Case Name
and Typical Meaning / Use |
Sing./Plural
Endings |
Examples |
Nominative
The "subject case": the subject is the word found by asking WHO or WHAT before the verb. |
[various endings] |
-A
[-IA] |
tempus, tempora Tempus fugit.
Time flees.
quoniam haec erant tempora
Since these were the times.
|
Genitive
The "possession case": The genitive word corresponds to the word that takes an apostrophe in English. If (A) is in the genitive, (A) possesses something else (B), with the emphasis falling on (B), so that (A) is somewhat like a modifier of (B): in student's book (= discipuli liber), the possession-word qualifies the meaning of the noun book. |
-IS |
-UM
[-IUM] |
temporis, temporum punctum temporis
point of time
ordo temporum
The order of the seasons
|
Dative
The "indirect object case": the indirect object is found by asking TO / FOR WHOM? or TO / FOR WHAT? after the verb. Certain verbs govern the dative. |
-Î |
-IBUS |
temporî, temporibus
Cede tempori.
Yield to the time.
Temporibus tu nimis servîs.
You serve the times too much.
|
Accusative
The "direct object case": the direct object is usually found by asking WHO or WHAT after an action-verb whose action has a receiver. "We hold these truths." The accusative is also used after certain prepositions. |
[various] |
-A
[-IA] |
tempus, tempora
in aliud tempus
for another time.
Dûcês tempora culpant.
The leaders are blaming the times.
|
Ablative
The "by-with-from case": Certain prepositions and certain verbs govern objects in this case. Used alone it can have an adverbial meaning, for example, to indicate by what means something is done. |
-E
[-Î] |
-IBUS |
tempore, temporibus ex tempore dixit.
He spoke on the spur of the moment.
Dê temporibus meîs três librôs scrîpsî.
I wrote three books about my times.
|
