study of Latin – and they cannot be avoided – it is better to acquire knowledge gradually with plenty of practice to ensure that each step is confidently and securely learnt.

A noun can perform different functions in a sentence. Look at the English examples below.

My friend works in London.

Did you see my friend?

This is my friend’s car.

I gave the money to my friend.

Are you going there with my friend?

You can see that the noun ’friend’ can, for example, be the subject of the sentence, the person doing the action (My friend works in London) or the person who is the object of the action (Did you see my friend?) or who owns something (my friend’s car). English is heavily reliant on word order and prepositions (to my friend; with my friend) to indicate the specific function of a noun in a sentence. Apart from ‘s in ‘my friend’s car’, the noun itself does not change.

The endings of Latin nouns do change depending on their function. The functions are called cases.

Nominative case: subject; predicate

The nominative case is used for nouns which are:

[1] the subject of the sentence, the person or thing performing the action contained in the verb, or the person / thing being described:

Amīcus meus Rōmae labōrat. | My friend works in Rome.

Quantī cōnstat hic gladius? | How much does this sword cost?

Iūlius est Rōmānus. |  Julius is a Roman.

[2] the predicate nominative of the sentence; this is most commonly found after the verb ‘to be’; est may be, as in English, between the subject and the predicate, for example:

Britannia [nominative] est īnsula [nominative]. |  Britannia is an island.

Amīcus meus est Rōmānus. |  My friend is a Roman.

Gladius est. | It’s a sword.

Mihi est vīnum. | I have wine [literally: to me (there) is wine].

07.04.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [9] grammar notes (1) declension; gender

The grammatical points covered in the previous posts are explained in greater depth in this post and the subsequent ones.

Key words:

declension

gender

Latin nouns are placed into one of five groups depending on the endings which they have. These groups are called declensions. Here, we are looking at two declensions:

[1] nouns ending in -a belong to the first declension

[2] nouns ending in [i] –us and [ii] –um belong to the second declension

[1] Most nouns in the first declension are feminine in gender although, as you have already seen, a few which refer to occupations that were associated with males are masculine. Nevertheless, they all take the same endings.

ancilla: maidservant

Hispānia: Spain

magistra: teacher (f)

mēnsa: table

Rōma: Rome

taberna: shop

A few examples of masculine nouns in the first declension:

agricola: farmer

aurīga: charioteer

poēta: poet

[2] [i] Nouns ending in -us in the second declension are almost all masculine, although, again, there are a few which are feminine but they take the same endings.

amīcus: friend

calceus: shoe

fīlius: son

lectus: bed; couch

oculus: eye

sagittārius: archer

While there are quite a few second declension nouns in -us which are feminine, many of them are very rare. Below are some more common ones:

Aegyptus: Egypt

fāgus: beech tree

humus: ground

pīnus: pine tree

pōmus: fruit; fruit tree

A small group of nouns ending in -er and -ir also belong to the second declension; they are all masculine, for example:

ager: field

liber: book

vir: man

[ii] Nouns ending in -um in the second declension are neuter.

Eborācum: York

librārium: bookcase; library

Londinium: London

tēctum: roof

tēlum: javelin

vīnum: wine

[5] “masculine”, “feminine” and “neuter” are grammatical terms and they refer not only to animate nouns e.g. human beings, but also to objects and abstract ideas.

Exercise

Take a look at the words below; to which declension (first or second) do they belong? It’s a straightforward task because all you have to do is look at the ending. Don’t be concerned by the meanings of some of these words at this stage; they will all be introduced.

argentārius

armārium

ātrium

Britannia

cubiculum

culīna

discipulus

fenestra

fluvius

galea

gladius

hortus

magister

mēnsa

nūntius

papȳrus

peristȳlium

plaustrum

pōculum

puer

sella

signifer

stilus

tabula

templum

trīclīnium

via

LINKS

(1) 19.02.24: Gender

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/gender-latin-nouns-are-grouped.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/394339326510675/

(2) 23.02.24: declensions [1] first and second declension

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/declensions-1-first-and-second.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/396107356333872

26.03.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [8] expanding

Ūvās in macellō emō. | I buy grapes in the market.

Once you become familiar with the patterns discussed in the previous posts, you can slowly add other concepts. At the outset, restrict such expansion to single words or phrases, for example:

[i] adverbs: indeclinable i.e. they do not change their forms

semper: always

saepe: often

interdum: sometimes

rārō: rarely

numquam: never

māne: in the morning

vesperī, or vespere: in the evening

cotīdiē: every day

[ii] places

domī: at home

in amphitheātrō: at the amphitheatre

in culīnā: in the kitchen

in fluviō: in the river

in forō: at the market-place; in the public square

in macellō: at the market

in scholā: at school

in tabernā: in the shop

in thermopōliō: at a fast-food outlet

Examples:

[1] Ientāculum sūmō. | I take breakfast.

+ Māne ientāculum sūmō. | In the morning I take breakfast.

++ Māne ientāculum in cūlīnā sūmō. | In the morning I take breakfast in the kitchen.

 [2] Ūvās emō. | I buy grapes.

+ Multās ūvās emō. |  I buy many / a lot of grapes.

++ Multās ūvās in macellō emō. | I buy a lot of grapes in the market.

+++ Multās ūvās in macellō semper emō. | I always buy a lot of grapes in the market.

Exercise

Translate:

[a] +
(1) Cāseum in tabernā emō.
(2) Cibum in thermopōliō emō.
(3) Lūdōs in amphitheātrō spectō.
(4) Vīnum numquam bibō.

[b] ++
(1) Vesperī cēnam in culīnā coquō.
(2) Fābulās in scholā rārō legō.
(3) Duo pōcula in tabernā emō.
(4) Multōs amīcōs in forō videō.
(5) Multa māla interdum edō.

[c] +++
(1) Domī multās epistulās semper scrībō.
(2) Duōs crocodīlōs in fluviō saepe videō!

____________________

[a] +

(1) I buy cheese in the shop.
(2) I buy food at a fast-food outlet.
(3) I watch games at the amphitheatre.
(4) I never drink wine.

[b] ++
(1) In the evening I cook dinner in the kitchen.
(2) I rarely read stories at school.
(3) I buy two cups in the shop.
(4) I see many friends at the market-place.
(5) Sometimes I eat many apples.

[c] +++
(1) At home I always write many letters.
(2) I often see two crocodiles in the river!

20.03.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [7] direct objects (3); nouns in -um

[3] Ending in -um:

No changes in either the singular or the plural i.e. -um (singular), -a (plural)

[i] Singular: -um

Ōvum edō. | I (am) eat(ing) an egg.

Ūnum ōvum edō. | I (am) eat(ing) one egg.

[ii] Plural: -a

Ōva edō. | I (am) eat(ing) (the) eggs.

Duo ōva edō. | I (am) eat(ing) two eggs. [Note: duo, not *dua*]

Multa ōva edō. | I (am) eat(ing) many eggs.

Exercise

(1) I’m eating an apple.

Māl_____ edō.

(2) I’m eating one apple.

Ūn_____ māl_____ edō.

(3) I buy apples.

Māl_____ emō.

(4) I buy two apples.

Du_____ māl_____ emō.

(5) I buy many apples.

Mult_____ māl_____ emō.

(6) I’m buying grain.

Frūment_____ emō.

(7) I’m cooking breakfast.

Ientācul_____ coquō.

(8) I’m holding two goblets.

Du_____ pōcul_____ teneō.

(9) I drink wine.

Vīn_____ bibō.

(10) I attack many towns.

Mult_____ oppid_____ oppugnō.

• frūmentum: grain
• ientāculum: breakfast
• mālum: apple
• oppidum: town
• pōculum: goblet
• vīnum: wine

____________________

(1) Mālum edō.
(2) Ūnum mālum edō.
(3) Māla emō.
(4) Duo māla emō.
(5) Multa māla emō.
(6) Frūmentum emō.
(7) Ientāculum coquō.
(8) Duo pōcula teneō.
(9) Vīnum bibō.
(10) Multa oppida oppugnō.

12.03.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [6] direct objects (2); nouns in -us

[2] Ending in -us:

[i] Singular: -um

Equum emō. | I (am) buy(ing) a/the horse.

Ūnum equum emō. | I (am) buy(ing) one horse.

[ii] Plural: -ōs

Equōs emō. | I (am) buy(ing) (the) horses.

Duōs equōs emō. | I (am) buy(ing) two horses.

Multōs equōs emō. | I (am) buy(ing) many horses.

Exercise

(1) I praise the pupil.

Discipul_____ laudō.

(2) I praise one pupil.

Ūn_____ discipul_____ laudō.

(3) I praise two pupils.

Du_____ discipul_____ laudō.

(4) I praise the pupils.

Discipul_____ laudō.

(5) I praise many pupils.

Mult_____ discipul_____ laudō.

(6) I cook food.

Cib_____ coquō.

(7) I’m building a wall.

Mūr_____ aedificō.

(8) I’m afraid of the elephant.*

Elephant_____ timeō.

(9) I see two friends.

Du_____ amīc_____ videō.

(10) I’m holding a sword.

Gladi_____ teneō.

(11) I watch many games.

Mult_____ lūd_____ spectō.

(12) I’m taking care of the crocodiles.*

Crocodīl_____ cūrō.

• amīcus: friend (male)
• cibus: food
• crocodīlus: crocodile
• discipulus: pupil (male)
• elephantus: elephant
• gladius: sword
• lūdus: game; sport
• mūrus: wall

*Why would I include such odd sentences?

John Cresswell and John Hartley first published Teach Yourself Esperanto in 1957. In the book they make the point that absurdity or incongruity is memorable, the example they use being:

La hundo sidas sur la fajro. | The dog is sitting on the fire.

I read a later edition of their book in the late 70s – and I still remember that sentence. It isn’t the overall meaning that matters. In one sentence there are three major rules of Esperanto – and Esperanto has no irregularities:

la: the (never changes)

hundo: all singular nouns end in -o

sidas: all present tense verbs end in -as

Given that there are only sixteen fundamental grammar rules in Esperanto, that dog sitting on a fire is putting you on the right track.

Likewise, if you can work out how you say “I’m afraid of the elephant” and “I take care of the crocodiles” then you have grasped two very important noun endings in Latin.

____________________

(1) Discipulum laudō.
(2) Ūnum discipulum laudō.
(3) Duōs discipulōs laudō.
(4) Discipulōs laudō.
(5) Multōs discipulōs laudō.
(6) Cibum coquō.
(7) Mūrum aedificō.
(8) Elephantum timeō.
(9) Duōs amīcōs videō.
(10) Gladium teneō.
(11) Multōs lūdōs spectō.
(12) Crocodīlōs cūrō.

04.03.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [5] direct objects (1); nouns in -a

[D] You can see that the endings have changed. The noun is the direct object of the sentence i.e. the action is being done to the noun.

[1] Ending in -a:

[i] Singular: -am

Ūvam edō. | I’m eating a/the grape.

Ūnam ūvam edō. | I’m eating one grape.

[ii] Plural: -ās

Ūvās emō. | I’m buying grapes.

Duās ūvās edō. | I’m eating two grapes.

Multās ūvās edō. | I’m eating many grapes.

Exercise

Complete the sentences with the missing endings.

(1) I’m writing a letter.

Epistul____ scrībō.

(2) I’m writing one letter.

Ūn_____ epistul_____ scrībō.

(3) I write letters.

Epistul_____ scrībō.

(4) I’m writing two letters.

Du____ epistul____ scrībō.

(5) I write many letters.

Mult____ epistul____ scrībō.

(6) I’m reading the story.

Fābul_____ legō.

(7) I’m reading stories.

Fābul_____ legō.

(8) I drink water.

Aqu_____ bibō.

(9) I’m buying berries.

Bāc_____ emō.

(10) I’m eating two olives.

Du_____ olīv_____ edō.

(11) I’m preparing the dinner.

Cēn_____ parō.

(12) I close the door.

Iānu_____ claudō.

• aqua: water
• bāca: berry
• cēna: dinner
• epistula: letter
• fābula: story
• iānua: door
• olīva: olive

____________________

(1) Epistulam scrībō.
(2) Ūnam epistulam scrībō.
(3) Epistulās scrībō.
(4) Duās epistulās scrībō.
(5) Multās epistulās scrībō.
(6) Fābulam legō.
(7) Fābulās legō.
(8) Aquam bibō.
(9) Bācās emō.
(10) Duās olīvās edō.
(11) Cēnam parō.
(12) Iānuam claudō.

27.02.27: Level 1; step-by-step; scaffolding [4] saying “I have” and “I like”

[C] This section builds on the two previous ones. Singular and plural nouns can be used with the patterns below.

[1] mihi est / sunt __________

Mihi est ūna ūva. | I have one grape.

• Mihi est X | I have; literally: to me (there) is __________; used with a singular noun

Mihi sunt duae ūvae. | I have two grapes.

Mihi sunt multae ūvae. | I have many grapes.

• Mihi sunt X | I have; literally: to me (there) are __________; used with a plural noun

Exercises

[i] est or sunt?

(1) Mihi __________ multī amīcī.

(2) Mihi ________ ūnus amīcus.

(3) Mihi ________ duo equī.

(4) Mihi ________ ūnum pōculum.

[ii] Complete the sentences with the correct words and endings.

(1) I have water.

Mihi ________ aqu_____.

(2) I have cheese.

Mihi ________ cāse_____.

(3) I have a friend (female).

Mihi ________ amīc_____.

(4) I have a shield.

Mihi ________ scūt_____.

(5) I have one shield.

Mihi ________ ūn_____ scūt_____.

(6) I have two horses.

Mihi ________ du_____ equ_____.

(7) I have many horses.

Mihi ________ mult_____ equ_____.

(8) I have one friend (male).

Mihi ________ ūn_____ amīc_____.

(9) I have two apples.

Mihi ________ du_____ māl_____.

(10) I have many eggs.

Mihi ________ mult_____ ōv_____.

(11) I have many maidservants.

Mihi ________ mult_____ ancill_____.

[2] __________ mē (valdē) dēlectat / dēlectant

Ūva mē dēlectat. | I like the grape.

• X mē dēlectat. | literally: X pleases / delights me > I like X (singular).

Ūvae mē dēlectant. | I like the grapes.

• X mē dēlectant. | literally: X please / delight me > I like X (plural).

Ūva mē valdē dēlectat. | I really like the grape.

• X mē valdē dēlectat. | literally: X really pleases / delights me > I really like X (singular).

Ūvae mē valdē dēlectant. | I really like (the) grapes.

• X mē valdē dēlectant. | literally: X really please / delight me > I really like X (plural).

Exercise

Here are some singular and plural nouns. How would you express that you like or really like them?

(1) singular

__________ mē (valdē) dēlectat

• cāseus: cheese
• casa: cottage
• fābula: story
• silva: forest
• villa: country house
• dōnum: gift
• vīnum: wine

(2) plural

__________ mē (valdē) dēlectant.

• fābulae: stories
• crūstula: small cakes; pastries; cookies
• dōna: gifts
• frāga: strawberries
• māla: apples
• pira: pears

LINKS

10.03.24: Talking about free time [2]: likes and dislikes

section [3] [i]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/100324-talking-about-free-time-2-likes.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/404742942136980

26.02.24: talking about friends and family members; mihi est / mihi sunt; conjunctions et, sed, vel

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/26_89.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/397753762835898

____________________

[1]

[i] (1) sunt; (2) est; (3) sunt; (4) est

[ii]
(1) Mihi est aqua.
(2) Mihi est cāseus.
(3) Mihi est amīca.
(4) Mihi est scūtum.
(5) Mihi est ūnum scūtum.
(6) Mihi sunt duo equī.
(7) Mihi sunt multī equī.
(8) Mihi est ūnus amīcus.
(9) Mihi sunt duo māla.
(10) Mihi sunt multa ōva.
(11) Mihi sunt multae ancillae.