(Cf. Wheelock 9)
As you continue to learn the endings of the various declensions, you will need some practice in understanding, noticing, expecting, getting an immediate feel for, and fashioning noun-phrases whose parts exhibit case agreement. How would you transpose the following phrase into the other cases?
Ille must follow its usual endings for the masculine singular: |
Bonus must do the same: |
So must frâter: |
So must meus: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nominative |
ille |
bonus |
frâter |
meus |
Genitive |
illîus |
bonî |
frâtris |
meî |
Dative |
illî |
bonô |
frâtrî |
meô |
Accusative |
illum |
bonum |
frâtrem |
meum |
Ablative |
illô |
bonô |
frâtre |
meô |
Therefore, ille bonus frâter meus would be declined (and translated according to our conventions) as follows:
ille bonus frâter meus
= that good brother of mine (s)
illîus bonî frâtris meî
= of that good brother of mine
illî bonô frâtrî meô
= to/for that good brother of mine
illum bonum frâtrem meum
= that good brother of mine (o)
illô bonô frâtre meô
= by that good brother of mine
And the plural would be:
illî bonî frâtrês meî
= those good brothers of mine (s)
illôrum bonôrum frâtrum meôrum
= of those good brothers of mine
illîs bonîs frâtribus meîs
= to/for those good brothers of mine
illôs bonôs frâtrês meôs
= those good brothers of mine (o)
illîs bonîs frâtribus meîs
= by those good brothers of mine
That good sister of mine would look like:
illa bona soror mea
illîus bonae sorôris meae
illî bonae sorôrî meae
illam bonam sorôrem meam
illâ bonâ sorôre meâ
And the plural would be:
illae bonae sorôrês meae
illârum bonârum sorôrum meârum
illîs bonîs sorôribus meîs
illâs bonâs sorôrês meâs
illîs bonîs sorôribus meîs
If you are having trouble with the immediate recognition of such phrases, make flashcards of each item and practice comprehending them until you can do so without any effort or delay. They will soon begin to feel familiar and "right." To understand why the phrases are they way they are, you need to consult something like the tables presented here, but the second task, namely getting that "immediate feel for what is right" is just as important.
Practice by declining phrases like the following:
any new sailor
no real vice
few greedy farmers
that ancient wisdom
all of Italy
either body
one good number
study alone
Latin Teaching Materials at Saint Louis University: © Claude Pavur 1997 - 2009. This material is being made freely available for non-commercial educational use.
