September 15 th, 2011

5 primary characteristics. Person (1 st person, 2 nd person, 3 rd person). Number (singular, plural). Tense (present, past, future). Mood (indicative, subjunctive, imperative). Voice (active, passive). To “parse” a verb means to list its person, number, mood, tense, and voice. To “conjugate” a verb is to list its forms according to person and number according to its specific tense, mood, and voice.

1 st person singular = I. 2 nd person singular = You. 3 rd person singular = She/He/It. 1 st person plural = We. 2 nd person plural = You (Latin distinguishes between “you” singular and “you” plural). 3 rd person plural = They.

1 st singular = I praise. 2 nd singular = You praise. 3 rd singular = She/He/It praises. 1 st plural = We praise. 2 nd plural = You praise. 3 rd plural = They praise. NOTE: English requires the presence of the pronoun or an otherwise stated subject.

Latin does not always require the subject to be explicitly stated. Determined by personal verb endings. Personal Endings in the Present Indicative Active. 1 st singular = -o or -m. 2 nd singular = -s. 3 rd singular = -t. 1 st plural = -mus. 2 nd plural = -tis 3 rd plural = -nt. Personal endings are added to the verb stem.

Step 1: Find the Verb Stem: 2 nd form listed in any dictionary entry; always ends in “re”. (Laudāre – To Praise; Monēre – To advise). Step 2: Drop the infinitive ending “re” – Laudā -, Monē -. Step 3: Add personal endings.

Laudare – Stem = Lauda- 1 st sing. – Laudo – I praise. 2 nd sing. – Laudas – Your praise. 3 rd sing. – Laudat – She/He/It praises. 1 st pl. – Laudamus - We praise. 2 nd pl. – Laudatis – You praise. 3 rd pl. – Laudant – They praise. 1 st sing. – Moneo – I advise. 2 nd sing. – Mones – You advise. 3 rd sing. – Monet – She/He/It advises. 1 st pl. – Monemus – We advise. 2 nd pl. – Monetis – You advise. 3 rd pl. – Monent – They advise. Monere – Stem = Mone-

Laudare = 1 st conjugation verb; characterized by the infinitive –āre; thus “a” is retained on the verb stem. Monere = 2 nd conjugation verb; characterized by the infinitive –ēre; thus “e” is retained on the verb stem. A subject need not always be present in the sentence; often implied by the verb ending ( i.e. “I praise the dog” = “Ego canem laudo” OR “Canem laudo.” The present tense can be translated two ways (i.e. Laudo = “I praise” OR “I am praising”); context will determine which translation is required.

Imperative = A direct order or a command. Therefore has only second person singular or plural forms. The Singular imperative - Simply the verb stem. Laudā - “Praise!” Monē - “Advise!” The Plural Imperative – Verb stem + -te: Laudāte – “Praise!”. Monēte – “Advise!”.

Role of a noun and/or adjective in a sentence determined by its “case” not by word order. Latin has 7 cases: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Ablative, Vocative, Locative. To list all the forms of a noun/adjective according to its cases is called “declension.” Latin has 5 declensions (i.e. 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd etc); Each declension follows a specific pattern; learn to recognize the pattern. Nouns/adjectives also possess one of three genders: Feminine, Masculine, and Neuter.

Nominative – Always the subject of the sentence. Accusative – Direct object (except after certain prepositions, esp. motion toward). Genitive – Usually the possessive case; translate with “of” (i.e. The book of the poet OR the poet’s book). Dative – Indirect object; indicate for whom/what or to whose advantage a certain action is performed; translate as “to” or “for –” (i.e. The poet gave the roses to the girl. He sacrificed his life for his country.); certain verbs take dative objects. Ablative – An adverbial case because it describes the means or the agent by which an action was done (i.e. He shouted with great anger); accompaniment (i.e. She went to Italy with her father.); place where or from which (i.e. He departed from Greece to look for Caesar); time when or within which (i.e. On the ides of March Caesar met his end); following certain prepositions (i.e. Ab = by, from, Cum = with, De and Ex = from, in = on). NOTE: For now translate with “by, with, or from” according to context. Vocative – Implies an address; highly rhetorical (i.e. Oh Great Caesar....).

Porta (Gate) Nom – Porta – a. Gen – Portae – ae. Dat – Portae – ae. Acc – Portam – am Abl – Portā – ā. Voc – Porta – a. Nom – Portae – ae. Gen – Portārum – ārum. Dat – Portīs – īs. Acc – Portās – ās. Abl – Portīs – īs. Voc – Portae – ae. Nom – Magna –a. Gen – Magnae – ae. Dat – Magnae – ae. Acc – Magnam – am. Abl – Magnā – ā. Voc – Magna – a. Nom – Magnae – ae. Gen – Magnārum – ārum. Dat – Magnīs – īs. Acc – Magnās – ās. Abl – Magnīs – īs. Voc – Magnae. Magna, Magnus, Magnum (Great)

Amicus (Friend) Nom – Amicus – us. Gen – Amicī – ī. Dat – Amicō – ō. Acc – Amicum – um. Abl - Amicō – ō. Voc – Amice – e. Nom - Amicī – ī. Gen – Amicōrum – ōrum. Dat – Amicīs. - īs. Acc – Amicōs – ōs. Abl - Amicīs. - īs. Voc - Amicī – ī. Nom – Magnus – us. Gen – Magnī – ī. Dat – Magnō – ō. Acc – Magnum – um. Abl - Magnō – ō. Voc – Magne – e. Nom - Magnī – ī. Gen – Magnōrum – ōrum. Dat – Magnīs. - īs. Acc – Magnōs – ōs. Abl - Magnīs. - īs. Voc - Magnī – ī. Magnus, Magna, Magnum (Great)

An adjective must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case (i.e. Magnarum portarum – “of the great gates”; cum magnis amicis – “with great friends”). Some cases are the same in form; only context which tell you which one to use. Memorize declensions; first declension is feminine and is characterized by the “a” attached to the root; second declension is masculine and is characterized by “u” attached to the root. Memorize what declension a noun belongs to when you learn that noun. Always identify 1. Main verb. 2. Subject (Nominative if expressed at all). 3. Direct object (Accusative) – then fill in the rest.

Sometimes a noun is used to further describe another noun in the sentence: (i.e. I see Gaius, my son, in the field). “Son” provides additional information about “Gaius” and so “son” and “Gaius” are in apposition. Will agree in case and number. Gaium, filium meum, in agro video.