Uses of the Ablative

In General The Ablative Case The Ablative Case is often called the “junk case” in Latin because it has so many uses. It is often used to show the means by which something is done, the manner in which something is done, the respect in which something is done/true, agency, and in a few other ways. In English we use prepositional phrases, often beginning with by, in, with, or from. BIWOFA

Ablative of Means The Ablatives of Means/Instrument is used to show the thing by or with which the action of the verb is done. It is often translated using the words “with” and “by”. The phrase “by means of” also helps in translation. Example: oculīs videō. -> I see with my eyes/by means of my eyes.

Ablative of Manner The Ablative of Manner shows the way, or manner, in which the action of the verb is completed. It is preceeded in the sentence by the preposition “cum”, meaning “with.” Example: cum cūrā labōrat. -> She works with care. The word in the ablative is often an idea word: care, speed, etc.

Ablative of Accompaniment The Ablative of Accompaniment is used to show the people with whom something is done. It is also used with the preposition “cum” in a sentence. Example: cum am īcīs ambulābat. -> He was walking with his friends.

Ablative of Respect (or Specification) The Ablative of Respect is used without a preposition in the sentence. It shows in what respect something is being done. It is often used with the adjectives dīgnus and indīgnus, which mean “worthy” and “unworthy” respectively. Example: pede celerrimus fuit. He was very swift in respect to his foot.

Ablative of Agent The Ablative of Agent is used when there is a passive verb in the sentence and it shows the person that is doing the action. It is used with the prepositions ā and ab followed by a person or animal. Example: puer bonus ā patre laudātur. -> The good boy is praised by the (his) father.

Ablative Absolute The Ablative Absolute will have no preposition and it is grammatically unattached to the rest of the sentence. It is similar to a subordinate clause in the sense that it explains the cause or condition of the action of the main clause. Example: hīs verbīs dictīs, cōnsul discessīt. -> After these words were said, the consul departed.

Ablatives of Place Where & Place from Which Ablative Expression of Place: It can be used to show the place where or from which the action is taking place. It uses the prepositions “in” and “pro” commonly to show the place where the action is taking place. It uses the prepositions “ ā” and “ē” to show the place from which the action is taking place. Examples: in agrō-> in the field; ā turbā->away from the crowd

Ablative of Cause The ablative case can show an expression of cause with or without a preposition. If it does take a preposition to show an expression of cause, the prepositions “ex” and “d ē” are commonly used. Examples: cūrīs-> with worry; ex vulnere-> from a wound/because of a wound

Ablative of Source/Origin This kind of ablative tells us where something came from and may or may not use a preposition. He was born from kings.  natus est rēgibus.

Ablatives of Time When & Time Within Which Ablative Expressions of Time: The ablative is used in expressions of time without a preposition. It can show time when or time within which a verb’s action is taking place. Examples: prīmā lūce->at first light; tribus annīs->within three years

Ablative of Degree of Difference With the words multo or paulo, Latin tells us how much difference there is between two things. Multo and paulo will always show up with a comparative or superlative. Multo maior – much bigger (lit. bigger by much) Paulo minor – a little smaller (smaller by a little) Multo minimus – the smallest by far

dux cum mīlitibus sedēbant. puer gladiō et verbīs pugnat. Quintus cum multō dolore scribit. Deīs volentibus, bonam fortunam habebimus.

Rex hac calamitate fractus sacris postea animum dedit. Forte in utroque exercitu erant trigemini fratres, nec aetate nec viribus dispares. Vidit tres Curiatios magnis intervallis sequentes. Alter integer et ferox superioribus victoriis erat; alter defessus vulnere, animo fractus in certamen venit.

Ita duo reges, Romulus bello, Numa pace, civitatem auxerunt. Pax cum civitatibus finitimis societate ac foederibus facta est. Novum bellum ab Sabinis ortum est, quod multo maximum fuit. Sabini arcem Romanum in monte Capitolino dolo ceperunt.