1. Noun Review 1st/2nd declensions
Aug. 29, 2012

2. Latin Nouns Have 4 Features
Case---how a noun works in its sentence.
Number---whether a noun is singular or plural (singular=one, plural=more than one)
Gender---whether a noun is masculine, feminine, or neuter.
Declension---each noun belongs to one of the 5 declensions (groups of nouns that share the same pattern of endings)

3. In Latin, the use of the noun is determined by its case 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 – (various)

4. 1st Declension Nouns aqua, aquae (feminine) :water
1st declension nouns end in –ae in their genitive form (the 2nd form listed in the vocab list).
Most 1st declension nouns are feminine.
aqua, aquae (feminine)
:water

5. Step 1 – Find the noun stem
The noun stem is found by dropping the genitive singular ending from the noun.
Dictionary entry of a noun:
Puella puellae, f girl
Meaning
Genitive singular
Gender
Nominative singular
Puellae – ae = puell
Noun Stem

6. In Latin, the endings indicate the case of the noun.
Write these down!
(Endings)
Case Singular Plural
Nominative a ae
Genitive ae arum
Dative ae is
Accusative am as
Ablative a is
Example:
insularum = plural genitive

7. Step 2: Add the case endings to the noun stem.
Singular Plural
Nominative
Genitive
Dative
Accusative
Ablative
On your whiteboard, decline the following 2 nouns:
via, viae (f.) and aqua, aquae (f.)

8. 2nd Declension Nouns
2nd declension nouns end in –i in the genitive singular.
Most 2nd declension nouns are masculine or neuter.
Let’s learn how to decline a 2nd declension noun on its “declension chart.”

9. Dictionary entry of a noun: servus servi, m. slave
Step 1 – Find the noun stem
The noun stem is found by dropping the genitive singular ending from the noun.
Dictionary entry of a noun:
servus servi, m slave
Meaning
Genitive singular
Gender
Nominative singular
servi – i = serv-
Noun Stem

10. In Latin, the endings indicate the case of the noun.
Write these down!
(Masc. Endings)
Case Singular Plural
Nominative us/-er/-ir -i
Genitive i orum
Dative o is
Accusative um os
Ablative o is

11. Nominative servus servi Genitive servi servorum Dative servo servis
In Latin, the endings indicate the case of the noun. servus, servi (m.) --- slave
Case Singular Plural
Nominative servus servi
Genitive servi servorum
Dative servo servis
Accusative servum servos
Ablative servo servis
Your turn! Try equus, equi (m.) --- horse

12. Nominative factum facta Genitive facti factorum Dative facto factis
2nd declension neuter nouns have 3 different endings than masculine. factum, facti (n.) --- deed
Case Singular Plural
Nominative factum facta
Genitive facti factorum
Dative facto factis
Accusative factum facta
Ablative facto factis
Your turn! Try templum, templi (n.) --- temple