Latin Grammar I, Lesson 11. The First Declension of Nouns (2024)

By William C. Michael, O.P. on 09/16/2022

In this lesson, we will continue the study of the declension of nouns in Latin. We will study each of the five declensions in future lessons, but in this lesson, we will study the first declension. To complete the objectives of this lesson, complete the following tasks:

1. Read the lesson from beginning to end.
2. Study each rule with its examples for mastery.
3. Memorize the rules (if possible).
4. Complete the lesson assessment.

Lesson

1. Substantiva declinationis primae nominandi casu exeunt in –a, et sic declinantur.

Translation: Substantive nouns of the first declension end, in the Nominative case, in –a, and are declined thus. Note that the Latin noun musa refers to a spirit that in the ancient world was believed to inspire artists.

Singular Number

• Nom., haec mus-a, the muse
• Gen. mus-ae, of the muse
• Dat. mus-ae, to the muse
• Acc. mus-am, the muse
• Voc. O mus-a, O muse
• Abl. a mus-a, from the muse

Plural Number

• Nom. mus-ae, the muses
• Gen. mus-arum, of the muses
• Dat. mus-is, to the muses
• Acc. mus-as, the muses
• Voc. O mus-ae, O muses
• Abl. a mus-is, from the muses

Note that the general precepts of noun declensions learned in lesson 10 are visible here. First, the forms of the Nominative and Vocative plural forms are the same (musae, musae). Second, note that the Dative and Ablative plural forms are the same (musis, musis)

After memorizing the declension above, learn the following phrases. Note that the adjective noun always agrees with the substantive in gender, number and case. When the adjective is declined following the first declension, the endings will be the same for the adjective and the substantive. Here the adjective iucunda means pleasant or delightful.

Singular Number

• Nom., haec musa iucunda, the pleasant muse
• Gen. musae iucundae, of the pleasant muse
• Dat. musae iucundae, to the pleasant muse
• Acc. musam iucundam, the pleasant muse
• Voc. O musa iucunda, O pleasant muse
• Abl. a musa iucunda, from the pleasant muse

Plural Number

• Nom. musae iucundae, the pleasant muses
• Gen. musarum iucundarum, of the pleasant muses
• Dat. musis iucundis, to the pleasant muses
• Acc. musas iucundas, the pleasant muses
• Voc. O musae iucundae, O pleasant muses
• Abl. a musis iucundis, from the pleasant muses

Here learn another phrase composed of a first declension substantive and adjective. The noun ferula names a stick or rod, used for punishment. The adjective acerba means bitter or grievous, referring to the pain inflicted by the rod. Note how ferula and acerba uses the exact same endings as musa above.

Singular Number

• Nom., haec ferula acerba, the bitter rod
• Gen. ferulae acerbae, of the bitter rod
• Dat. ferulae acerbae, to the bitter rod
• Acc. ferulam acerbam, the bitter rod
• Voc. O ferula acerba, O bitter rod
• Abl. a ferula acerba, from the bitter rod

Plural Number

• Nom. ferulae acerbae, the bitter rods
• Gen. ferularum acerbarum, of the bitter rods
• Dat. ferulis acerbis, to the bitter rods
• Acc. ferulas acerbas, the bitter rods
• Voc. O ferulae acerbae, O bitter rods
• Abl. a ferulis acerbis, from the bitter rods

Often, the substantive noun and the adjective noun will not be of the same declension. Therefore, their endings will not be the same as those above. Nevertheless, they will continue to agree in gender, number and case. We will learn the forms of other noun declension in future lessons, but you can see this agreement in the following expressions.

Singular Number

• Nom., haec musa dulcis, the sweet muse
• Gen. musae dulcis, of the sweet muse
• Dat. musae dulci, to the sweet muse
• Acc. musam dulcem, the sweet muse
• Voc. O musa dulcis, O sweet muse
• Abl. a musa dulce, from the sweet muse

Plural Number

• Nom. musae dulces, the sweet muses
• Gen. musarum dulcium, of the sweet muses
• Dat. musis dulcibus, to the sweet muses
• Acc. musas dulces, the sweet muses
• Voc. O musae dulces, O sweet muses
• Abl. a musis dulcibus, from the sweet muses

In the phrases below, we see the first declension noun ferula again, but it is joined now with a third declension adjective minax, which means threatening. These will agree in gender, number and cased but, since their declensions differ, their endings will differ.

Singular Number

• Nom., haec ferula minax, the threatening rod
• Gen. ferulae minacis, of the threatening rod
• Dat. ferulae minaci, to the threatening rod
• Acc. ferulam minacem, the threatening rod
• Voc. O ferula minax, O threatening rod
• Abl. a ferula minaci, from the threatening rod

Plural Number

• Nom. ferulae minaces, the threatening rods
• Gen. ferularum minacium, of the threatening rods
• Dat. ferulis minacibus, to the threatening rods
• Acc. ferulas minaces, the threatening rods
• Voc. O ferulae minaces, O threatening rods
• Abl. a ferulis minacibus, from the threatening rods

In the example below, note that the first declension noun nauta is masculine (hic). The adjective vigilans is of the third declension, with genitive singular ending in -is. Though the endings are different, each pair agrees in gender, number and case. Note also that the general precepts learned in lesson 10 are visible in the declension.

Singular Number

• Nom., hic nauta vigilans, the watchful sailor
• Gen. nautae vigilantis, of the watchful sailor
• Dat. nautae vigilanti, to the watchful sailor
• Acc. nautam vigilantem, the watchful sailor
• Voc. O nauta vigilans, O watchful sailor
• Abl. a nauta vigilante, from the watchful sailor

Plural Number

• Nom. nautae vigilantes, the watchful sailors
• Gen. nautarum vigilantium, of the watchful sailors
• Dat. nautis vigilantibus, to the watchful sailors
• Acc. nautas vigilantes, the watchful sailors
• Voc. O nautae vigilantes, O watchful sailors
• Abl. a nautis vigilantibus, from the watchful sailors

Lastly, we have the masculine first declension substantive noun poeta (poet) modified by the 2nd declension masculine adjective optimus (best). Again, though the forms differ, the substantive and adjective agree in gender, number and case:

Singular Number

• Nom., hic poeta optimus, the best poet
• Gen. poetae optimi, of the best poet
• Dat. poetae optimo, to the best poet
• Acc. poetam optimum, the best poet
• Voc. O poeta optime, O best poet
• Abl. a poeta optimo, from the best poet

Plural Number

• Nom. poetae optimi, the best poets
• Gen. poetarum optimorum, of the best poets
• Dat. poetis optimis, to the best poets
• Acc. poetas optimos, the best poets
• Voc. O poetae optimi, O best poets
• Abl. a poetis optimis, from the best poets

2. Dativus multitudinis -is syllaba finitur praeter duabus, ambabus et deabus et nonnulla eiusdem exitus, quae etiam a viris doctis praecipue iurisperitis, ut notat Charisius, sexus discernendi gratia usurpantur, ut filiabus, libertabus, animabus, equabus: Cicero said deabus, Livy said “In sacrarium ad penates confugit cum duabus filiabus virginibus; Modestus writes, ” Libertis libertabusque meis”; Seneca writes, “Quaedam animabus suis redemerunt maritorum suorum salutem”; Cicero writes, “Graccho minorem ex duabus filiis…nuptam fuisse convenit.”

Translation: The Dative plural ends with the syllable -is, except in the nouns duabus, ambabus and deabus and some of the same ending, which also from learned men especially men expert in law, as the grammarian Charisius noted, used with respect to the distinguishing of sex, as filiabus for daughter rather than filiis (son), libertabus for freedwoman rather than libertis (freedman), animabus for female spirit rather than animis (male spirit), equabus for female horse rather than equis (male horse).

Cicero said deabus, Livy said “In sacrarium ad penates confugit cum duabus filiabus virginibus; Modestus writes, “Libertis libertabusque meis“; Seneca writes, “Quaedam animabus suis redemerunt maritorum suorum salutem“; Cicero writes, “Graccho minorem ex duabus filiis…nuptam fuisse convenit.“

Summary

In the previous lesson, we learned general precepts of Latin noun declension. In this lesson, we have studied the first declension of Latin nouns. In future lessons, we will continue to study the five declensions of Latin nouns in detail.

(c) William C. Michael, 2022. No use outside the Classical Liberal Arts Academy is permitted.

Published in Classical Latin