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Latin Declension Rules

Allen and Greenough on the Declensions of Latin

By N.S. Gill, About.com

This page is about rules for declensions of Latin nouns and adjectives. It assumes you already know what a declension is all about and what the cases are for Latin nouns and adjectives. If you need a refresher on the cases, please see 7 Latin Cases. For a bit more detail, see Latin and English Differences in Cases.

From Allen and Greenough's Latin Grammar:

  • Vocative - The Vocative is always the same as the Nominative, except in the singular of nouns and adjectives in -us of the second declension, which have - e in the vocative. It is not included in the paradigms, unless it differs from the nominative.
    Example: Lavinia is the vocative of Lavinia and its nominative.
  • Neuter - In neuters the Nominative and Accusative are always alike, and in the plural end in -a.
    Example: For the noun vehiculum, - i. n. ('vehicle'), vehiculum is the nominative singular and the accusative singular. In the nominative and accusative plural, the form is vehicula.
  • Accusatives - The Accusative singular of all masculines and feminines ends in -m; the Accusative plural in -s.
    Example: For the noun puella, -ae, f. ('girl'), the accusative singular is puellam and the accusative plural is puellas.
  • Dative - In the last three declensions (and in a few cases in the others) the Dative singular ends in -i.
    Example: For the Latin noun rex, regis, m. ('king'), the dative singular is regi.
  • Dative and Ablative - The Dative and Ablative plural are always alike.
    Example: For the noun puella, -ae, f. ('girl'), the dative/ablative plural is puellis.
  • Genitive - The Genitive plural always ends in -um.
    Example: For the noun puella, -ae, f. ('girl'), the genitive plural is puellarum. For the noun vehiculum, - i. n. ('vehicle'), the genitive plural is vehiculorum. For the Latin noun rex, regis, m. ('king'), the genitive plural is regum.
  • Final Letters - Final -i, -o, -u of inflection are always long; final -a is short, except in the Ablative singular of the first declension; final -e is long in the first and fifth declensions, short in the second and third. Final -is and -us are long in plural cases.

1st Declension

See 7 Latin Cases
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