Endings Are Everything

The Cases of Latin Nouns

Nouns are the names of persons places or things.

Uses of a noun:

Subject – tells who is doing the action. It usually is found at the beginning of the sentence.

The farmer loves the girl

Uses of a noun:

Predicate nominative – renames the subject. It always follows a linking verb (be am is are was were and been).

My father is a farmer.

Uses of a noun:

Direct object – follows an action verb and tells whom or what receives the action.

The girl loves (whom?)The girl loves the farmer.The girl loves (what?)The girl loves chocolate.

Uses of a noun:

Indirect object – follows a verb of giving, telling, and showing. It tells to whom or for whom something was given, told or shown. If there is an indirect object there must be a direct object.

The girl gave the farmer a horse.

(Indirect obj) (Direct obj)

Uses of a noun:

Possessive – shows ownership

I saw the farmer’s daughter.

Uses of a noun:

Object of preposition – Follows a preposition.

I went with the farmer.

(preposition) (object)

Uses of a noun:

In English the usage of the noun is determined by its position in the sentence.

Example:

The farmer loves the girl. In this sentence farmer is the subject.

The girl loves the farmer. In this sentence farmer is the direct object.

The only difference in the sentences is the position of the nouns.

In Latin, the use of the noun is determined by its ending, not its place in the sentence.

There are five cases:

• Nominative - subject and predicate nominative

• Genitive – possession

• Dative - indirect object

• Accusative - direct object

• Ablative - the preposition

In Latin, the endings indicate the case of the noun.

(Endings)Case Singular Plural

Nominative a aeGenitive ae arumDative ae isAccusative am asAblative a is

Example: agricolarum = plural genitive

= farmers’ (possessive)

Agricola is the Latin word for farmer. In the following sentences, choose the correct

form for farmer.

The farmers love the horses. A. agricolaeB. agricolamC. agricolasD. agricolarum

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Agricola is the Latin word for farmer. In the following sentences choose the correct form for farmer.

I saw the farmer.a. agricolab. agricolamc. agricolaed. agricolas

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Agricola is the Latin word for farmer. In the following sentences choose the correct form for farmer.

This is the farmer’s house.a. agricolisb. agricolamc. agricolaed. agricola

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Agricola is the Latin word for farmer. In the following sentences choose the correct form for farmer.

I gave the farmers the horse.a. agricolasb. agricolisc. agricolaed. agricolarum

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Agricola is the Latin word for farmer. In the following sentences choose the correct form for farmer.

The poet is a farmer.a. agricolamb. agricolaec. agricolarumd. agricola

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Agricola is the Latin word for farmer. In the following sentences choose the correct form for farmer.

I went with the farmer.a. agricolab. agricolaec. agricolisd. agricolas

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In a Latin sentence endings determine the use of the noun.

Click on the subject of the following sentence.

Puellam agricolae amant.

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In a Latin sentence endings determine the use of the noun.

Click on the possessive in the following sentence.

Casa agricolae est in Italia.

What is the case of Italia?a. Nominativeb. Genitivec. Datived. Ablative

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Click on the indirect object.

Agricolae puellis aquam dant (give).

The correct translation for this sentence is:a. The girls give water to the farmers.

b. The farmers give the girls water. c. Water is being given to the girls by the

farmer. d. Water is being given to the farmer by the

girls.