1. Subject and Oh! endings are always the same; except for "-us".
2. Subject and object of neuter nouns are always the same. The plural always ends with "-a".
3. Singular feminine or masculine objects end with "-m". Plural feminine or masculine objects end with "-s".
4. Plural Of! always ends in "-um".
5. Plural ForTo and ByFromWith are always the same, and is usually "-is".
1. The second declension contains words that end with "us", "er", or "ir". "er" and "ir" are extremely rare.
2. They are mostly masculine.
3. Some are neuter and end in "um".
4. Masculine dominus with "us" ending:
a. dominus as subject (pl. domini)
b. domine as in "O Domine!" (pl. domini)
c. domino as "by, with, or from the lord" (pl. dominis)
d. dominum as object (pl. dominos)
e. domini as "of the lord" (pl. dominorum)
f. domino as "for or to the lord" (pl. dominis)
5. Neuter regnum with "um" ending:
a. regnum as subject (pl. regna)
b. regnum as in "O Regnum!" (pl. regna)
c. regno as "by, with, or from the kingdom" (pl. regnis)
d. regnum as object (pl. regna)
e. regni as "of the kingdom" (pl. regnorum)
f. regno as "for or to the kingdom" (pl. regis)
agnus, i -m lamb
amicus, i -m friend
angelus, i -m angel
animus, i -m soul, spirit
annus, i -m year
apostolus, i -m apostle
campus, i -m plain, field
candidatus, i -m candidate
capillus, i -m hair
chorus, i -m choir
Christus, i -m Christ
cibus, i -m food
conservus, i -m companion (fellow-slave)
deaconus, i -m deacon
deus, i -m god
digitus, i -m finger
discipulus, i -m student, disciple
dominus, i -m lord
episcopus, i -m bishop
equus, i -m horse
erus, i -m master, owner
exercitus, i -m army
filius, i -m son
fumus, i -m smoke, vapor (fumes)
legatus, i -m legate; commander
locus, i -m place, occasion
ludus, i -m game, school
lupus, i -m wolf
malus, i -m bad-man
modus, i -m mode
murus, i -m wall
numerus, i -m number
oculus, i -m eye
parochus, i -m pastor (parish priest)
reus, i -m sinner, guilty one
romanus, i -m Roman (pl)
saccus, i -m sack, back
sanctus, i -m saint
servus, i -m servant
somnus, i -m sleep
sonus, i -m sound, noise
thronus, i -m throne
timidus, i -m timid-man
vicarius, i(i) -m vicar, substitute; sucessor
vicinus, i -m neighbor
agna, ae -f ewe lamb
aqua, ae -f water
aquila, ae -f eagle
ara, ae -f altar
avaritia, ae -f greed, avarice
basilica, ae -f basilica
cathadra, ae -f chair, throne, office
causa, ae -f cause, reason, motive
cena, ae -f dinner
columba, ae -f dove, pigeon
conscientia, ae -f conscience
corona, ae -f crown
creatura, ae -f creature
cura, ae -f concern, worry (fear)
delicia, ae -f pleasure, delight (usu. pl.)
disciplina, ae -f discipline, study
epistula, ae -f letter
familia, ae -f family
fenestra, ae -f window
forma, ae -f form, nature
frequentia, ae -f crowd
gloria, ae -f glory
Graecia, ae -f Greece
gratia, ae -f grace
Hispania, ae -f Spain
hora, ae -f hour, time
ignorantia, ae -f ignorance
ignoratia, ae -f ignorance
inimicitia, ae -f enmity, hostility
iracundia, ae -f passion (irascibility)
Italia, ae -f Italy
janua, ae -f door
latrina, ae -f toilet
lingua, ae -f language
littera, ae -f letter, books
luxuria, ae -f luxury; extravagance
materia, ae -f material, wood
memoria, ae -f memory; history
mensa, ae -f table
militia, ae -f campaign, military service
miseria, ae -f misery, distress
misericordia, ae -f mercy, compassion
norma, ae -f norm, standard
notitia, ae -f notice
nuptia, ae -f nuptials (pl)
patria, ae -f country, homeland
philosophia, ae -f philosophy
porta, ae -f gate, door
provincia, aw -f province
rixa, ae -f fight
Roma, ae -f Rome
rosa, ae -f rose
sancta, ae -f saint
sapientia, ae -f wisdom
schola, ae -f school
scientia, ae -f knowledge, science
scriptura, ae -f writing; scripture
sententia, ae -f opinion, sentiment, sentence
silva, ae -f forest, woods
stella, ae -f star
superbia, ae -f arrogance, pride
terra, ae -f earth
tuba, ae -f trumpet
turba, ae -f crowd, commotion
umbra, ae -f shade; shadow
venia, ae -f forgiveness
vespera, ae -f evening
villa, ae -f villa, estate
vita, ae -f life
adiumentum, i -n help, aid
adjutorium, i -n help, assistance
auxilium, i -n help, aid
bellum, i -n war
bonum, i -n the good, welfare
caelum, i -n sky, heaven
canticum, i -n song
cerebrum, i -n brain
commodum, i -n convenience
crepusculum, i -n twilight, dusk
decretum, i -n decree, decision; doctrine
donum, i -n gift
dubium, i -n doubt
elementum, i -n element, origin
exemplum, i -n example
experimentum, i -n experience; experiment
festum, i -n feast
fundamentum, i -n foundation
gubernaculum,, i -n helm, rudder
impedimentum, i -n impediment
imperium, i(i) -n empire; authority; command
incommodum,, i -n inconvenience, setback
indicium, -i n evidence, information, proof
institutum, i -n custom, institution
instrumentum, i -n tool, equiptment, instrument
iuramentum, i -n oath
locum, i -n place, point, site, position
malum, i -n evil
membrum, i -n member
mysterium, i(i) -n mystery
nummus, i -n coin, money
nuntium, i -n message, communication
oblectamentum, i -n delight, pleasure
officium, i -n duty; office
oppidum, i -n town, village
peccatum, i -n error, sin
periculum, i -n danger
praeceptum, i -n precept; teaching, command
praemium, i(i) -n prize, reward
principium, i(i) -n principle; beginning
proelium, i(i) -n battle
propositum, i -n proposition, suggestion; plan, ideal
proprium, i -n proper-thing
regnum, i -n kingdom
remedium, i -n remedy, cure
sacramentum, i -n sacrament; oath of allegiance
saeculum, i -n century
scriptum, i -n something written
sepulchrum, i -n grave, tomb
signum, i -n sign; seal; signal
solium, i(i) -n throne, seat
studium, i -n study; zeal
tabernaculum, i -n tabernacle, tent
templum, i -n temple
territotium, i(i) -n territory
venenum, i -n poison
verbum, i -n word
vinum, i -n wine
visum, i -n sight, vision
agricola, ae -m farmer
nauta, ae -m sailor
papa, ae -m pope
propheta, ae -m prophet
socialista, ae -m socialist
trapezita, ae -m banker
act like regular masc.
magister, tri -m teacher
puer, i -m boy
liber, eri -m children (pl.)
liber, i -m book
vir, i -m man
homicida, ae -c murderer
incola, ae -c inhabitant
periodus, i -f period (time)
synodus, i -f assembly, synod
1. The first declension contains words that end with "a".
2. They are mostly feminine.
3. Consider "carta":
a. carta as subject (pl. carte)
b. carta as in "O Carta!" (pl. carte)
c. carta as "by, with, or from the charter" (pl. cartis)
d. cartam as object (pl. cartas)
e. carte as "of the charter" (pl. cartarum)
f. carte as "for or to the charter" (pl. cartis)
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N.B. means Nota Bene which means note well.
1. Nouns are a little bit complex in Latin. However, in my opinion, you will not find it surprising if you are already familiar with Arabic.
2. A noun in dictionary looks like this: digitus, -i, m.
2.1. The form you see in a dictionary is always the subject form of the noun.
2.2. In capillus, -i, m, -i indicates the grouping of the noun.
2.3. In porta, -ae, f, f indicates the grammatical gender.
3. Latin nouns belong to one of five declensions, and each noun has a gender, a number, and a case.
4. A declension is a group of nouns that share the same endings. Latin has five declensions, but the fourth and fifth declensions have only a few words.
4.1. The first declension includes nouns ending in -a: puella, villa, Europa, terra. Most first declension nouns are feminine.
4.2. The second declension includes nouns that end in -us: servus, ramus, numerus. There are also a few nouns belonging to this declension that end in -r: puer, vir. Most second declension nouns are masculine.
4.3. Third declension nouns don't have a specific ending for the nominative singular. Examples: arbor, vox, rex, urbs. Third declension nouns can be masculine, feminine, or neuter.
5. A Latin noun belongs to one of three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
6. Case means the function of word in a sentence. Words can have five cases in Latin.
6.1. Nominative case is used to indicate the subject or complement in a sentence.
6.2. Genitive case is used to show possession.
6.3. Dative case is mainly used for indirect objects.
6.4. Accusative case is used for direct objects and with some prepositions (ad, per, prope, in).
6.5. Ablative case has several uses. It can indicate the time when something occurs, the manner in which something happens, or the means by which something is done. It is also used with certain prepositions (sub, ex, in, cum, de).
6.6. Vocative case is used to call or address someone. For example, "O Maria!".
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Memorize these words:
digitus, -i, m: finger
capillus, -i, m: hair
porta, -ae, f: door
finestra, -ae, f: window
verbum, -i, n: word
donum, -i, n: gift
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manus, -us, f: hand
opus, -eris, n: work
nauta, -ae, m: sailor
--
puella: daughter
puer: son
vir: man
villa: farm, country
terra: earth
servus: servant
ramus: branch
numerus: number
arbor: tree, beam
vox: voice
rex: king
urbs: city
1. Verb ending tells us about: subject and number (for instance: 2nd person singular)
2. Memorize this table:
| Example | Ending | Pronoun |
| valeo |
-o |
I |
| vales | -s | (singular) you |
| valet | -t | he/she/it |
| valemus | -mus | we |
| valetis | -tis | (plural) you |
| valent | -nt | they |
For instance, when we have words that end with "-are", we first remove "-are", then, we add the appropriate ending.
Do verb making exercise with the words below.
a. Confirmare (to confirme)
b. Dare (to give)
c. Edificare (to build)
d. Laborare (to work)
e. Legare (to leave)
f. Orare (to pray)
g. Vocare (to call)
1. In most modern languages, word order really matter for the meaning, but not in Latin, in which, placement of words is free.
2. You must learn word endings in order to know about word functions. Many of these word endings are identical.
3. You should learn vocabulary. (As in any other language you struggle to learn)
Whenever I look up a Latin root, or learn something new about Latin, I find it thrilling and more thrilling. I found out that I can no longer endure the burdrn of not knowing about this language. Advantage for a software engineer? I might say you will become an expert name-picker for startups: the world's only consulting name-picker. ;)
The list of lessons is available below. I try to keep each lesson short. However, do not be fooled by the length of each lesson. We certainly have got a lot to repeat and remember after studying each lesson. (This post will be updated (ir)regularly as I learn anything new about Latin.)
Lesson One: Fun (or Genius) Facts about Latin
Lesson Five: Second Declension
References: