SHSD Latin

NOMINATIVE         GENITIVE         DATIVE         ACCUSATIVE         ABLATIVE

 

The Nominative Case

 

1. Subject:

               

A subject is the "doer" of an action verb or what the sentence is about.

 

           Caecilius is the father.  (Caecilius est pater.)

           Quintus is drinking in the dining room.  (Quintus in triclinio bibit.)

 

2. Predicate Nominative

               

A Predicate Nominative (sometimes called a predicate noun in English classes) renames the subject and follows linking verbs.

 

                        Caecilius is the father.  (Caecilius est pater.)

 

 

The Genitive Case

 

1. Possession or Ownership 

 

The Genitive Case is used to show possession or ownership.  It is translated in one of the following three ways:

 

• by using an appostrophe before the letter "s"  ('s) for singular nouns

• by using an appostrophe after the letter "s" (s') for plural nouns

• by using the word "of" (for either singular or plural nouns).

 

                        I saw the farmer's house yesterday. (Vidi agricolae domus heri.)

 

 

The Dative Case

 

1. Indirect Object

 

The Indirect Object is the person/thing to whom something is said, given or shown.

 

                        I gave the book to the girl.  (Dedi librum puellae.)

                        We showed the slaves the gift.  (Demonstravimus servis donum.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Dative of Reference (AKA: ReFORence...purposely mispelled!)

 

The Dative of Reference is the person/thing for whom something (usually nice) is done.

 

                        Metella baught a toga for Quintus.  (Metella emit togam Quinto.)

 

 

3. Direct Object of Special "Dative" Verbs

 

Some verbs take their direct object in the Dative Case instead of the Accusative Case.               

Magistra Martin suggests that each student make a list of such verb starting in Stage 9.

 

                        Trust me.  (Crede mihi!)

                        The farmers support Holconius.  (Agricolae favent Holconio.)

 

 

The Accusative Case

 

1.  Direct Object

 

The Direct Object is the person/thing that receives the action of the verb.  It is the answer to the question "verb what?"

               

                        The girls saw the man.  (Puellae viderunt virum.)

 

In that above sentence, what did the girls see (i.e.: "verb what")?  The girls saw the man, therefore the man is the direct object of the sentence. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  As the Object of Prepositions

 

Most prepositinos in Latin (except the Big 8 Ablative Prepositions) take their object in the Accusative Case. 

 

                        We walked through the forest.  (Ambulavimus per silvam.)

 

In this sentence, the word "through" is a preposition.  Its object is "the forest".  Therefore, the Latin word "silvam" is in the Accusative Case.

 

Did you ever learn prepositions in a song sung to the tune of "Yankee Doodle"?  Click on the School Tube logo below to see a class from Indiana High School sing and act out "The Preposition Song".

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ablative Case

 

1.  As the Object of a "Big 8" Preposition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        I am walking with the farmer.  (Ambulo cum agricola.)

 

* The preposition "in" is also used with the Accusative case when motion is involved.  Whenever it is followed by the Accusative it is translated as either "into" or "onto".

 

** The preposition "sub" is also used with the Accusative case when motion is involved.  Whenever it is followed by the Accusative it is translated as either "under" or "to the foot of".

 

 

2.  Ablative of Personal Agent

 

The Ablative of Personal Agent is the "doer" of a passive verb.  Basically, it shows by whom something is done.  It is always used with the Latin preposition "a" or "ab".

 

                        My friend was killed by a slave.   (Meus amicus interfectus est a servo.)