Declension

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This is a summary of the declension of Latin nouns.
 
This is a summary of the declension of Latin nouns.
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== Which declension a noun belongs to ==
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Latin is a heavily inflected language, which means that Latin indicates grammatical information by changing the ending of the words. Nouns are grouped into five declensions (noun inflection groups). If we change a noun’s ending to express its grammatical role, we say we “decline” it. To determine which declension group a noun belongs to, you have to look into a [[Latin dictionary]].
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In the case of nouns, for example, “friend”, you will find:
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'''''amicus, -i, m.'''''
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This is 3 pieces of information:
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:(1) amicus;
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:(2) -i;
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:(3) m.
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(1) '''amicus;'''  This means that the word “friend” in [[nominative]] (subject) case is “amicus”.
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(2) '''-i;''' The abbreviated form “-i” means that the word “friend” in [[genitive]] (possessive) case is “amici” (something of friend, or friend’s something), thus the original ending “-us” changes to “-i”.
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This is the most important point. This ending “–i” determines that “amicus” belongs to the “[[second declension]]”, whose identifier is the genitive “–i”. As we have mentioned, there are 5 declensions, and each one of these has a unique, declension-specific genitive ending. It’s important because the genitive ending determines the other inflections as well. The five types of genitive ending and the five declensions determined by the different genitive endings are:
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'''-ae''' = [[1st declension]], e.g.: Roma, -ae, f (Rome)
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'''-i''' = [[2nd declension]], e.g.: amicus, -i, m (friend)
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'''-is''' = [[3rd declension]], e.g.: rex, regis, m (king)
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'''-ús''' = [[4th declension]], e.g.: senatus, -ús, m (senate)
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'''-ei''' = [[5th declension]], e.g. fides, -ei, f (loyalty)
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(3)''' m.;''' The “m.” means that it is a masculine noun. In Latin, all nouns have three genders, they are masculine, (abbreviated as “m”), feminine (abbreviated as “f”), and neuter (abbreviated as “n”). English has a similar phenomenon when we use “he”, “she” or “it”. The new thing in this is that Latin uses these genders for things or abstract concepts, too, like in the exemples above, “loyalty” (fides, -ei, f) is feminine in Latin, the “senate” (senatus, -ús, m) is masculine, “Rome” (Roma, -ae, f) is, again, feminine.
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=== Neuter rule ===
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Neuter nouns have no [[accusative]] form separate from their [[nominative]]. It means that all neuter nouns have accusatives identical to their nominatives, and, additionally, all neuter nouns have a plural nominative-accusative form that ends in '''-a''', regardless to their declension group.
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Latin is an inflected language, and as such its nouns, pronouns, and adjectives must be declined in order to serve a grammatical function. A set of declined forms of the same word pattern is called a declension. There are five declensions, which are numbered and grouped by ending and grammatical gender.

This is a summary of the declension of Latin nouns.

Which declension a noun belongs to

Latin is a heavily inflected language, which means that Latin indicates grammatical information by changing the ending of the words. Nouns are grouped into five declensions (noun inflection groups). If we change a noun’s ending to express its grammatical role, we say we “decline” it. To determine which declension group a noun belongs to, you have to look into a Latin dictionary.

In the case of nouns, for example, “friend”, you will find:

amicus, -i, m.

This is 3 pieces of information:

(1) amicus;
(2) -i;
(3) m.

(1) amicus; This means that the word “friend” in nominative (subject) case is “amicus”.

(2) -i; The abbreviated form “-i” means that the word “friend” in genitive (possessive) case is “amici” (something of friend, or friend’s something), thus the original ending “-us” changes to “-i”. This is the most important point. This ending “–i” determines that “amicus” belongs to the “second declension”, whose identifier is the genitive “–i”. As we have mentioned, there are 5 declensions, and each one of these has a unique, declension-specific genitive ending. It’s important because the genitive ending determines the other inflections as well. The five types of genitive ending and the five declensions determined by the different genitive endings are:

-ae = 1st declension, e.g.: Roma, -ae, f (Rome)

-i = 2nd declension, e.g.: amicus, -i, m (friend)

-is = 3rd declension, e.g.: rex, regis, m (king)

-ús = 4th declension, e.g.: senatus, -ús, m (senate)

-ei = 5th declension, e.g. fides, -ei, f (loyalty)

(3) m.; The “m.” means that it is a masculine noun. In Latin, all nouns have three genders, they are masculine, (abbreviated as “m”), feminine (abbreviated as “f”), and neuter (abbreviated as “n”). English has a similar phenomenon when we use “he”, “she” or “it”. The new thing in this is that Latin uses these genders for things or abstract concepts, too, like in the exemples above, “loyalty” (fides, -ei, f) is feminine in Latin, the “senate” (senatus, -ús, m) is masculine, “Rome” (Roma, -ae, f) is, again, feminine.

Neuter rule

Neuter nouns have no accusative form separate from their nominative. It means that all neuter nouns have accusatives identical to their nominatives, and, additionally, all neuter nouns have a plural nominative-accusative form that ends in -a, regardless to their declension group.

Contents


The "-rum/-ís" declension-group

The first and second declensions have common characteristics:

First declension Second declension
A-Stem O-Stem
mf
terra, -ae, f
land 		mf
tribúnus, -í, m
tribune 		n
auspicium, -í, n
auspice
Singular Singular Singular
Nominative terra —— tribúnus —— auspicium ——
Accusative terram –am tribúnum –um auspicium ——
Genitive terrae –ae tribúní –í auspicií –í
Dative terrae –ae tribúnó –ó auspició –ó
Ablative terrá –á tribúnó –ó auspició –ó
Plural Plural Plural
Nominative terrae –ae tribúní –í auspicia –a
Accusative terrás –ás tribúnós –ós auspicia –a
Genitive terrárum –árum tribúnórum –órum auspiciórum –órum
Dative-
Ablative 		terrís –ís tribúnís –ís auspiciís –ís


The "-um/-bus" declension-group

The third and fourth declensions have common characteristics:


Third declension Fourth declension
Consonant Stem I-Stem U-Stem
mf
léx, légis, f
law 		n
iús, iúris, n
right 		mf
cívis, -is, mf
citizen 		n
mare, -is, n
sea 		mf
senátus, -ús, m
senate 		n
cornú, -ús, n
horn
Singular Singular Singular Singular Singular Singular
Nominative léx —— iús —— cívis —— mare —— senátus —— cornú ——
Accusative légem –em iús —— cívem –em mare —— senátum –um cornú ——
Genitive légis –is iúris –is cívis –is maris –is senátús –ús cornús –ús
Dative légí –í iúrí –í cíví –í marí –í senátuí –uí cornú –ú
Ablative lége –e iúre –e cíve –e marí –í senátú –ú cornú –ú
Plural Plural Plural Plural Plural Plural
Nominative-
Accusative 		légés –és iúra –a cívés –és maria –ia senátús –ús cornua –ua
Genitive légum –um iúrum –um cívium –ium marium –ium senátuum –uum cornuum –uum
Dative-
Ablative 		légibus –ibus iúribus –ibus cívibus –ibus maribus –ibus senátibus –ibus cornibus –ibus


The mixed declension ("-rum/-bus")

The fifth declension shares the characteristics of the other two groups:


Fifth declension
E-Stem
mf
diés, éí, m
day
Singular
Nominative diés ——
Accusative diem –em
Genitive-
Dative 		diéí –éí
Ablative dié –é
Plural
Nominative-
Accusative 		diés –és
Genitive diérum –érum
Dative-
Ablative 		diébus –ébus
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