A Review of the Basic Forms of the Five Declensions of the Latin Noun
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A Review of the Basic Forms of the Five Declensions of the Latin Noun The Latin noun has developed historically in accordance with five basic patterns of formation. Each of these patterns is called a declension. All nouns exhibiting a similar, distinguishing pattern of formation are said to belong to one same declension. This means that all of the nouns in the same declension will decline in the same way, that the case-forms for all the nouns falling within a given declension will be the same. Broadly speaking, the several declensions are distinguished on the basis of the vowel that is attached at the end of the word-stem and becomes, in effect, the first letter of the case-ending. Each of the five declensions is characterized by one of the five principal vowels. The first declension is the a-declension, the second the odeclension, the third the i-declension, the fourth the u-declension, and the fifth the e-declension. These characteristic vowels figure prominently in the stem of each noun in the given declension, although historical developments have resulted in the disappearance or alteration of the characteristic vowel in some cases. The characteristic vowel for the first declension is a, for example, but the dative and ablative plural forms in the first declension are –īs in Classical Latin, with no a being visible. Nonetheless, in an older stratum of the language, the ending had been –āis, and the a subsequently fell away as the word evidently began to be pronounced differently. In the second declension, the characteristic vowel is o, but in Classical Latin the second declension exhibits many u’s instead. Changes in pronunciation resulted in the original o’s being replaced by u’s in order to reflect the change in sound. In the chart below, notice the difference between the patterns of the first and second declensions in Classical Latin and in the older stratum of the language: the older forms exhibit the characteristic vowel throughout both declensions, except in the genitive singular of the second declension. Case Singular Plural Classical Latin 1st Declension Older Latin 1st Declension Classical Latin 2nd Declension Older Latin 2nd Declension N puella puellā servus servos G puellae puellās servī serveī D puellae puellāi servō servōi Ac puellam puellām servum servom Ab puellā puellād servō servōd N puellae puellāi servī servoi G puellārum puellāsom servōrum servom D puellīs puellāis servīs servōis Ac puellās puellāns servōs servōns Ab puellīs puellāis servīs servōis Pages two through six lay out the basic forms of the five Classical Latin declensions. We provide one typical example for each declension, omitting neuter forms. Page seven summarizes the five declensions on a single page, allowing a full overview. Page eight does the same, but arranges the declensions in adjacent columns in order to permit close study of case-patterns across the five declensions. Pages nine through eleven delineate a number of formal characteristics of the five declensions that may help you to learn to recognize and use them more readily. Study each declension in turn by thoughtfully reviewing each pattern periodically until you know each one by heart—by heart, not by rote. Regular, thoughtful, heartfelt review is preferable to cold, dutiful memorization and much deeper and more lasting in its effect. On a regular basis, review each declension in several ways: reading it silently to yourself, reading it aloud to yourself, writing it out neatly and accurately. Quiz yourself orally, both silently and aloud, and in writing, until you know all five declensions confidently. 1 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 The Basic Form of the First Declension Noun: A-declension Stem puellă- (girl) Case-ending Number Case Form Base Singular Nominative puella puell – a Genitive puellae puell – ae Dative puellae puell – ae Accusative puellam puell – am Ablative puellā puell – ā Vocative puella puell – a Nominative puellae puell – ae Genitive puellārum puell – ārum Dative puellīs puell – īs Accusative puellās puell – ās Ablative puellīs puell – īs Vocative puellae puell – ae Plural 2 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 with stem-vowel The Basic Form of the Second Declension Noun: O-declension Stem servŏ- (slave) Case-ending Number Case Form Base Singular Nominative servus serv – us Genitive servī serv – ī Dative servō serv – ō Accusative servum serv – um Ablative servō serv – ō Vocative serve serv – e Nominative servī serv – ī Genitive servōrum serv – ōrum Dative servīs serv – īs Accusative servōs serv – ōs Ablative servīs serv – īs Vocative servī serv – ī Plural 3 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 with stem-vowel The Basic Form of the Third Declension Noun: I-declension Stem leōn- (lion) Case-ending Number Case Form Base Singular Nominative leō leo Genitive leōnis leōn – is Dative leōnī leōn – ī Accusative leōnem leōn – em Ablative leōne leōn – e Vocative leō leō Nominative leōnēs leōn – ēs Genitive leōnum leōn – um Dative leōnibus leōn – ibus Accusative leōnēs leōn – ēs Ablative leōnibus leōn – ibus Vocative leōnēs leōn – ēs Plural 4 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 with stem-vowel --- --- The Basic Form of the Fourth Declension Noun: U-declension Stem portŭ- (harbour) Case-ending Number Case Form Base Singular Nominative portus port – us Genitive portūs port – ūs Dative portuī port – uī Accusative portum port – um Ablative portū port – ū Vocative portus port – us Nominative portūs port – ūs Genitive portuum port – uum Dative portibus port – ibus Accusative portūs port – ūs Ablative portibus port – ibus Vocative portūs port – ūs Plural 5 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 with stem-vowel The Basic Form of the Fifth Declension Noun: E-declension Stem rē- (thing) Case-ending Number Case Form Singular Nominative rēs r – ēs Genitive rēī r – ēī Dative rēī r – ēī Accusative rem r – em Ablative rē̄ r–ē Vocative rēs r – ēs Nominative rēs r – ēs Genitive rērum r – ērum Dative rēbus r – ēbus Accusative rēs r – ēs Ablative rēbus r – ēbus Vocative rēs r – ēs Plural Base with stem-vowel 6 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 Summary 1: Basic Forms of the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Declension Noun FIRST DECLENSION puella, -ae (f.) girl Case Singular Form Case-ending Plural Form Case-ending Nominative puella -a puellae -ae Genitive puellae -ae puellārum -ārum Dative puellae -ae puellīs -īs Accusative puellam -am puellās -ās Ablative puellā -ā puellīs -īs Vocative puella -a puellae -ae Case-ending SECOND DECLENSION servus, -ī (m.) slave Case Singular Form Case-ending Plural Form Nominative servus -us servī -ī Genitive servī -ī servōrum -ōrum Dative servō -ō servīs -īs Accusative servum -um servōs -ōs Ablative servō -ō̄ servīs -īs Vocative servus -us servī -ī THIRD DECLENSION leō, -is (m.) lion Case Singular Form Case-ending Plural Form Case-ending Nominative leō --- leonēs -ēs Genitive leōnis -is leōnum -um Dative leōnī -ī leōnibus -ibus Accusative leonem -em leōnēs -ēs Ablative leone -e leōnibus -ibus Vocative leō --- leōnēs -ēs Case-ending FOURTH DECLENSION portus, -ūs (m.) harbour Case Singular Form Case-ending Plural Form Nominative portus -u portūs -ūs Genitive Dative portūs portuī -ūs -uī portuum portibus -uum -ibus Accusative portum -um portūs -ūs Ablative portū -ū portibus -ibus Vocative portus -us portūs -ūs FIFTH DECLENSION rēs, -ēī (f.) thing Case Singular Form Case-ending Plural Form Case-ending Nominative rēs -ēs rēs -ēs Genitive Dative rēī rēī -ēī -ēī rērum rēbus -ērum -ēbus Accusative rem -em rēs -ēs Ablative rē -ē rēbus -ēbus Vocative rēs -ēs rēs -ēbus 7 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 Summary 2: Basic Forms of the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Declension Noun Case 1st Declension 2nd Declension 3rd Declension 4th Declension 5th Declension puella, -ae (f.) girl servus, -ī (m.) slave leō, -is (m.) lion portus, -ūs (m.) harbour rēs, -ēī (f.) thing Nominative puella servus leō portus rēs Genitive puellae servī leōnis portūs rēī Dative puellae servō leōnī portuī rēī Accusative puellam servum leōnem portum rem Ablative puellā servō leōne portū rē Vocative puella serve leō portus rēs Nominative puellae servī leōnēs portūs rēs Genitive puellārum servōrum leōnum portuum rērum Dative puellīs servīs leōnibus portibus rēbus Accusative puellās servōs leōnēs rēs Ablative puellīs servīs leōnibus portibus rēbus Vocative puellae servī leōnēs rēs Singular Plural 8 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 portūs portūs Several Formal Characteristics to Take Note of in Learning the Forms of the Five Declensions of the Latin Noun 1. In order to interpret a Latin noun or adjective and its role in a sentence, you must first determine its case; and in order to do that, you must know which declension the noun in question belongs to. 2. Broadly speaking, an -a- in the case-ending of a noun is a sign of the first declension, -o-/-u- is a sign of the second, -i-/-e- of the third, -u- of the fourth, and -e- is a sign of he fifth declension. 3. Masculine or feminine nouns of the first (-a-), second (-us), fourth (-us), and fifth (-ēs) declensions, exhibit fixed, invariable forms in the nominative singular and elsewhere. 4. The third declension exbibits a much broader range of forms in the nominative singular. 5. At least where masculine and feminine words are concerned, you may safely conclude, therefore, that if the nominative singular does not correspond with any of the four fixed patterns noted in item 3, above, then the word must belong to the third declension. As you will see, words of neuter gender complicate this rule of thumb somewhat. It can serve only as a rough, preliminary guideline. 6. You may not conclude, however, that if the word does exhibit the characteristic nominative singular ending of one of the four fixed nominative singular declensional patterns then it necessarily belongs to that declension. There are, for example, thirddeclension words ending in –ēs, such as fēlēs (cat), which might tempt one to suppose that it were of the fifth declension. Similarly, there are third-declension neuter words ending in –us, such as tempus (time), which one might hastily conclude were of the second or the fourth declension. 7. Moreover, you will have noticed immediately that the nominative singular of both the second and the fourth declensions, whether masculine or feminine, is the same (-us), so that on that basis one might easily confuse words of those declensions. 9 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 8. A sure and unmistakable sign of the declension to which a noun belongs, however, may be found in the genitive singular form of the word. Its genitive singular form is unique to each of the five declensions and is therefore distinctive of the given declension, and it is the same for all words belonging to the given declension, regardless of their gender. 9. For this reason, glossaries and dictionaries always list a noun with its nominative singular form followed by its genitive singular form; and for this reason, if you are not sure to which gender a particular noun belongs, you must look it up in a dictionary or in the glossary at the rear of your textbook. As an example of how important the determination of the declension can be, consider that there is a considerable difference between the significance of the accusative case, singular, and the genitive case, plural. Observe also that both the accusative singular of the second declension (as well as that of the fourth declension) and the genitive plural of the third declension (as well as that of the first, second, fourth, and fifth declensions) end with the letters –um. One might pound one’s brain in vain for quite some time trying to interpret a sentence that included the word leonum (third declension, genitive, plural), if one persisted in assuming that the word belonged to the second (or fourth) declension and were an accusative singular. You may save yourself such frustration by using the glossary or a dictionary. This is also a good way to broaden and deepen your vocabulary and your understanding of meaning. When you look a word up in the glossary, notice the full range of details provided concerning its form and meaning. You might even explore other words of related form and meaning situated nearby. 10. Notice, therefore, that the genitive singular for each of the five declensions is unique and distinct, as demonstrated below. First Declension: -ae Second Declension: -ī Third Declension: -is Fourth Declension: -ūs Fifth Declension: -ēī 11. Notice that all datives singular end with a long vowel sound: -ae, -ō, -ī, -uī, -ēī. 12. Notice that all accusatives singular (for nouns of masculine and feminine gender), end with an m preceded by a vowel, characteristic of the given declension, and always short: -am, -um, -em, -um, -em. Notice, however, that both the second and 10 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603 fourth (-um) and the third and fifth (–em) declensions are subject to confusion in the accusative singular. 13. Notice that all ablatives singular end with a single vowel, always a vowel characteristic of the given declension, and always a long vowel, except in the third declension, whose vowel is short: -ā, -ō, -e, -ū, -ē. 14. Notice that all nominatives plural end either with a long vowel sound or a long vowel sound plus an –s: -ae, -ī, ēs, -ūs, -ēs. Notice that the third and fifth declension endings are the same in the nominative plural (-ēs). 15. Notice that all genitives plural end with –um, but that in all but the third declension the –um is preceded by additional letters: -ārum, -ōrum, -um, -uum, -ērum. 16. Notice that all datives plural and all ablatives plural, except those of the fifth declension, involve the letters i and s in their ending, although in the third and fourth declensions a -bu- falls between the i and the s, and that the -bu- also appears in the fifth to mark the ablatives and datives plural, despite the disappearance of the i: -īs, -īs, -ibus, -ibus, -ēbus. 17. Notice that just as the accusatives singular, masculine and feminine, always end with an m preceded by a characteristic vowel, so the accusatives plural of those genders always end with an s preceded by a characteristic vowel, always a long vowel: -ās, -ōs, -ēs, -ūs, -ēs. Notice, therefore, that (as far as you need to be concerned for the time being) the ending of an accusative plural will always consist in an s preceded by a vowel other than an ī; so that –īs will never be accusative, but always dative or ablative plural. Notice, finally, that, as in the nominatives, so in the accusatives plural, the third and fifth declension forms are the same (-ēs). 18. Notice that a final –s often, although not always, indicates that the word is plural. There is therefore a considerable probability, albeit not a necessity or a certainty, that a noun ending in –s will prove to be plural. You must therefore consider the possibility that it is plural but not leap to that conclusion. You must test the matter more closely. 19. Notice that with the exception of the singular of the second declension masculine in -us, the ending of the vocative is always the same as that of the nominative form, both singular and plural. 11 Grammar . Latin . Noun 3 . Latin I Copyright 2013 The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies 910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603
