LATIN PRONOUNS
THE BASICS
• Most pronouns can also be used as adjectives
• The endings are mostly those of 1st/2nd declension adjectives like
bonus, -a, -um, but some forms are irregular. In particular, the
genitive singular has the special ending –ius and the dative
singular borrows the –ī ending from the 3rd declension. These two
endings always remain the same for all three genders
• The i in the -ius actually stands for a double-consonant in eius,
huius and cuius, which are thus pronounced EY-yus, HUY-yus and
CUY-yus. In other pronouns the –i is long and takes the stress –e.g.
illīus, normally pronounced il-LI-us
• These special `pronominal’ endings for dative and genitive are also
used by nine adjectives that otherwise normally follow the regular –
us, -a, -um/ -er, -ra, -rum pattern: ūnus (one), nūllus (none), ūllus
(any), sōlus (alone), neuter (neither) alius (neut. nom, acc. sing.
aliud) (other), uter (which of two), tōtus (whole), alter (the other of
two)
is, ea, id (singular)
• Can be translated `this’ or `that’ but often
just the equivalent of `him’, `her’, `his’,
`them’ etc.
• The nominative does not need to be used
very often because the meaning `he’, `she’,
`they’ etc, is contained within an ordinary
verb. Compare:
– Canis eum spectat (The dog looks at him)
– Canem spectat (He looks at the dog)
is (singular)
Masc
Nominative is
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
ea
id
is (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative is
ea
id
Accusative eum
eam
id
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
is (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative is
ea
id
Accusative eum
eam
id
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
eius
is (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative is
ea
id
Accusative eum
eam
id
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
eius
eī
is (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative is
ea
id
Accusative eum
eam
id
Genitive
eius
eī
Dative
Ablative
eō
eā
eō
is (plural)
Masc
Nominative eī (or iī)
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
eae
ea
is (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative eī (or iī)
eae
ea
Accusative eōs
eās
ea
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
is (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative eī (or iī)
eae
ea
Accusative eōs
eās
ea
eārum
eōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
eōrum
is (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative eī (or iī)
eae
ea
Accusative eōs
eās
ea
eārum
eōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
eōrum
eīs (or iīs)
is (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative eī (or iī)
eae
ea
Accusative eōs
eās
ea
eārum
eōrum
Genitive
eōrum
Dative
eīs (or iīs)
Ablative
eīs (or iīs)
īdem, eadem, idem
• A compound of is/ea/id and the suffix `dem’
meaning `the same’.
• An `m’ before the suffix becomes `n’
– *eumdem > eundem
– *eōrumdem > eōrundem
• Notice the slightly irregular forms of
nominative singular masculine and neuter
– *isdem > īdem (long vowel)
– *iddem > idem (short vowel)
īdem (singular)
Masc
Nominative īdem
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
eadem
idem
īdem (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative īdem
eadem
idem
Accusative eundem
eandem
idem
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
īdem (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative īdem
eadem
idem
Accusative eundem
eandem
idem
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
eiusdem
īdem (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative īdem
eadem
idem
Accusative eundem
eandem
idem
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
eiusdem
eīdem
īdem (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative īdem
eadem
idem
Accusative eundem
eandem
idem
Genitive
eiusdem
eīdem
Dative
Ablative
eōdem
eādem
eōdem
īdem (plural)
Masc
Nominative eīdem
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
eaedem
eadem
īdem (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative eīdem
eaedem
eadem
Accusative eōsdem
eāsdem
eadem
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
īdem (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative eīdem
eaedem
eadem
Accusative eōsdem
eāsdem
eadem
eārundem
eōrundem
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
eōrundem
īdem (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative eīdem
eaedem
eadem
Accusative eōsdem
eāsdem
eadem
eārundem
eōrundem
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
eōrundem
eīsdem
īdem (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative eīdem
eaedem
eadem
Accusative eōsdem
eāsdem
eadem
eārundem
eōrundem
Genitive
eōrundem
Dative
eīsdem
Ablative
eīsdem
hic, haec, hoc
• The basic meaning is `this/these’ but it is also
used to mean `the latter’ (contrasting with ille for
`the former’)
• The word is less irregular than it looks as most
of the case forms (apart from the usual
pronominal dative singular –i and genitve
singular –ius) are the regular 1st/2nd declension
ones plus -c (the remains of what was originally
a separate word). An m turns into n before this:
– *hamc > hanc
• The feminine nominative singular and the neuter
nominative/accusative plural are identical - haec
The pronoun is nonetheless weird enough for many people to take it as
a bit of a joke. The illustration is from Book 1 of Oulton’s So You Really
Want to Learn Latin
hic (singular)
Masc
Nominative hic
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
haec
hoc
hic (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative hic
haec
hoc
Accusative hunc
hanc
hoc
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
hic (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative hic
haec
hoc
Accusative hunc
hanc
hoc
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
huius
hic (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative hic
haec
hoc
Accusative hunc
hanc
hoc
Genitive
huius
Dative
huic
Ablative
hic (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative hic
haec
hoc
Accusative hunc
hanc
hoc
Genitive
huius
Dative
huic
Ablative
hōc
hāc
hōc
hic (plural)
Masc
Nominative hī
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
hae
haec
hic (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative hī
hae
haec
Accusative hōs
hās
haec
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
hic (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative hī
hae
haec
Accusative hōs
hās
haec
hārum
hōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
hōrum
hic (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative hī
hae
haec
Accusative hōs
hās
haec
hārum
hōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
hōrum
hīs
hic (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative hī
hae
haec
Accusative hōs
hās
haec
hārum
hōrum
Genitive
hōrum
Dative
hīs
Ablative
hīs
ille, illa, illud (singular)
• Basic meaning is `that’, but also means `the
former’ (contrasting with hic for `the latter’)
• Endings are almost all regular, except for the
masculine and neuter singular nominative (ille,
illud) and the pronominal –īus and –ī for genitive
and dative singular
• This word is the origin for the definite article and
the words for he and she in most Romance
languages
ille (singular)
Masc
Nominative ille
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
illa
illud
ille (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ille
illa
illud
Accusative illum
illam
illud
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
ille (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ille
illa
illud
Accusative illum
illam
illud
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
illīus
ille (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ille
illa
illud
Accusative illum
illam
illud
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
illīus
illī
ille (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ille
illa
illud
Accusative illum
illam
illud
illīus
Genitive
illī
Dative
Ablative
illō
illā
illō
ille (plural)
Masc
Nominative illī
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
illae
illa
ille (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative illī
illae
illa
Accusative illōs
illās
illa
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
ille (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative illī
illae
illa
Accusative illōs
illās
illa
illārum
illōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
illōrum
ille (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative illī
illae
illa
Accusative illōs
illās
illa
illārum
illōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
illōrum
illīs
ille (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative illī
illae
illa
Accusative illōs
illās
illa
illārum
illōrum
Genitive
illōrum
Dative
illīs
Ablative
illīs
iste, ista, istud
• The basic meaning is `that’, in the sense of
distant from the speaker but probably near the
person being spoken to.
• It can often be translated as `that…of yours’,
with the implication that the object or person
described is worthless.
– Iste amīcus mē minimē dēlectat. (I don’t at all like that
friend of yours)
• The endings are exactly the same as those of
ille
iste (singular)
Masc
Nominative iste
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
ista
istud
iste (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative iste
ista
istud
Accusative istum
istam
istud
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
iste (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative iste
ista
istud
Accusative istum
istam
istud
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
istīus
iste (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative iste
ista
istud
Accusative istum
istam
istud
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
istīus
istī
iste (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative iste
ista
istud
Accusative istum
istam
istud
istīus
Genitive
istī
Dative
Ablative
istō
istā
istō
iste (plural)
Masc
Nominative istī
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
istae
ista
iste (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative istī
istae
ista
Accusative istōs
istās
ista
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
iste (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative istī
istae
ista
Accusative istōs
istās
ista
istārum
istōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
istōrum
iste (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative istī
istae
ista
Accusative istōs
istās
ista
istārum
istōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
istōrum
istīs
iste (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative istī
istae
ista
Accusative istōs
istās
ista
istārum
istōrum
Genitive
istōrum
Dative
istīs
Ablative
istīs
THE EMPHATIC PRONOUN (ipse, ipsa, ipsum)
• This pronoun (translatable as himself, herself, itself, themselves etc.)
must be carefully distinguished from the reflexive pronoun (sē, sibi
etc.) which is translated into English in exactly the same way. The
emphatic pronoun is used simply in order to emphasise another
word, NOT to show that the action done by the subject `bends back’
(the meaning of `reflexive’) to affect that subject.
– Caesar ipse Cicerōnem laudat (The action done by Caesar affects
Cicero, not Caesar)
• Caesar himself praises Cicero
– Caesar sē laudat (Caesar’s action affects Caesar, not someone else)
• Caesar praises himself
• The endings are the same as those of ille or iste, except for the
neuter nominative and accusative singular (ipsum) and thus
identical with the regular endings of an –us, -a, -um adjective except
for the masculine nominative singular (ipse) and the typical
pronominal endings –ius and –ī in the genitive and dative singular
respectively
ipse (singular)
Masc
Nominative ipse
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
ipsa
ipsum
ipse (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ipse
ipsa
ipsum
Accusative ipsum
ipsam
ipsum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
ipse (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ipse
ipsa
ipsum
Accusative ipsum
ipsam
ipsum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
ipsīus
ipse (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ipse
ipsa
ipsum
Accusative ipsum
ipsam
ipsum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
ipsīus
ipsī
ipse (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ipse
ipsa
ipsum
Accusative ipsum
ipsam
ipsum
ipsīus
Genitive
ipsī
Dative
Ablative
ipsō
ipsā
ipsō
ipse (plural)
Masc
Nominative ipsī
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
ipsae
ipsa
ipse (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ipsī
ipsae
ipsa
Accusative ipsōs
ipsās
ipsa
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
ipse (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ipsī
ipsae
ipsa
Accusative ipsōs
ipsās
ipsa
ipsārum
ipsōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
ipsōrum
ipse (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ipsī
ipsae
ipsa
Accusative ipsōs
ipsās
ipsa
ipsārum
ipsōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
ipsōrum
ipsīs
ipse (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative ipsī
ipsae
ipsa
Accusative ipsōs
ipsās
ipsa
ipsārum
ipsōrum
Genitive
ipsōrum
Dative
ipsīs
Ablative
ipsīs
THE RELATIVE PRONOUN (quī, quae, quod)
•
This pronoun (translatable as who, which, whose, that etc.) is used in order
to add to a sentence an additional statement about a noun. The pronoun’s
case depends on its function within its own clause, and its number and
gender upon the noun it refers to.
– Rēgīna, quae heri advēnit, nihil dīxit
– Rēgīna, quam heri vīdimus, nihil dīxit
– Rēgīnae, quibus dōna dedimus, nihil dīxērunt
•
•
The endings are virtually the same as those of hic with the c left off, except
for the neuter nominative and accusative singular (quod), the masculine
singular accusative (quem) and the alternative dative and ablative plural
(quibus). Another peculiarity is the spelling with initial c rather than q in the
genitive and dative singular (cuius, cui)
The interrogative pronoun, used in asking questions, is identical to the
relative pronoun except for the masculine and feminine nominative singular
(quis) and the neuter nominative and accusative singular (quid). The
masculine accusative singular quem is also normally used for the feminine
also. This pronoun can also be used with the meaning `anyone’ or `anything’
after sī, nisi, num and nē
– Quis pecūniam cēpit? Quid dīxistī?
Cuius liber est in mēnsā?
– Sī quis silvam intrābit, interficiētur Timeō nē quis dē integritāte meā dubitet
•
The interrogative adjective, which has to be used in a phrase with a noun,
has exactly the same forms as the relative pronoun.
– Quī discipulus fenestram frēgit?
Quōs librōs lēgistī?
OTHER Qu- PRONOUNS
•
quīdam/quaedam/quoddam (a certain….) is used adjectivally like a stronger form of
the indefinite article (a, an) to introduce a person or thing not mentioned before. It is
formed by adding the suffix –dam to the relative pronoun and, as with
īdem/eadem/idem, a final m becomes n in front of d (e.g. *quōrumdam > quōrundam).
If used as a pronoun, the neuter nom./acc. becomes quiddam (= a certain thing)
–
–
–
•
The pronoun aliquis/aliqua/aliquid (someone, something) follows the pattern of the
interrogative pronoun except that –a (i.e. the regular ending in –us, -am –um
adjectives like bonus) is used in the feminine nominative singular and the neuter
nominative an accusative plural.
–
–
•
Aliquid bibere vīs? Do you want to drink something?
Servī aliqua ā vīllā portābant. The slaves were fetching some things from the villa.
Quisquam/quisquam/quicquam (anyone, anything), which is used in negative
sentences, is formed by adding the suffix –quam to the interrogative pronoun. The
final d in the neuter nominative/accusative singular changes to c.
–
•
Homō quīdam dēscendēbat Hierosolymā in Iericho.
Ad urbem quandam pervēnērunt.
Caesar mihi quiddam dedit.
Quemquam nōn vīdī.
I didn’t see anybody.
The indefinite pronoun quisque/quaeque/quidque (quīque/quaeque/ quodque as an
adjective), meaning each one, also follows the same pattern but has a separate form
in –ae for the nominative singular feminine. Note that the ablative singular masculine/
neuter (quōque) is distinguished by the long ō from quoque (also).
–
–
Quōque diē Saturnī convenīmus. We meet every Saturday.
Cuīque dōnum dedit.
He gave a present to each one.
OTHER Qu- PRONOUNS (concluded)
• Finally, the pronoun
quīcumque/quaecumque/quodcumque (whoever,
whatever etc.) follows the pattern of the relative
pronoun quī/quae/quod
– In quamcumque domum intraveritis, primum
dicite: Pax huic domui
In whatever house you have entered, first say `Peace
to this house!’
– Quīcumque hunc ānulum diabolicum adeptus erit,
magnam clādem patiētur. Whoever has gained
possession of this devilish ring will suffer a great
disaster.
quī (singular)
Masc
Nominative quī
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
quae
quod
quī (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative quī
quae
quod
Accusative quem
quam
quod
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
quī (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative quī
quae
quod
Accusative quem
quam
quod
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
cuius
quī (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative quī
quae
quod
Accusative quem
quam
quod
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
cuius
cui
quī (singular)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative quī
quae
quod
Accusative quem
quam
quod
Genitive
cuius
cui
Dative
Ablative
quō
quā
quō
quī (plural)
Masc
Nominative quī
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
Fem
Neut
quae
quae
quī (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative quī
quae
quae
Accusative quōs
quās
quae
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
quī (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative quī
quae
quae
Accusative quōs
quās
quae
quārum
quōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
quōrum
quī (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative quī
quae
quae
Accusative quōs
quās
quae
quārum
quōrum
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
quōrum
quīs/quibus
quī (plural)
Masc
Fem
Neut
Nominative quī
quae
quae
Accusative quōs
quās
quae
quārum
quōrum
Genitive
quōrum
Dative
quīs/quibus
Ablative
quīs/quibus
EGO, TŪ and SĒ
•
Whilst the English pronouns I and you are often the subject of sentences, ego and tū
are not, because their meaning is contained already in the verb endings. The Latin
pronouns are therefore generally only used in the nominative when special emphasis
is required: .
–
–
–
–
Caesarem in templō saepe videō.
Ego Caesarem in templō saepe videō
Computātrum frēgistī
Tū computātrum frēgistī
I often see Caesar in the temple
I often see Caesar in the temple
You broke the computer.
You broke the computer
•
The retroflex pronoun sē is used for referring back to the subject when the same
person or thing is both performing an action and affected by it. It has to be translated
himself, herself, itself or themselves, according to context, and must be distinguished
from ipse, which is translated in the same way but used only to emphasise another
word.
•
The genitive of these words is not used for simple possession, which is instead
expressed by the adjectives meus, tuus and suus
–
–
–
Quis librum meum abstulit?
Petrus servōs meōs emere volēbat
Maria amīcās suās invitāvit
Who took my book away?
Peter wanted to buy my slaves
Mary invited her own friends
•
All these pronouns have the ablative singular and accusative singular ending in -e,
whilst tū and sē are similar to each other throughout the singular
•
Latin has no special words for myself, yourself etc. and simply uses mē, tē etc.
–
Tē pulsāvī
I hit you
- Mē pulsāvī I hit myself
SINGULAR (I, you,
himself/herself/itself)
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
I
you
himself etc.
ego
tū
-
SINGULAR (I, you,
himself/herself/itself)
I
you
himself etc.
Nominative
ego
tū
-
Accusative
mē
tē
sē
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
SINGULAR (I, you,
himself/herself/itself)
I
you
himself etc.
Nominative
ego
tū
-
Accusative
mē
tē
sē
Genitive
meī
tuī
suī
Dative
Ablative
SINGULAR (I, you,
himself/herself/itself)
I
you
himself etc.
Nominative
ego
tū
-
Accusative
mē
tē
sē
Genitive
meī
tuī
suī
Dative
mihi
tibi
sibi
Ablative
SINGULAR (I, you,
himself/herself/itself)
I
you
himself etc.
Nominative
ego
tū
-
Accusative
mē
tē
sē
Genitive
meī
tuī
suī
Dative
mihi
tibi
sibi
Ablative
mē
tē
sē
PLURAL (we, you, themselves)
I
you
-
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
Ablative
themselves
nōs
vōs
sē
PLURAL (we, you, themselves)
I
you
-
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
themselves
nōs
vōs
nostrī/
nostrum
vestrī/
vestrum
sē
suī
Dative
sibi
Ablative
sē
PLURAL (we, you, themselves)
I
you
-
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
nōs
vōs
nostrī/
nostrum
vestrī/
vestrum
Dative
Ablative
themselves
nōbīs
vōbīs
sē
suī
sibi
sē