Latin, Lesson 5-Declensions

3rd, 4th, and 5th Declension Nouns

We have already seen the first two declensions:

We will now complete the table of nouns with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th declensions. These declensions are more difficult to work with because their nominative and accusative plural forms are identical, as are their dative and ablative plural forms. To distinguish the cases, you must use a very simple key: context. Context will tell you the meaning.

3rd Declension Nouns

3rd declension nouns have two stems: The nominative and vocative singular stem and the stem used for all other cases. Both stems have to be memorized for each noun. Feminine and masculine forms are indistinguishable.

3rd Declension Masculine or Feminine, no i-stem: (each word has a set gender): rēx, m.

3rd Declension Neuter, no i-stem: litus

3rd Declension Masculine or Feminine, 2-consonant base i-stem: (each word has a set gender): ars, artis, f.

i-stem nouns differ from other 3rd declension nouns in that some of the forms have endings changed to include is.

There are two main kinds of masculine/feminine i-stem nouns. The first kind has its usual stem end in two consonants; the example here, for instance, has its base art- end in -rt-. The last consonant of the nominative singular form always ends in either -s or -x.

3rd Declension Masculine or Feminine, parisyllabic i-stem: (each word has a set gender): nūbēs, f.

The other kind of masculine/feminine i-stem noun has the property that its nominative and genitive singular forms have the same number of syllables. They are therefore called parisyllabic. All nouns of this form have their nominative singular form end in either -ēs or -is.

3rd Declension Neuter i-stem: mare

Neuter i-stem nouns have their nominative singular forms end with -al, -ar, or -e.

List of common 3rd declension stem change patterns

• regs and matrics, respectively, but the gs and cs both compound into x. The c and g stay in the other cases, hence regis and matricis as their genitives. Nox (gen. noctis) works similarly.

4th Declension Masculine/Feminine (each word has a set gender) gradus, m.

4th Declension Neuter: cornū

5th Declension Nouns

The 5th declension has no neuter nouns. The masculine and feminine forms are again indistinguishable.

5th Declension Masculine/Feminine (each word has a set gender; most are feminine): rēs, f.

Exercises

Exercise 1

EXERCISE • Lesson 5-Declensions • Translate the following sentence.

• Hodiē militēs ad villam meī amīcī mittō. Meō amicō, Marcō Tulliō nomine, mē in Senatū maledicere placet, quā rē istum interficere volō.

SOLUTION • Latin/Lesson 5-Declensions • Translate the following sentence.

• to be translated in English

EXERCISE • Lesson 5-Declensions • Extra credit about previous sentence.

• Who in the late Republic might have said such a thing?

SOLUTION • Latin/Lesson 5-Declensions • Extra credit about previous sentence.

• Catiline.

Exercise 2

EXERCISE • Lesson 5-Declensions • Translate the following sentence.

• Eheu! Mūs meum pānem mandit. Nunc nihil habeō. Me miserum!

SOLUTION • Latin/Lesson 5-Declensions • Translate the following sentence.

• Alas! The mouse eats my bread. Now I have nothing. Wretched me!

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