Noun Review: Fourth & Fifth Declensions Magister Henderson Latin II

About the Last Two Declensions Latin has only five declensions. The fourth declension, sometimes called the u-declension, is mostly masculine, but also contains a number of neuter nouns. The fifth declension, sometimes called the e-declension, is almost all feminine, except for two masculine nouns. These two nouns are diēs (day) and its compound form meridiēs (noon).

The Fourth Declension Singular Plural Nominative -us -ūs spiritus spiritūs Genitive -uum spirituum Dative -uī -ibus spirituī spiritibus Accusative -um spiritum Ablative -ū spiritū The fourth declension resembles the second declension in the nominative and accusative singular. Pay attention to the genitive singular to avoid confusion. The few feminine nouns in the fourth declension use the same endings as the masculine nouns.

Nouns in the Fourth Declension arcus, arcūs m. = bow, arch domus, domūs f. = home exercitus, exercitūs m. = army manus, manūs f. = hand portus, portūs m. = harbor passus, passūs m. = step sensus, sensūs m. = feeling situs, sitūs m. = position

The Fifth Declension Singular Plural Nominative -ēs speciēs Genitive -eī -ērum specieī speciērum Dative -ēbus speciēbus Accusative -em speciem Ablative -e specie The fifth declension resembles the third declension in the accusative and ablative singular and the nominative and accusative plural. Pay attention to the genitive singular to avoid confusion. The few masculine nouns in the fifth declension use the same endings as the feminine nouns.

Nouns in the Fifth Declension aciēs, acieī f. = edge diēs, dieī m. = day faciēs, facieį f. = face fidēs, fideī f. = faith glaciēs, glacieī f. = ice meridiēs, meridieī m. = noon seriēs, serieī f. = row spēs, speī f. = hope