Latin for Beginners

by Benjamin L. D'Ooge

[33.] The following table shows a comparison between English and Latin declension forms, and should be thoroughly memorized:

English Cases			Latin Cases
Declension of who?		Name of case and use	Declension of domina and translation	Name of case and use
S i n g u l a r	Who?	Nominative— case of the subject	do´min-a the lady	Nominative— case of the subject
	Whose?	Possessive— case of the possessor	domin-ae the lady’s	Genitive— case of the possessor
	Whom?	Objective— case of the object	domin-am the lady	Accusative— case of the direct object
P l u r a l	Who?	Nominative— case of the subject	domin-ae the ladies	Nominative— case of the subject
	Whose?	Possessive— case of the possessor	domin-ā´rum the ladies’ of the ladies	Genitive— case of the possessor
	Whom?	Objective— case of the object	domin-ās the ladies	Accusative— case of the direct object

When the nominative singular of a noun ends in -a, observe that

a. The nominative plural ends in -ae.

b. The genitive singular ends in -ae and the genitive plural in -ārum.

c. The accusative singular ends in -am and the accusative plural in -ās.

d. The genitive singular and the nominative plural have the same ending.

[34.] EXERCISE

Pronounce the following words and give their general meaning. Then give the number and case, and the use of each form. Where the same form stands for more than one case, give all the possible cases and uses.

1. Silva, silvās, silvam. 2. Fugam, fugae, fuga. 3. Terrārum, terrae, terrās. 4. Aquās, causam, lūnās. 5. Fīliae, fortūnae, lūnae. 6. Iniūriās, agricolārum, aquārum. 7. Iniūriārum, agricolae, puellās. 8. Nautam, agricolās, nautās. 9. Agricolam, puellam, silvārum.