Latin I
Quarter 1 Grammar
Topics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Ablative Case
Prepositions
Esse
Word order
Declensions (1,2,3)
Accusative case
Nominative case
Present tense verb endings
Introduction:
Latin is an “inflected” language, which means that the words change endings based on how the
words are used in the sentence. So, a noun used as the subject will have a different ending than if that
noun was used as the direct object.
For example, (e.g. Exempli gratia):
Roma est in Italia. Rome is in Italy. Rome is the subject, so it ends in short –a.
Murus est in Romā. The Wall is in Rome. Rome is the object of the preposition, and so
it ends in long –ā.
Romam video. I see Rome. Rome is the direct object and so ends in –am.
Because every Latin word has an ending to indicate its use, Latin word order is very free. This means
that there is word order, but authors get to choose whether or not to follow the rules…
The normal word order should be:
Subject (adj) + Direct Object (adj)+ Prep Phrase + Verb.
The verb should be at the end of the sentence, unless that verb is a form of ‘to be,’ which normally
works just as in English (I am tall = sum altus).
Nouns and Adjectives:
Nouns and Adjectives are separated into categories based on the set of endings that they use. These
categories are called ‘declensions.’ These declensions are numbered (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th). The noun
Roma, above, is in the 1st declension, and so it uses 1st declension endings. Murus is 2nd declension and
so has a separate set of endings. Adjectives are divided in the same way, but are a little more
complicated (TBD).
Cases:
Nouns and Adjectives also have ‘Case.’ The case determines how the noun is used in the sentence, so it
is the case that determines the inflection, above. So, if the noun is the subject of the sentence, it will be
Nominative case. If the noun is the Object of the Preposition, it will be Ablative case. If it is the Direct
Object, it will be Accusative case. Remember that each case has its own endings, so you have to be able
to recognize the endings, know what case each falls into, and then figure out how the noun is used.
Prepositions:
Latin has two major types of prepositions: 1) those that take Ablative Objects, and 2) those that take
Accusative Objects. This is more info than you want, but typically Ablative taking prepositions have to
do with movement away from a place, while Accusative taking prepositions have to do with motion
forward.
Verbs:
Latin verbs are also inflected and so also have endings to show how the verb is used in the sentence,
and specifically to show who is actually performing the action of that verb.
Consider the following sentences:
a. I see the dog.
b. You see the dog.
c. He sees the dog.
In each sentence, the subject changes, and more importantly, the ‘person’ of the verb
changes. ‘Person’ refers to the point of view of the subject of the verb. If the subject of the sentence is
‘I’ or ‘we,’ the verb will be 1st person. If ‘you’ or ‘y’all,’ the verb will be 2nd person. If the subject is a ‘he,’
‘she,’ ‘it,’ or ‘they,’ the verb will be 3rd person. Verbs also have number, which refers to how many
subjects there are (singular or plural). As with nouns, the verb’s ending will change depending on the
person and number of the verb:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Video canem = I see the dog.
Vides canem = you see the dog.
Videt canem = he sees the dog.
Videmus canem = we see the dog.
Videtis canem = y’all see the dog.
Vident canem = they see the dog.
The irregular verb ‘esse’ = ‘to be’:
In Latin (and all other languages…), the verb ‘be’ is irregular and so the forms must be memorized.
Unfortunately, the verb esse is inflected just like any other Latin verb, so it pays off to memorize it as
you meet the verbs.
The present tense forms look like this:
Sum = I am
sumus = we are
Es = you are
estis = y’all are
Est = he, she, it is
sunt = they are
SUMMARY:
Here’s what you know:
Nouns are divided into declensions and have CASE.
Nominative Case = subjects
(-a, -us)
Accusative Case = Direct Objects
(-am, -um)
Ablative Case = Objects of Prepositions
(-ā, -ō)
Adjectives work like nouns (for now)…
Verbs are divided into Conjugations and have Person and Number.
1st person: -o = I; -mus = we
2nd person: -s = you; -tis = y’all
3rd person: -t = he, she, it; -nt = they
Esse is an irregular verb:
1st person: sum: I am
sumus: we are
2nd person: es = you are
estis = y’all are
3rd person: est = he, she, it is
sunt = they are
Word order:
The subject should be first; the verb should be last. Everything else falls in the middle.
Adjectives should follow the nouns they modify.
Prepositions:
Learn the case that the preposition governs as you learn the prepositions:
These take the ablative: ab, cum, de, ex, in, prae, pro, sine, sub
All others take the accusative (most of the time…)