Latin Grammar: Nouns, Adjectives, Declensions and Comparison

Latin Grammar

Latin words are divided into variable parts: nouns, pronouns, determiners, adjectives and verbs.

Nouns, pronouns and determiners are declined, while adjectives combine with nouns and verbs.

The verb generally marks the end of the sentence.

Nouns and Declensions

Substantives are grouped into 5 declensions: -ae, -i, -is, -us, -ei.

Each substantive has a nominative and genitive form, from which the declension is determined.

For each declension, the whole case system is used to express different syntactic functions.

The cases are ordered as follows: nominative, vocative, accusative, genitive, dative and ablative.

Only the accusative and ablative can be used with prepositions.

First Declension

Nouns of the first declension are mostly feminine, except for names and occupations denoting males.

Endings: -a, -a, -am, -ae, -ae, -a (singular); -ae, -ae, -as, -arum, -is, -is (plural).

Second Declension

Nouns of the second declension are mostly masculine and neuter, such as culina and nutro, except for some feminine nouns such as the names of trees.

The nominative, accusative and vocative cases are identical in the neuter.

Masculine endings: -us (-er), -e (-er), -um, -i, -o, -o (singular); -i, -i, -os, -orum, -is, -is (plural).

Neuter endings: -um, -um, -um, -i, -o, -o (singular); -a, -a, -a, -orum, -is, -is (plural).

Third Declension

Nouns of the third declension include feminine and neuter nouns of the form culina and nutro.

Parisyllabic nouns have the same number of syllables in the nominative and genitive.

Parisyllabic endings: -is, -is, -em, -is, -i, -e (singular); -es, -es, -es, -ium, -ibus, -ibus (plural).

Neuter parisyllabic endings: -e, -e, -e, -is, -i, -e (singular); -ia, -ia, -ia, -ium, -ibus, -ibus (plural).

Imparisyllabic endings: -, -, -em, -is, -i, -e (singular); -es, -es, -es, -um, -ibus, -ibus (plural).

Neuter imparisyllabic endings: -, -, -, -is, -i, -e (singular); -a, -a, -a, -um, -ibus, -ibus (plural).

Fourth Declension

Nouns of the fourth declension are mostly masculine and neuter, with a stem ending in -u.

Masculine endings: -us, -us, -um, -us, -ui, -ui (singular); -us, -us, -us, -uum, -ibus, -ibus (plural).

Neuter endings: -u, -u, -u, -ua, -ui, -ui (singular); -ua, -ua, -ua, -uum, -ibus, -ibus (plural).

Fifth Declension

Nouns of the fifth declension are feminine and have a stem ending in -e.

Endings: -es, -es, -em, -ei, -ei, -e (singular); -es, -es, -es, -erum, -ebus, -ebus (plural).

Adjectives

Adjectives are independent of the 3rd, 2nd or 1st declension endings and always agree in gender, number and case with the noun they modify.

Adjectives of the 3rd declension are declined like nouns, while adjectives of the 2nd and 1st declension follow their own nominative and genitive patterns.

Adjectives have three degrees: positive, comparative and superlative.

Comparative Degree

The comparative degree has three types:

• Superiority: Petrus Antonius altior quam.
• Equality: Tam altus est Petrus quam Antonius.
• Inferiority: Petrus paulo minus quam altus est.

Superlative Degree

The absolute superlative is formed with the endings -issimus, -issima, -issimum.