Cases of Latin Nouns

There are 7 cases for Latin nouns. Some of them are vestigial (especially, the locative), but for the sake of being thorough and having the list all together, here are the cases and their main uses. Note that the order is not fixed and there may be other purposes.

1. Nominative nominativus - Subject
2. Genitive genitivus - Possessive
3. Dative dativus - Indirect Object
4. Accusative accusativus - Direct Object, Object of Preposition
5. Ablative ablativus - Object of Preposition, Used to show means, manner, place, and other circumstances

   The following two are vesitigial cases and are often left out of paradigms of the declension of Latin nouns.

6. Locative locativus - Place
7. Vocative vocativus - Used to address someone

   See: Latin vs. English examples using a 3rd declension noun

   .

Here is a sample paradigm of a second declension masculine noun [somnus, -i, m. sleep], with the case name followed by the singular form and then the plural form:

Nominative somnus somni
Genitive somni somnorum
Dative somno somnis
Accusative somnum somnos
Ablative somno somnis
Locative somni somnis
Vocative somne somni