Latin Grammar The Demonstratives: hic, haec, hoc iste, ista, istud ille, illa, illud is, ea, id
Demonstratives The verb dēmōnstrō in Latin means to point out. Demonstratives are words that point, like this or that in English. that dog this dog
Demonstratives In Latin, we have learned two demonstratives so far: hic, haec, hoc (= this) ille, illa, illud (= that)
Demonstratives In English, this is used for things near the first person; that is used for things near the second or third person.
This dog. That dog. Third Person First Person Second Person
Latin Demonstratives and English Demonstratives So English has two demonstratives: this for things near the first person that for things near the second person and third person. Latin has THREE demonstratives that are used like English this and that. hic, haec, hoc for things near the first person iste, ista, istud for things near the second person ille, illa, illud for things near the third person.
iste, ista, istud singular plural ille illa illud illī illae illum illam illōs illīus illōrum illārum illīs illō illā singular plural iste ista istud istī istae istum istam istōs istīus istōrum istārum istīs istō istā
Third Person iste canis. ille canis. hic canis. First Person Second Person
Facts to Know hic, haec, hoc is the demonstrative of the first person iste, ista, istud is the demonstrative of the second person ille, illa, illud is the demonstrative of the third person.
is, ea, id is, ea, id is another demonstrative. singular plural is ea eae eum eam eōs eius eōrum eārum eīs eō eā
is, ea, id is, ea, id is not used to point in space. It is used to point to things mentioned in conversation. It translates in several ways: this that he, she, it, they
eum canem ego quoque uīdī. herī in uiā canem uīdī. eum canem ego quoque uīdī.
is, ea, id Latin has first and second person pronouns, singular and plural: ego, tū, nōs, uōs Oddly, it has no third person pronouns—no he, she, it, and they. Instead, it uses is, ea, id.
is, ea, id John went to school yesterday. He arrived at 8 a.m.
herī in uiā canem uīdī. eum ego quoque uīdī.
Facts to know Latin has no third person pronouns. Instead, it uses the demonstrative is, ea, id
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