DOM: Lesson - Noun Declensions
Nouns Declensions
Declension is a family of nouns. There are five families of nouns or five declensions in Latin. Nouns may belong to only one declension. Nouns in the same declension share similar case endings. In Latin I, we will focus on First, Second and Third Declensions. Let's examine how to determine the declension of a Latin noun. It begins by understanding how a noun is listed in the dictionary.
Dictionary Entry - Nouns
When you look up a Latin noun in the dictionary, a standard format is provided. Example:
- puella, puellae, f. - girl
The elements of the dictionary entry are as follows:
- Item 1: Latin Nominative Singular (puella)
- The nominative singular form is the basic form of the noun
- Item 2: Latin Genitive Singular (puellae)
- The genitive singular form is used to identify a noun's declension and provides the noun base.
- Item 3: Abbreviated Gender (f. = feminine)
- There are three genders of Latin nouns:
- masculine - abbreviated m.
- feminine - abbreviated f.
- neuter - abbreviated n.
- There are three genders of Latin nouns:
- Item 4: English Definition (girl)
- The definition is the meaning of the noun in English
Let's take a look at a few more examples:
| Nominative Singular | Genitive Singular | Gender | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| raeda | raedae | f. (feminine) | carriage |
| carrus | carri | m. (masculine) | cart |
| plaustrum | plaustri | n. (neuter) | wagon |
| cisium | cisii | n. (neuter) | two-wheeled chariot |
Video Lesson - What is a Declension?
Please watch the video lesson for information on how to determine the declension of a noun.
Download a printable version of the slides and full transcript for the Declension Video Lesson Links to an external site..
Practice Activity
Use this chart to help you to complete the practice activity below.
| Declension | Latin noun | Genitive singular ending |
|---|---|---|
| 1st declension | raeda, raedae, f. | -ae |
| 2nd declension | carrus, carri, m. | -i |
| 3rd declension | iter, itineris, n. | -is |