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^st and 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

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.”

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.

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

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 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

____________________

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.

24.04.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (14); 2nd declension; -us; the vocative case

Fīlius et Fīlia Agricolae

I: Agricola fīlium et fīliam habet. Fīlius agricolae domī manet, sed fīlia in scholā hieme est, et tum in oppidō cum amīcō benignō agricolae habitat. Agricola oppidum nōn amat, et fīliam hieme nōn saepe videt.

II: Aestāte puella domī manet. Agricola equōs habet, et fīliae equum bonum dat. Fīlia equōs nōn timet, et laeta est quod equum bonum habet. Māter puellae laeta est cum⁠ fīlia domī est. Fīlius agricolae nūllōs amīcōs in oppidō habet.

III: Tēctum amīcī agricolae in nostrō oppidō est. Ex fenestrā meā tēctum amīcī agricolae videō. Ibi fīlia agricolae hieme habitat. Amīcus agricolae parvum fīlium habet, sed nūllās fīliās habet.

IV: Amīcus meus equum bonum habet. Fīlius nautae poēta est. Fīliō nautae epistulam dō. Cornēlia fīliam habet, sed nūllōs fīliōs habet. Casa amīcī poētae in oppidō est.

(1) vocabulary

• equus, -ī [2/m]: horse
• fīlius, -ī [2/m]: son
• timet: (s)he / it fears
• videt: (s)he / it sees
• nūllus: no [= not any]; none
• domī: at home
• hieme: in winter

Image #1

(2) 2^nd declension nouns ending in -us

[i] 2^nd declension nouns ending in -us in the nominative case are almost always masculine.

• amīcus (nominative singular), -ī (genitive singular) [2(nd declension)/m(asculine)]: friend (male)
• equus -ī [2/m]: horse
• fīlius, -ī [2/m]: son

Image #2

[ii] declension:

(1) the endings are the same as nouns ending in -um apart from:

• the nominative singular [-us]
• the nominative plural [-ī]
• the accusative plural [-ōs]

(2) 2^nd declension nouns also have a separate ending for the vocative case [-e]; this will be discussed later in the unit

Singular

Nominative: -us

• Amīcus linguam Latīnam discit. | A friend is learning Latin.

Vocative: -e (see note [iii] below)*

• Salvē, (ō) amīce! | Hello, friend!

Genitive: -ī

• Tēctum amīcī videō. | I see a friend’s house.

Dative: -ō

• Amīcō pecūniam dō. | I give money to a friend.

Accusative: -um

• Amīcum videō. | I see a friend.

Ablative: -ō

• Cum amīcō ambulō. | I walk with a friend.

Plural

Nominative: -ī

• Amīcī linguam Latīnam discunt. | The friends are learning Latin.

Genitive: -ōrum

• Tēcta amīcōrum parva sunt. | The friends’ houses are small.

Dative: -īs

• Māter amīcīs pecūniam dat. | The mother gives money to the friends.

Accusative: -ōs

• Amīcōs nōn videt. | He does not see the friends.

Ablative: -īs

• Cum amīcīs in viā ambulō. | I walk with friends in the street.

*[iii] vocative case

(1) The vocative case is used when addressing people directly or attracting their attention, the equivalent of English: “Hello, John!” or “Mark, can you come here for a moment?”

(2) When males are addressed directly by name:

• -us changes to -e

Nominative: Mārcus est amīcus meus. | Marcus is my friend.

> Vocative:  Salvē, Marce! | Hello, Marcus!

• -ius changes to -ī

Nominative: Iūlius est agricola. | Julius is a farmer.

> Vocative: Cūrā ut valeās, Iūlī! | Take care, Iulius!

(3) The vocative case is also used with other masculine nouns in –(i)us that are not proper nouns i.e. they are not personal names, but they have a vocative in -e:

Nominative: amīcus (friend)

> Vocative: amīce

Nominative: socius (ally)

> Vocative: socie

An exception is fīlius (son) which has the same vocative ending as a proper noun ending in -ius:

Nominative: fīlius

> Vocative: fīlī

(4) Meus in the vocative case changes to mī:

Nominative: Iūlius est fīlius meus. | Julius is my son.

Vocative: Valē, fīlī mī! (or mī fīlī) | Farewell, my son!

(5) A noun in the vocative case may be preceded by an exclamatory ō! (like the English ‘oh’).

Nominative: Mārcus est amīcus meus. | Marcus is my friend.

> Vocative: Ō amīce mī! Salvē!  |  Oh, my friend! Hello!

(6) The vocative case does not have separate endings in any other noun declensions, and there are no separate endings in the plural at all: in all other noun types, the nominative is the same as the vocative. The vocative does occur in adjectives ending in -us which we will look again when we review adjective endings.

Note: some online sources list a vocative form for all declensions. This is distracting because it suggests there may be other vocative forms; with a handful of exceptions (e.g. nouns of Greek origin) there are not.

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/declensions-and-cases-1-nominative.html

[iv] 2^nd declension nouns ending in -ius may form the genitive singular in -iī or -ī, e.g. gladius (sword) > gladiī or gladī.

[v] 1^st / 2^nd declension masculine adjectives have the same endings:

Amīcus agricolae ¦ parvum fīlium ¦ habet. | The farmer’s friend has a small son.

Amīcus meus ¦ equum bonum ¦ habet. | My friend has a good horse.

Cum amīcō benignō habitat. | He lives with a kind friend.

Fīlius ¦ nūllōs amīcōs ¦ in oppidō habet. | The son has no friends in the town.

____________________

I: The farmer has a son and a daughter. The farmer’s son stays at home, but the daughter is at school in winter, and then she lives in the town with the farmer’s kind friend. The farmer does not like the town, and in winter he does not often see his daughter.

II: In summer the girl stays at home. The farmer has horses, and he gives his daughter a good horse. The daughter is not afraid of the horses, and she is happy because she has a good horse. The girl’s mother is happy when her daughter is at home. The farmer’s son has no friends in the town.

III: The house of the farmer’s friend is in our town. From my window I see the house of the farmer’s friend. There the farmer’s daughter lives in winter. The farmer’s friend has a small son, but he has no daughters.

IV: My friend has a good horse. The sailor’s son is a poet. I give a letter to the sailor’s son. Cornelia has a daughter, but she has no sons. The house of the poet’s friend is in the town.

17.04.27: Level 1: First Latin Lessons (13); 2nd declension; -um

I: Tēctum in magnō oppidō habeō, sed oppidum nōn amō. Māter mea casam in silvā habet, et aestāte in casā habitō. Soror mea quoque in casā aestāte habitat.

II: Tēctum tuum in oppidō saepe videō. Tēctum magnum est sed nōn pulchrum. Casa in silvā est pulchra.

III: Poēta magnum tabernāculum in īnsulā habet. Ex casā nostrā tabernāculum poētae vidēmus. Poēta est amīcus agricolae. Tēctum agricolae quoque in īnsulā est. Agricolam et poētam saepe vidēmus cum⁠ in īnsulā sumus.

IV: Oppida patriae nostrae laudās. Soror tua oppida Italiae saepe laudat, sed in oppidīs Italiae nōn diū manet. Nunc in parvō oppidō Hispāniae est. Multa oppida Hispāniae et Italiae sunt pulchra.

V: Quid⁠ māter tua tibi dat? Māter mea mihi praemium dat, quod ex viā properō. Soror mea quoque praemium habet, quod impigra est.

VI: Magnum oppidum nōn laudās. Oppida Italiae saepe laudāmus. Tabernāculum in silvā videō. Cornēlia mihi magnum praemium dat. Soror mea in oppidō aestāte nōn manet.

(1) vocabulary

• oppidum, -ī [2/n]: town
• praemium, -ī [2/n]: reward
• tabernāculum, -ī [2/n]: cottage; tent
• tēctum, -ī [2/n]: house
• habitō, -āre [1]: live
• habeō: I have
• manet: (s)he / it remains
• aestāte: in summer
• quid?: what?

Image #1

[i] 2^nd declension nouns ending in -um in the nominative case are neuter.

The vocabulary lists these nouns as follows:

oppidum, -ī [2/n]: town

nominative singular: -um

genitive singular: -ī; remember that it is the genitive singular that indicates the declension

• praemium, -ī [2/n]: reward
• tabernāculum, -ī [2/n]: tent
• tēctum, -ī [2/n]: house

[ii] declension

Singular

Nominative: -um

• Ubi est oppidum? | Where is the town?

Genitive: -ī

• Incolae oppidī Rōmānī sunt. | The town’s inhabitants / the inhabitants of the town are Roman.

Dative: -ō

• Rēx oppidō pecūniam dat. | The king gives money to the town.

Accusative: -um

• Oppidum videō. | I see a / the town.

Ablative: -ō

Claudius in oppidō habitat. | Claudius lives in a / the town.

Plural

Nominative: -a

• Suntne oppida in Italiā? | Are there towns in Italy?

Genitive: -ōrum

• Incolae oppidōrum Rōmānī sunt. | The towns’  inhabitants / the inhabitants of the towns are Roman.

Dative: -īs

• Rēx oppidīs pecūniam dat. | The king gives money to the towns.

Accusative: -a

• Oppida vidēmus. | We see (the) towns.

Ablative: -īs

• Agricolae in oppidīs nōn habitant. | The farmers do not live in (the) towns.

[iii] Neuter nouns have the same endings for:

(1) the nominative and accusative singular [-um]

Nominative singular: Tēctum in īnsulā est. | The house is on an island.

Accusative singular: Tēctum habeō. | I have a house.

(2) the nominative and accusative plural [-a]

• Nominative plural: Oppida pulchra sunt. | The towns are beautiful.
• Accusative plural: Oppida vidēmus. | We see the towns.

(3) the dative and ablative singular [-ō]

• Dative singular: Rēx oppidō pecūniam dat. | The king gives money to the town.
• Ablative singular: In oppidō habitō. | I live in a town.

(4) the dative and ablative plural [-īs]

• Dative plural: Rēx oppidīs pecūniam dat. | The king gives money to the towns.
• Ablative plural: In oppidīs habitāmus. | We live in towns.

[iv] 2nd declension nouns ending in -ium may form the genitive singular in -iī or -ī, e.g. aedificium (building) > aedificiī or aedificī.

[v] 1^st / 2^nd declension neuter adjectives have the same endings:

magnum oppidum | a large town

in magnō oppidō | in a large town

multa oppida | many towns

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I: I have a house in a large town, but I do not like the town. My mother has a cottage in a forest, and in summer I live in the cottage. My sister also lives in the cottage in summer.

II: I often see your house in the town. The house is large, but it is not beautiful. The cottage in the forest is beautiful.

III: The poet has a large tent on an island. From our cottage we see the poet's tent. The poet is the farmer's friend. The farmer's house is also on the island. We often see the farmer and the poet when we are on the island.

IV: You praise the towns of our country. Your sister often praises the towns of Italy, but she does not stay long in the towns of Italy. Now she is in a small town in Spain. Many towns in Spain and Italy are beautiful.

V: What does your mother give you? My mother gives me a reward because I hurry from the road. My sister also has a reward because she is hardworking.

VI: You do not praise the large town. We often praise the towns of Italy. I see a tent in the forest. Cornelia gives me a large reward. My sister does not stay in the town in summer.

11.04.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (12); verbs; 1st conjugation; present tense

I: Schola nostra est schola bona. Scholam nostram laudāmus et amāmus. Scholam laudātis, sed in scholā nōn bene labōrātis. Soror mea scholam laudat et in scholā bene labōrat. Soror mea est puella impigra.

II: Cūr hīc stātis? Hīc stāmus quod fīliam tuam exspectāmus. Ubi fīlia tua est? Fīlia mea nunc in scholā est.

III: Vesperī saepe in viīs ambulō. Amīcī quoque ibi ambulant. Nautae quoque in viīs vesperī ambulant. Noctū stellās clārās spectāmus.

IV: Cūr in casā stās, Cornēlia? Agricolam exspectō. Cornēlia in casā stat. Cornēlia agricolam exspectat. Agricola epistulam portat. Agricola epistulam Cornēliae dat.

V: Puellae saepe in viīs vesperī ambulant. Cūr agricola ex silvīs properat? Epistulās tuās nunc exspectāmus. Cūr māter mea mihi dōnum nōn dat? Māter tua tibi dōnum nōn dat quod nōn bene labōrās.

(1) vocabulary

• labōrō, -āre [1]: work
• portō, -āre [1]: carry
• stō, -āre [1]: stand
• impigra: energetic; industrious
• cum: when
• hīc: here
• ubi: where; when
• vesperī: in the evening

(2) This passage focusses on the first conjugation of verbs in the present tense.

infinitive: portāre (to carry)

portō: I carry; I am carrying; Latin does not distinguish the two English translations i.e. the one form conveys both meanings of ‘I do something’ or ‘I am doing something’.

portās: you (singular) carry; you (singular) are carrying

portat: (s)he / it carries; (s)he / it is carrying

portāmus: we carry; we are carrying

portātis: you (plural) carry; you (plural) are carrying

portant: they carry; they are carrying

(3) The verb conjugation comprises two parts:

[i] a stem vowel: -a- / -ā- e.g. portat; portāmus; the stem vowel is not used in the first person singular but in all other forms of the verb.

[ii] the personal endings:

Singular

-ō: I

-s: you (singular)

-t: he / she / it

Plural

-mus: we

-tis: you (plural)

-nt: they

(4) verbs are listed as the first person singular present tense and the infinitive; in these posts the conjugation number is also added:

portō, -āre [1]: carry

ambulō, -āre [1]: walk

exspectō, -āre [1]: wait (for)

laudō, -āre [1]: praise

stō, -āre [1]: stand

Note: dō, -are [1]; this verb is an exception in that, in most forms, it does not have a long ā:

dō, dās, dat, damus, datis, dant

LINKS

25.02.24: verbs; first conjugation present tense

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/verbs-first-conjugation-present-tense.html

25.02.24: verb translation [1]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/look-at-images-and-translate-these.html

25.02.24: verb translation [2]

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/look-at-images-and-translate-phrases.html

21.10.24: Level 1; review; practice in the verbs [4]; 1st conjugation; present tense

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/211024-level-1-review-practice-in-verbs.html

21.10.24: Level 1; review; practice in the verbs [5]; 1st conjugation; present tense; more practice

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/211024-level-1-review-practice-in-verbs_11.html

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I: Our school is a good school. We praise and love our school. You (pl.) praise the school, but you (pl.) do not work well at school. My sister praises the school and works well at school. My sister is an industrious girl.

II: Why are you (pl.) standing here? We are standing here because we are waiting for your daughter. Where is your daughter? My daughter is now at school.

III: In the evening I often walk in the streets. Friends also walk there. Sailors also walk in the streets in the evening. At night we look at the bright stars.

IV: Why are you standing in the house, Cornelia? I am waiting for the farmer. Cornelia is standing in the house. Cornelia is waiting for the farmer. The farmer is carrying a letter. The farmer gives the letter to Cornelia.

V: The girls often walk in the streets in the evening. Why is the farmer hurrying from the woods? We are now waiting for your letters. Why does my mother not give me a gift? Your mother does not give you a gift because you (sg.) do not work well.

06.04.27: Level 1; First Latin Lessons (11); verb sum, esse

I: Incola Britanniae sum. Soror mea incola Hiberniae est. Sed patria nostra est America, et amīcī patriae nostrae sumus.

II: Nunc in Americā es, sed America nōn est patria tua. Cūr nōn amīcus Americae es? Cūr Americam nōn amās?

III: Nunc in Italiā estis. In Italiā sumus. Italia est terra pulchra. Sed Italia nōn est patria nostra. Italiam saepe laudāmus, sed Americam amāmus.

IV: Ex fenestrā meā noctū stellās spectō. Saepe lūnam quoque spectō. Lūna nunc obscūra est, sed stellae clārae sunt.

V: Ex viā fenestram tuam vidēmus. Fenestra aperta est. Soror tua ex fenestrā puellās in viā spectat. Cūr soror tua nōn in viā cum puellīs est?

VI: Soror mea aegra est. Māter mea est misera quod soror mea est aegra.

VII: Nunc incola Americae sum. Fīliae poētae sunt in Hiberniā. In patriā pulchrā estis. In casā cum nautā sumus. Stellās spectō sed lūnam nōn videō.

(1) vocabulary

[a]

In, for example, dictionaries and vocabulary lists, nouns are most often given with two (or three) pieces of information. This is done to classify the nouns according to declension:

lūna, -ae [1/f]: moon

[i] lūna, [ii] -ae (iii) [1/f]: moon

[i] the nominative case

[ii] the genitive case singular; this is the key piece of information since the genitive singular is different for all noun declensions

[iii] the declension number and gender

stella, -ae [1/f]: star

[b]

• amīcī: friends
• aegra: ill
• clāra: bright, clear; famous
• misera: unhappy
• noctū: at night
• obscūra: dim
• quod: because
• spectō: I watch, look at

(2) Latin verbs have three basic descriptions:

[i] person, and [ii] number

[i] The person refers to who is performing the action; this can be a pronoun e.g. I walk, she praises, or a noun e.g. The girl praises.

[ii] The person can be either singular or plural:

Singular: I walk, he learns, the student learns

Plural: we walk, they learn, the students learn

[iii] tense: this indicates when the action happened, happens or will happen. The term ‘tense’ has three broad categories.

Present: I walk / I am walking

Past: (but Latin has several different ways of expressing the past): I walked; I have walked etc.

Future: I shall walk

(2) Latin verbs are conjugated i.e. they have a set of endings that indicate the person, tense and number of the verb, for example:

Stellās spectō | I look at / am looking at the stars.

Cūr Americam nōn amās? | Why do you not like America?

Soror tua puellās in viā spectat. | Your sister looks at / is looking at the girls in the street.

Italiam saepe laudāmus. | We often praise Italy.

Ex viā fenestram tuam vidēmus. | We see your window from the street.

We will begin to look at this in more detail in the next units.

(3) Most Latin verbs are regular i.e. they use a common pattern of endings. There are, however, a few verbs that are irregular: they are formed in their own way. The most important of these is esse (to be). The present tense forms of esse are in bold in the text.

esse: to be; in grammar, this is known as the infinitive i.e. the form of the verb before it is conjugated

sum: I am

es: you (singular)* are

est: he / she / it is

sumus: we are

estis: you (plural)* are

sunt: they are

*Latin has two different ways of expressing the second person (you):

2^nd person singular: talking to one person

2^nd person plural: talking to more than one person

Unlike other languages which also have more than one way of expressing ‘you’ e.g. French (tu, vous) and German (du, ihr, Sie), the choice in Latin is not determined by the age or status of the person. Whether you were talking to one slave or one emperor, the same second person singular form was used. Likewise, when Caesar was addressing his soldiers or the important members of the Senate, he used the second person plural form.

(4) The image shows the key terms used when describing a verb:

infinitive; tense; person (1^st / 2^nd / 3^rd); number (singular / plural)

LINKS

23.02.24: verb esse (to be); talking about jobs

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/verb-esse-to-be-talking-about-jobs-esse.html

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I: I am an inhabitant of Britain. My sister is an inhabitant of Ireland. But our homeland is America, and we are friends of our homeland.

II: You are now in America, but America is not your homeland. Why are you not a friend of America? Why do you not love America?

III: You are now in Italy. We are in Italy. Italy is a beautiful land. But Italy is not our homeland. We often praise Italy, but we love America.

IV: At night I look at the stars from my window. I often look at the moon too. The moon is now dark, but the stars are bright.

V: We see your window from the street. The window is open. Your sister looks at the girls in the street from the window. Why is your sister not in the street with the girls?

VI: My sister is ill. My mother is unhappy because my sister is ill.

VII: I am now an inhabitant of America. The poet's daughters are in Ireland. You are in a beautiful homeland. We are in the house with the sailor. I look at the stars, but I do not see the moon.