In this lesson, we will study the declension of adjective nouns in Latin. To complete the objectives of this lesson, complete the following tasks:
- Study the lesson for mastery.
- Memorize the declensions of bonus, bona, bonum.
- Memorize the declensions of acer, acris, acre.
- Memorize the declensions of brevis, breve.
- Memorize the declension of felix.
- Memorize the list of adjectives with Genitive in -IUS and Dative in -I.
- Memorize the declension of alter, altera, alterum.
- Memorize the three irregular adjectives.
- Study the declension of the three irregular adjectives (memory not required).
- Complete the lesson assessment(s).
The content of this lesson is taken from chapter 27 of Alvarez’s Latin Grammar. Translation and commentary by Mr. William C. Michael of the Classical Liberal Arts Academy.
Lesson
I. Adjectiva nomina vel ad primam et secundam, vel ad tertiam declinationem pertinent.
Translation: Adjective nouns either to the first and second or to the third declension pertain.
In this rule, we learn that adjective nouns may be divided into two classes based on how their forms are made. The first class consists of adjectives whose forms are based on the forms of first and second declension nouns. The second class consists of adjectives whose forms are based on the forms of third declension nouns. We will see exactly what this means in the following rules.
II. Si nomina adjectiva tres habeant formas, prima est generis masculini, altera foeminini, tertia neutrius; si duas, prior est communis generis, idest masculini ac foeminini, posterior neutrius; si unam, est omnis generis.
Translation: If adjective nouns have three forms, the first is of the masculine gender, the second of the feminine, the third of the neuter; if two (forms), the former is of the common gender, that is masculine and feminine, the latter of the neuter; if one (form), it is of every gender.
In the previous rule, we learned that adjective nouns can be divided into two groups: one of adjectives that use forms of the first and second noun declensions; another of adjectives that use forms of the third noun declension.
In this rule, we learn it’s a little more complicated than that. Actually, there are three classes of adjective nouns, and the adjectives are divided based on how many different nominative case forms they have.
Some adjectives have three different forms in the Nominative case. We will see an example of this in the adjective nouns bonus, bona, bonum (good) and in acer, acris, acre (sharp). The first form, bonus, is used to signify the masculine gender and is declined like hic dominus (see Lesson 12). The second form, bona, is used to signify the feminine gender and is declined like haec musa (see Lesson 11). The third form, bonum, is used to signify the neuter gender and is declined like hoc templum (see Lesson 12).
The adjective bonus, bona, bonum is declined as follows:
Masculine, Singular Nominative, bonus; Genitive, boni; Dative, bono; Accusative, bonum; Vocative, O bone; Ablative, a bono; Plural Nominative, boni; Genitive, bonorum; Dative, bonis; Accusative, bonos; Vocative, O boni; Ablative, a bonis.
Feminine, Singular Nominative, bona; Genitive, bonae; Dative, bonae; Accusative, bonam; Vocative, O bona; Ablative, a bona; Plural Nominative, bonae; Genitive, bonarum; Dative, bonis; Accusative, bonas; Vocative, O bonae; Ablative, a bonis.
Neuter, Singular Nominative, bonum; Genitive, boni; Dative, bono; Accusative, bonum; Vocative, O bonum; Ablative, a bono; Plural Nominative, bona; Genitive, bonorum; Dative, bonis; Accusative, bona; Vocative, O bona; Ablative, a bonis.
The adjective acer, acris, acre is declined as follows:
Masculine, Singular Nominative, acer; Genitive, acris; Dative, acri; Accusative, acrem; Vocative, O acer; Ablative, ab acri; Plural Nominative, acres; Genitive, acrium; Dative, acribus; Accusative, acres; Vocative, O acres; Ablative, ab acribus.
Feminine, Singular Nominative, acris; Genitive, acris; Dative, acri; Accusative, acrem; Vocative, O acris; Ablative, ab acri; Plural Nominative, acres; Genitive, acrium; Dative, acribus; Accusative, acres; Vocative, O acres; Ablative, ab acribus.
Neuter, Singular Nominative, acre; Genitive, acris; Dative, acri; Accusative, acre; Vocative, O acre; Ablative, ab acri; Plural Nominative, acria; Genitive, acrium; Dative, acribus; Accusative, acria; Vocative, O acria; Ablative, ab acribus.
The other two classes of adjectives are entirely drawn from the third declension of nouns.
The first class of third declension adjectives are those which have two different forms in the nominative case. An example of this class of adjectives is brevis, breve (short). The first form, brevis, is used for both the masculine and feminine genders so is of the “common of two” gender and is declined like the noun hic & haec parens. The second form, breve, is used for the neuter gender and is declined like hoc tempus.
The adjective brevis, breve is declined as follows:
Masculine & Feminine, Singular Nominative, brevis; Genitive, brevis; Dative, brevi; Accusative, brevem; Vocative, O brevis; Ablative, a brevi; Plural Nominative, breves; Genitive, brevium; Dative, brevibus; Accusative, breves; Vocative, O breves; Ablative, a brevibus.
Neuter, Singular Nominative, breve; Genitive, brevis; Dative, brevi; Accusative, breve; Vocative, O breve; Ablative, a brevi; Plural Nominative, brevia; Genitive, brevium; Dative, brevibus; Accusative, brevia; Vocative, O brevia; Ablative, a brevibus.
The second class of third declension adjectives are those which have only one form for the nominative cases of all three genders. An example of this class of adjectives is felix (happy)
The adjective felix is declined as follows:
Masculine, Singular Nominative, felix; Genitive, felicis; Dative, felici; Accusative, felicem; Vocative, O felix; Ablative, a felice; Plural Nominative, felices; Genitive, felicium; Dative, felicibus; Accusative, felices; Vocative, O felices; Ablative, a felicibus.
Feminine, Singular Nominative, felix; Genitive, felicis; Dative, felici; Accusative, felicem; Vocative, O felix; Ablative, a felice; Plural Nominative, felices; Genitive, felicium; Dative, felicibus; Accusative, felices; Vocative, O felices; Ablative, a felicibus.
Neuter, Singular Nominative, felix; Genitive, felicis; Dative, felici; Accusative, felix; Vocative, O felix; Ablative, a felice; Plural Nominative, felicia; Genitive, felicium; Dative, felicibus; Accusative, felicia; Vocative, O felicia; Ablative, a felicibus.
III. Adjectiva quaedam ad primam et secundum declinationem spectantia interrogandi casu syllaba -IUS dandi vero -I litera terminantur.
Translation: Certain adjectives looking to the first and declension are terminated in the Genitive case with the syllable -IUS, and in the Dative with the letter -I.
Here we learn of a special group of irregular adjectives that do not fit into the classes studied above.
- alter, altera, alterum (second, other); alterius, alteri, etc.
- alius, alia, aliud (other); alius, alii, etc.
- solus, sola solum (only, alone); solius, soli, etc.
- totus, tota, totum (whole, all); totius, toti, etc.
- unus, una unum (one); unius, uni, etc.
- ullus, ulla, ullum (any); ullius, ulli, etc.
- nullus, nulla, nullum (not any, none); nullius, nulli, etc.
- uter, utra, utrum (either); utrius, utri, etc.
- neuter, neutra, neutrum (neither); neutrius, neutri, etc.
- uterque utraque utrumque (whichever); utriusque, utrique
- utervis, utravis, utrumvis; (which you wish); utriusvis, utrivis, etc.
- uterlibet, utralibet, utrumlibet (which you please); utriuslibet, utrilibet, etc.
- utercumque, utracumque, utrumcumque (whicever you please); utriusque, utrique, etc.
- alteruter, alterutra, alterutrum (one or the other); alterutrius. alterutri, etc.
- alteruterque, alterutraque, alterutrumque (one and the other); alterutriusque, alterutrique, etc.
Note that all of these adjectives are declined like bonus, bona, bonum (see above), except for the genitive and dative cases in the singular number.
The adjective alter, altera, alterum is declined as follows:
Masculine, Singular Nominative, alter; Genitive, alterius; Dative, alteri; Accusative, alterum; Vocative, O alter; Ablative, ab altero; Plural Nominative, alteri; Genitive, alterorum; Dative, alteris; Accusative, alteros; Vocative, O alteri; Ablative, ab alteris.
Feminine, Singular Nominative, altera; Genitive, alterius; Dative, alteri; Accusative, alteram; Vocative, O altera; Ablative, ab altera; Plural Nominative, alterae; Genitive, alterarum; Dative, alteris; Accusative, alterae; Vocative, O alterae; Ablative, ab alteris.
Neuter, Singular Nominative, alterum; Genitive, alterius; Dative, alteri; Accusative, alterum; Vocative, O alterum; Ablative, ab altero; Plural Nominative, altera; Genitive, alterorum; Dative, alteris; Accusative, altera; Vocative, O altera; Ablative, ab alteris.
Note also that the last six adjectives in this list are simply compounds made of the adjective uter, utra, utrum. You should simply memorize the English meaning of each word and vary the form of uter, utra, utrum for its declension–the other parts of the words do not change.
As an example, the adjective utercumque, utracumque, utrumcumque is declined as follows:
Masculine, Singular Nominative, utercumque; Genitive, utriuscumque; Dative, utricumque; Accusative, utrumcumque; Vocative, O utercumque; Ablative, ab utrocumque; Plural Nominative, utricumque; Genitive, utrorumcumque; Dative, utriscumque; Accusative, utroscumque; Vocative, O utricumque; Ablative, ab utriscumque.
Feminine, Singular Nominative, utracumque; Genitive, utriuscumque; Dative, utricumque; Accusative, utramcumque; Vocative, O utracumque; Ablative, ab utracumque; Plural Nominative, utraecumque; Genitive, utrarumcumque; Dative, utriscumque; Accusative, utrascumque; Vocative, O utraecumque; Ablative, ab utriscumque.
Neuter, Singular Nominative, utrumcumque; Genitive, utriuscumque; Dative, utricumque; Accusative, utrumcumque; Vocative, O utrumcumque; Ablative, ab utrocumque; Plural Nominative, utracumque; Genitive, utrorumcumque; Dative, utriscumque; Accusative, utracumque; Vocative, O utracumque; Ablative, ab utriscumque.
IV. Anomala item sunt ambo, duo, tres, quae sic declinantur.
Translation: Irregular (adjectives) likewise are: ambo (both), duo (two), tres (three), which are thus declined:
Here, we learn of three irregular adjectives, whose declensions must be memorized. These are provided below.
The adjective ambo, ambae, ambo is declined as follows–note that it has no singular forms because its meaning can only be plural.
Masculine, Plural Nominative, ambo; Genitive, amborum; Dative, ambobus; Accusative, ambos; Vocative, O ambo; Ablative, ab ambobus.
Feminine, Plural Nominative, ambae; Genitive, ambarum; Dative, ambabus; Accusative, ambas; Vocative, O ambae; Ablative, ab ambabus.
Neuter, Plural Nominative, ambo; Genitive, amborum; Dative, ambobus; Accusative, ambo; Vocative, O ambo; Ablative, ab ambobus.
The adjective duo, duae, duo is declined as follows–note again that it has no singular forms because its meaning can only be plural.
Masculine, Plural Nominative, duo; Genitive, duorum; Dative, duobus; Accusative, duos; Vocative, O duo; Ablative, a duobus.
Feminine, Plural Nominative, duae; Genitive, duarum; Dative, duabus; Accusative, duas; Vocative, O duae; Ablative, ab duabus.
Neuter, Plural Nominative, duo; Genitive, duorum; Dative, duobus; Accusative, duo; Vocative, O duo; Ablative, ab duobus.
Duo et ambo accusandi casus generis masculini ad poetas potius pertinent. Virgil writes, “Si duo praeterea tales Idaea tulisset – Terra viros.” (If the land of Ida had borne two such men besides…”), using duo for the accusative case. Horace wrote, “Duo si discordia vexet inertes.” (“If discord disturbs two weak (men).”), using duo for the accusative case. Cicero (who was not a poet) nevertheless said, “Praeter duo nos…” (Besides we two…”), which uses duo for the masculine accusative, and “Audiamus Platonem, cui duo placet esse motus.” (“Let us hear Plato, for whom it was pleasing there to be two motions.”), using duo again for the masculine accusative.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have studied the declension of adjective nouns in Latin. We learned that the regular adjectives are divided into classes based on the number of nominative forms the adjective has. Some adjectives are declined according to the first and second noun declensions, others according to the third declension. We also learned of a number of adjectives that are declined according to the first and second declension except for their genitive and dative singular forms. Lastly, we learned of three irregular adjectives that must be memorized.
If you have any questions about this lesson, please contact me any time.
God bless your studies,
Mr. William C. Michael, Headmaster
Classical Liberal Arts Academy
mail@classicalliberalarts.com
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