Lesson I

All About Nouns

Nouns are the names of persons places or things.

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

1st Declension Nouns

• Let’s learn how to write a 1st declension noun on its “declension chart.”

• A declension chart shows the noun in all its cases (spellings).

• For example…

AQUA

AQUIS

AQUAS

AQUA

AQUAM

AQUARUM

AQUAE

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)

Don’t worry about allthese uses right now!

We’ll be learning themone by one in the weeks

ahead.

1st Declension Nouns

• 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

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

Nominativesingular

Genitive singular

GenderMeaning

Puellae – ae = puell

Noun Stem

Finding noun stems

• aqua, aquae (f.)• aqu-• insula, insulae (f.)• insul-• silva, silvae (f.)• silv-• via, viae (f.)• vi-

In Latin, the endings indicate the case of the noun.

(Endings)Case Singular Plural

Nominative -a -aeGenitive -ae -arumDative -ae -isAccusative -am -asAblative -ā -is

Example: insularum = plural genitive

Write these down!

Step 2: Add the case endings to the noun stem.

Nominative

Genitive

Dative

Accusative

Ablative

Singular Plural

On your whiteboard, decline the following 2 nouns:via, viae (f.) and aqua, aquae (f.)

CASES: NOMINATIVE CASESUBJECTS AND PREDICATE NOMINATIVES

Sentences: Subject and Predicate“Sentence” comes from the Latin word “sententia” which means “thought.”

Sentences are words grouped together to form thoughts!

Sentences: Subject and PredicateEvery sentence has 2 parts: the SUBJECT and the PREDICATE.

ITALY is a peninsula. The GIRLS carry water.

Subjects and Predicates

• In Latin, the subject is always in the NOMINATIVE case. (-a or –ae on the 1st declension chart)

• Insulae magnae sunt. The islands are big.• Italia est paeninsula. Italy is a peninsula.

Subjects and Predicates

• The nominative case is also used for a PREDICATE NOMINATIVE.

• PREDICATE NOMINATIVE is a noun that follows a linking verb.

• A linking verb works like an “=“ sign.• It renames the subject:• is, are, was, were…

Predicate Nominatives

• John is a student. • John=student. • The teacher is Mrs. Sellers. • Teacher=Mrs. Sellers. • Brittania est insula. • A=B Britain is an island. Britain=island.

Time to practice!

• Latin is my favorite class.• Latin is my favorite class.• Those girls are my best friends.• Those girls are my best friends.

Time to practice!

• Rome was once a little settlement on the Tiber River.

• Rome was once a little settlement on the Tiber River.

• Many English words are derivatives of Latin.• Many English words are derivatives of Latin.

Let’s Practice

• 2. Corsica et Melita sunt insulae.• 4. Florida paeninsula est.• 6. Sunt silvae in Germania.• 8. Troia (Troy) non in Africa sed in Asia est.• 10. Estne (Is…) aqua in Sahara? Estne in

Canada aqua?