1. 2nd declension nouns and adjectives ending in –r Latin I March 10-14
Lesson 14
2nd declension nouns and adjectives ending in –r
Latin I
March 10-14

2. Let’s Review!
2ND DECLENSION: Nouns that have –i in their genitive singular are 2nd declension.
amicus, amici (m.)
vir, viri (m.)
ager, agri (m.)

3. 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
Nominative singular
Genitive singular
Gender
Meaning
servi – i = serv-
Noun Stem

4. 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

5. Nouns Ending In -R
“Nouns that end in –r” are exactly that: their nominative singular ends in –r instead of the usual –us.
puer, pueri (m.)
ager, agri (m.)
vir, viri (m.)

6. Nouns Ending in -R
These nouns form their stems the SAME WAY as the others: drop the –i from the genitive!
Follow that rule and you’ll always get the correct stem.

7. Dictionary entry of a noun: ager agri, m. field
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:
ager agri, m field
Meaning
Nominative singular
Genitive singular
Gender
agri – i = agr-
Noun Stem

8. Accusative agrum agros Ablative agro agris
By following the stem rule, a word like “ager” loses its “-e” after the first form. ager, agri (m.) --- field
Case Singular Plural
Nominative ager agri
Genitive agri agrorum
Dative agro agris
Accusative agrum agros
Ablative agro agris

9. Dictionary entry of a noun: puer pueri, m. boy
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:
puer pueri, m boy
Nominative singular
Gender
Meaning
Genitive singular
pueri – i = puer-
Noun Stem

10. Genitive pueri puerorum Dative puero pueris Accusative puerum pueros
By following the stem rule, a word like “puer” keeps its “-e-”. puer, pueri (m.) --- boy
Case Singular Plural
Nominative puer pueri
Genitive pueri puerorum
Dative puero pueris
Accusative puerum pueros
Ablative puero pueris

11. Dictionary entry of a noun: vir viri, m. man
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:
vir viri, m man
Nominative singular
Genitive singular
Gender
Meaning
viri – i = vir-
Noun Stem

12. vir, viri (m.) --- man Case Singular Plural Nominative vir viri
Genitive viri virorum
Dative viro viris
Accusative virum viros
Ablative viro viris

13. Your Turn!
Decline the noun magister, magistri (m.) on your whiteboard.
magister magistri
magistri magistrorum
magistro magistris
magistrum magistros

14. -R Adjectives
Some adjectives are listed as –er, -a, -um instead of the usual –us, -a, -um.
To find the stem of these adjectives, drop the -a from the feminine (middle) form.
liber, libera, liberum: free (adj.)
Stem: liber-
sacer, sacra, sacrum: sacred (adj.)
Stem: sacr-

15. Your Turn!
Decline the noun/adjective arbor sacra on your whiteboard. Remember arbor, arboris is 3rd declension. Sacra, sacrae is 1st.
arbor sacra arbores sacrae
arboris sacrae arborum sacrarum
arbori sacrae arboribus sacris
arborem sacram arbores sacras
arbore sacrā arboribus sacris

16. What To Take Away From the Lesson!
2nd declension nouns find their stems by dropping the –i from the genitive.
When you do this, some words will drop a letter and some won’t.
Follow the –i rule and the form will be correct!