Parts of Speech

For the purpose of traditional grammatical analysis, Latin words are classified into
eight separate parts of speech (noun, pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb, preposition,
conjunction, interjection); to this list may also be added the particle.
A noun refers to a person, place, thing or an idea. Nouns in Latin are varied by
number (singular or plural), gender (masculine, feminine or neuter) and case (nom-
inative, vocative, accusative, genitive, dative or ablative). Some words also possess a
locative case. The five declensions of nouns are listed in the Grammar Essentials
section. An appendix of proper nouns, providing the name of specific people or
places, can be found at the end of the dictionary.
A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. Personal pronouns (e.g. ego or ru)
stand in place of the names of people. Demonstrative pronouns (e.g. ille or hic)
describe the spatial or hypothetical location of entities. Relative pronouns (e.g. qui)
refer back to a noun mentioned in the previous clause or sentence. Possessive pro-
nouns (e.g. meus or tuus) relate a noun to its owner. Pronouns are modified by
number, case and (where appropriate) gender.
An adjective describes a noun or a pronoun. An adjective assumes the number, case
and gender of the noun or pronoun that it modifies. Adjectives can also be made
comparative (e.g. laetior happier) or superlative (e.g. laetissimus happiest). For the
declension of adjectives consult the first, second and third declensions of nouns in
the Grammar Essentials section. An adjective can sometimes stand in place of a
noun rather than modifying it and in such instances is termed a substantive (e.g.
laeta happy things). . .
A verb indicates the occurrence or performance of an action or the existence of a
given state. Verbs can be divided into three persons, in both singular and plural.
Latin verbs are arranged into six tenses (present, future, imperfect, perfect, future
perfect, pluperfect), four moods (indicative, subjunctive, imperative, infinitive) and
two voices (active and passive). Latin possesses four conjugations of verbs, the forms
of which are recorded in the Grammar Essentials section. Transitive verbs are those
that take a direct object (e.g. amo te I love you); intransitive verbs do not take a direct
object but can nonetheless be followed by an indirect object (e.g. pareo I obey or
piireo illiI obey that man). Certain verbs can be both transitive and intransitive. Latin
also possesses a set of verbs termed deponent. These are grammatically passive in
form but active in meaning. An impersonal verb is one which cannot have a human
 Parts of Speech

subject. Instead, its subject is an inanimate third person (e.g. pluit it rains). Parti-
ciples and gerundives are varied by number, gender and case.
An adverb is a word that modifies the nature of a verb (e.g. salti> rapide I dance
rapidly). Adverbs are not modified by number, gender or case but nonetheless can be
made comparative (e.g. rapidius more rapidly) and superlative (rapidissime most
rapidly).
A preposition is a word that relates a noun or pronoun grammatically to the rest of
the sentence (e.g. est aqua in fliimine there is water!!! the river). Prepositions are
indeclinable. They can introduce three cases (accusative, genitive or ablative) and
this determines in what case the following noun or pronoun stands.
A conjunction is a word that joins words, phrases or clauses. Conjunctions are
indeclinable. Certain conjunctions are coordinating,_ i.e. they put two things in a
similar syntactic relation (e.g. ego ~ tu I and you), whereas others are subordinating,
i.e. the conjunction introduces a word, phrase or clause that is dependent upon what
precedes (e.g. salti> quod sum laetus I dance because I am happy).
An interjection is a word - typically an expression of emotion - that can be intro-
duced at any stage in a sentence or can stand alone (e.g. eheu! alas!). Interjections
are indeclinable.
A particle is a word that brings extra meaning to a sentence but does not stand in
grammatical relation to any part of it (e.g. vero indeed or nempe truly, to be sure).
Particles are indeclinable.
Grammar Essentials

Declension of Nouns

First declension
(mostly feminine)
Singular
Nom. puelIa
Vac. puelIa
Acc. puelIam
Gen. puelIae
Dat. puelIae
Ab!. puelIa

Plural
Nom. puelIae
Vac. puelIae
Acc. puellas
Gen. puelIarum
Dat. puellis
Ab!. puellis

Second declension
(mostly masculine and neuter)
Singular m. m. n.
Nom. servus liber belIum
Vac. serve liber belIum
Acc. servum librum belIum
Gen. servi libr! bem
Dat. servo libro bello
Ab!. serva libro bello

Plural
Nom. sem libn beIla
Voc. servI libr! belIa
Acc. serv6s libros bella
Gen. servorum librorum bellorum
Dat. servis libns bems
Ab!. sems libr!s bems
xvii Grammar Essentials

Third declension
(masculine, feminine and neuter)
Singular f. m. f. m. n.
Nom. urbs lea navis pater opus
Voc. urbs lea navis pater opus
Acc. urbem leanem navem patrem opus
Gen. urbis learns navis patris operis
Dat. urbl leani navl patn open
Ab!. urbe leane nave (-I) patre opere
Plural
Nom. urbes leones naves patres opera
Voc. urbes leanes naves patres opera
Acc. urbes leanes naves (-IS) patres opera
Gen. urbium leanum navium patrum operum
Dat. urbibus leanibus navibus patribus operibus
Ab!. urbibus leonibus navibus patribus operibus

Fourth declension
(masculine, feminine and neuter)
Singular f. n.
Nom. manus genii
Voc. manus genii
Acc. manum genii
Gen. manus geniis
Dat. manu} genuI
Ab!. manu genii
Plural
Nom. manus genua
Voc. mantis genua
Acc. maniis genua
Gen. manuum genuum
Dat. manibus genibus
Ab!. manibus genibus

Fifth declension
(mostly feminine)
Singular f. f.(/m.)
Nom. res dies
Voc. res dies
Acc. rem- diem
Gen. rei (reI) diei
Dat. rei diel
Ab!. re die
Plural
Nom. res dies
Voc. res dies
Acc. res dies
Gen. rerum dierum
Dat. rebus diebus
Ab!. rebus diebus
Grammar Essentials xviii

Conjugation of Verbs
First conjugation: am6 I love

Active
Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person amo amabO amabam
2nd person amas amabis amabas
3rd person amat amabit amabat
Plural
1st person amamus amabimus amabamus
2nd person amatis amabitis amabiHis
3rd person amant amabunt amabant
Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect
1st person amav'f amavero amaveram
2nd person amavistI amaveris amaveras
3rd person amavit amaverit amaverat
Plural
1st person amavimus amaverimus amaveramus
2nd person ama.vistis amaveritis amaveratis
3rd person amaverunt (-erunt, -ere) amaverint amaverant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person amem amarem amaverim amavissem
2nd person aIDeS amares amaveris amavisses
3rdperson amet amaret amaverit amavisset
Plural
1st person ameffius amaremus amaverimus amavissemus
2nd person ametis amaretis amaveritis amavissetis
3rd person ament amarent amaverint ama.vissent

Imperative
Singular Present 'Future'
2nd person am3 amato
3rdperson amato
Plural
2nd person amate amatote
3rdperson amant6

Infinitive
Present Perfrct Future
amare amavisse amatiirum (-am, -urn etc.) esse
Present participle Future participle
amans (-ntis) amatiirus (-a, -urn etc.)
xix Grammar Essentials

Passive
Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person amor amabor amabar
2nd person amaris (-re) amaberis (-re) amabaris
3rd person amatur amabitur amabatur

Plural
1st person amarnur amabimur amabarnur
2nd person amarnini arnabimini amabamini
3rd person arnantur amabuntur amabantur
Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect
1st person amatus (-a, -urn) sum amatus (-a, -urn) era amatus (-a, -urn) eram
2nd person amatus (-a, -urn) es amatus (-a, -urn) eris amatus (-a, -urn) eras
3rd person amatus (-a, -urn) est amatus (-a, -urn) erit amatus (-a, -urn) erat

Plural
1st person amati (-ae, -a) surnus arnati (-ae, -a) erimus ama.n (-ae, -a) eramus
2nd person amat! (-ae, -a) eslis amat! (-ae, -a) eritis amat! (-ae, -a) eratis
3rd person amat! (-ae, -a) sunt amat! (-ae, -a) erunt amat! (-ae, -a) erant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person amer amarer amatus (-a, -urn) sim amatus (-a, -urn) essem
2nd person ameris arna:reris amatus (-a, -urn) sIs amatus (-a, -urn) esses
3rd person arnetur arnaretur amatus (-a, -urn) sit amatus (-a, -urn) esset

Plural
1st person amernur amaremur amat! (-ae, -a) sImus amat! (-ae, -a) essemus
2nd person amemini amaremini amat! (-ae, -a) sItis amat! (-ae, -a) essetis
3rd person amentur amarentur amat! (-ae, -a) sint amat!(-ae, -a) essent

Imperative
Singular Present 'Future'
2nd person amare amator
3rd person amator
Plural
2nd person amamini
3rdperson amantor

Infinitive
Present Perfect Future
amari am.tum (-am, -urn etc.) esse amatumiri'

Perfect partidple Gerundive

arnatus, -a, -urn amandus, -a, -urn
Grammar Essentials xx

Second conjugation: habeo I have

Active
Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person habeo habebO habebam
2nd person habes habebis habebas
3rdperson habet habebit "habebat

Plural
1st person habemus habebimus habebamus
2nd person habetis habebitis habebatis
3rd person habent habebunt habebant

Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect

1st person habuI habuero habueram
2nd person habuistr habueris habueras
3rd person habuit habuerit habuerat
Plural
1st person habuimus habuerimus habueramus
2nd person habuistis habueritis . _ habueratis
3rd person habuerunt (-erunt, -ere) habuerint habuerant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person habeam haberem habuerim habuissem
2nd person habeas haberes habueris habuisses
3rd person habeat haberet habuerit habuisset
Plural
1st person habeamus haberemus habuerimus habuissemus
2nd person habeatis haberetis habueritis habuissetis
3rd person habeant haberent habuerint habuissent

Imperative
Singular Present (Future~

2nd person habe habetO

3rd person habeto
Plural
2nd person habete habetOte
3rd person habentO

Infinitive
Present Perfect Future
habere habuisse habitiirum (-am, -urn etc.) esse
Present participle Future participle
habens (-ntis) habitiirus, -a, -urn
xxi Grammar Essentials

Passive
Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person habeor habebor . habebar
2nd person haberis (-re) habeberis (-re) habebiiris
3rd person habetur habebitur habebiitur

Plural
1st person habemur habebimur habebiimur
2nd person habernini habebiminj habebaminI
3rd person habentur habebuntur habebantur

Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect

1st person habitus (-a, -urn) sum habitus (-a, -urn) ero habitus (-a, -urn) eram
2nd person habitus (-a, -urn) es habitus (-a, -urn) eris habitus (-a, -urn) eras
3rd person habitus (-a, -urn) est habitus (-a, -urn) erit habitus (-a, -urn) erat

Plural
1st person habit! (-ae, -a) sumus habit! (-ae, -a) erimus habit! (-ae, -a) eramus
2nd person habit! (-ae, -a) estis habit! (-ae, -a) eritis habit! (-ae, -a) eratis
3rd person habit! (-ae, -a) sunt habitj (-ae, -a) erunt habit! (-ae, -a) erant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person habear haberer habitus (-a, -urn) sim habitus (-ae, -a) essem
2nd person habearis habereris habitus (-a, -urn) sIs habitus (-ae, -a) esses
3rd person habeatur haberetur habitus (-a, -urn) sit habitus (-ae, -a) esset

Plural
1st person habeamur haberemur habit! (-ae, -a) sImus habit! (-ae, -a) essemus
2nd person habeaminj habereminI habit! (-ae, -a) sItis habit! (-ae, -a) essHis
3rd person habeantur haberentur habit! (-ae, -a) sint habit! (-ae, -a) essent

Imperative
Singular Present 'Future'
2nd person habere habetor
3rdperson habetor

Plural
2nd person habeminI
3rd person habentor

Infinitive
Present Perfect Future
haberI habitum (-am, -urn etc.) esse habitum IrI

Perfect partidple Gerundive

habitus, -a, -urn habendus, -a, -urn
Grammar Essentials xxii

Third conjugation: rego I rule

Active
Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person rego regam regebam
2nd person regis reges regebas
3rd person regit reget regebat

Plural
1st person regimus regemus regebamus
2nd person regitis regetis regebatis
3rd person .regunt regent regebant

Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect

1st person rexi' rexer6 rexeram
2nd person rexisti rexeris rexeras
3rd person rexit rexerit rexerat

Plural
1st person reximus rexerimus rexeramus
2nd person rexistis rexeritis rexeratis
3rd person rexerunt (-erunt, -ere) rexerint rexerant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person regam regerem rexerim rexissem
2nd person regas regeres rexeris rexisses
3rd person regat regeret rexerit rexisset
Plural
1st person regamus regeremus rexerimus rexissemus
2nd person regatis regeretis rexeritis rexissetis
3rd person regant regerent rexerint rexissent

Imperative
Singular Present 'Future'
2nd person rege regito
3rd person regito

Plural
2nd person regite regitote
3rd person reguntO

Infinitive
Present Perfect Future
regere rexisse recturum (-am, -urn etc.) esse
Present participle Future participle
regens (-ntis) rectUms, -a, -urn
xxiii Grammar Essentials

Passive
Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person regor regar regebar
2nd person regeris (-re) regeris (-re) regebaris
3rd person regitur regetur regebatur

Plural
1st person regimur regemur regebarnur
2nd person regiminl regerninl regebarninf
3rd person reguntur regentur regebantur

Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect

1st person rectus (-a, -urn) sum rectus (-a, -urn) ero rectus (-a, -urn) erarn
2nd person rectus (-a, -urn) es rectus (-a, -urn) erls rectus (-a, -urn) eras
3rd person rectus (-a, -urn) est rectus (-a, -urn) erlt rectus (-a, -urn) erat

Plural
1st person recti (-ae, -a) surnus rectI (-ae, -a) erirnus recti (-ae, -a) eramus
2nd person recti (-ae, -a) estis recti (-ae, -a) eritis rectI (-ae, -a) eratis
3rd person recti: (-ae, -a) sunt recti: (-ae, -a) erunt rectI (-ae, -a) erant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person regar regebar rectus (-a, -urn) sim rectus (-a, -urn) essern
2nd person regaris regebaris rectus (-a, -urn) sIs rectus (-a, -urn) esses
3rd person regatur regebiitur rectus (-a, -urn) sit .rectus (-a, -urn) esset

Plural
1st person regamur regebamur recti (-ae, -a) sIrnus rectI (-ae, -a) essernus
2nd person regaminI regebaminI recti: (-ae, -a) sftis recti (-ae, -a) essetis
3rd person regantur regebantur recti: (-ae, -a) sint recti (-ae, -a) essent

Imperative
Singular Present 'Future'
2nd person regere regitor
3rd person regitor

Plural
2nd person regimin'i
3rdperson reguntor

Infinitive
Present Perfect Future
regI rectum (-am, -urn etc.) esse rectum 'in

Perfect participle Gerundive

rectus, -a, -urn regendus, -a, -urn
Grammar Essentials xxiv

Fourth conjugation: audio I hear

Active
Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person audiO audiam audiebam
2nd person audfs audies audiebas
3rd person audit audiet audiebat

Plural
1st person audlrnus audiemus audiebamus
2nd person auditis audietis audiebatis
3rd person audiunt audient audiebant

Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect

1st person audfvI (audif etc.) audfvero (audiero etc.) audfveram (audieram etc.)
2nd person audfvistf audiveris audiveras
3rd person audrvit audiverit audiverat

Plural
1st person audrvlmus audi'verimus audiveramus
2nd person audivistis audiveritis audiveratls
3rd person audfverunt (-erunt, -ere) audiverint audiverant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person audiam audirem audiverim audIvissem
2nd person audias audires audiveris audivisses
3rd person audiat audlret audiverit audivisset

Plural
1st person audlamus audiremus audiverirnus audivissemus
2nd person audiatis audfretis audiveritis audivissetis
3rd person audiant audfrent audiverint audivissent

Imperative
Singular Present 'Future'
2nd person audf audlto
3rd person audlto

Plural
2nd person audlte audftOte
3rd person audiunto

Infinitive
Present Perfect Future
audire audivisse audftiirum (-am, -urn etc.) esse

Present partidple Future partidple

audiens (-ntis) auciItftrus, -a, -urn
xxv Grammar Essentials

Passive
Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person audior audiar audiebar
2nd person audiris (-re) audieris (-re) audiebaris
3rd person auditur audietur audiebatur

Plural
1st person audImu! audiemur audiebamur
2nd person audfminf audieminf audiebamini
3rd person audiuntur audientur audiebantur

Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect

1st person auditus (-a, -urn) sum auditus (-a, -urn) era audItus (-a, -urn) eram
2nd person auditus (-a, -urn) es audltus (-a, -um)-eris auditus (-a, -urn) eras
3rd person auditus (-a, -urn) est auditus (-a, -urn) erit auditus (-a, -urn) erat

I'lural
1st person audm (-ae, -a) sumus audm (-ae, -a) erimus audm (-ae, -a) eramus
2nd person audm (-ae, -a) eslis audm (-ae, -a) eritis audm (-ae, -a) eratis
3rd person audm (-ae, -a) sunt audm (-ae, -a) erunt audm (-ae, -a) erant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person audiar audIrer auditus (-a, -urn) sim audltus (-a, -urn) essem
2nd person audiaris audireris auditus (-a, -urn) sis auditus (-a, -urn) esses
3rd person audiatur audiretur audItus (-a, -urn) sit auditus (-a, -urn) esset

Plural
1st person audiamur audiremur audlH (-ae, -a) simus audm (-ae, -a) essemus
2nd person audiamini audiremini audm (-ae, -a) sltis audm (-ae, -a) esselis
3rd person audiantur audirentur audm (-ae, -a) sint audm (-ae, -a) essent

Imperative
Singular Present 'Future'
2nd person audire auditor
3rdperson auditor

Plural
2nd person audimim
3rd person audiuntor

Infinitive
Present Perfect Future
audlr'i auditum (-am, -urn etc.) esse auditum lr'i

Perfect partidple Gerundive

audItus ~a, ~um audiendus, -a, -urn
Grammar Essentials xxvi

Irregular verbs
(all active only)

sum, esse, fufto be

Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person sum ero eram
2nd person es eris eras
3rd person est erit erat

Plural
1st person sumus erimus eramus
2nd person estis eritis eratis
3rd person sunt eront erant

Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect

1st person fur fuera fueram
2nd person fuistI fueris fueras
3rd person fuit fuerit fuerat
Plural
1st person fuimus fuerimus fueramus
2nd person fuistis fueritis fueratis
3rd person fuerunt (fuerunt, fuere) fuerint fuerant

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person sim essem fuerim fuissem
2nd person sis esses fueris fuisses
3rd person sit esset fuerit fuisset

Plural
1st person simus essemus fuerimus fuissemus
2nd person sItis essetis fueritis fuissetis
3rd person sint essent fuerint fuissent

Imperative
Singular Present 'Future'
2nd person es esto
3rd person esto

Plural
2nd person este estate
3rd person sunto

Infinitive
Present Perfect Future Future partidple
esse fuisse futUrum (-am, -um etc.) esse futiirus, -a, -urn
xxvii Grammar. Essentials

malO, mmle, maluf to prefer

Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person malO malam malebam
2nd person mavis males malebas
;{rd person mavult malet malebat
I'lural
1st person malumus malemus malebamus
2nd person mavullis maletis malebatis
3rd person malunt malent malebant
Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect
1st person malu! etc. maluero etc. malueram etc.

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person malim mallem maluerim maluissem
2nd person malis malles malueris maluisses
3rd person malit mallet maluerit maluisset

Plural
1st person malimus mallemus maluerimus maluissemus
2nd person maUtis malletis malueritis maluissetis
3rd person malint mallent maluerint maluissent

Present infinitive Perfect infinitive

malle maluisse

Present participle
malens (-ntis)

possum, posse, potufto be able

Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person possum potero poteram
2nd person potes poteris poteras
3rd person potest poterit poterat
Plural
1st person possumus poterimus poteramus
2nd person potestis poteritis pateralis
3rd person possunt poterunt poterant
Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect
1st person potu! etc. potuero etc. potueram etc.
Grammar Essentials xxviii

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person passim possem potuerim potuissem
2nd person possIs posses potueris potuisses
3rdperson possit posset potuerit potuisset

Plural
1st person posslrnus possemus potuerimus potuissemus
2nd person possitis possetis potueritis potuissetis
3rd person possint possent potuerint potuissent

Present infinitive Perfect infinitive

posse potuisse

Present participle
potens (-ntis)

vo/o, vel/e, volurto want

Indicative
Singular Present Future Imperfect
1st person vola volam volebam
2nd person Vis voles volebas
3rd person vult (volt) volet volebat

Plural
1st person volumus volemus volebamus
2nd person vultis (voltis) voletis volebatis
3rd person volunt volent volebant

Singular Perfect Future perfect Pluperfect

1st person voluI etc. voluero etc. volueram etc.

Subjunctive
Singular Present Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect
1st person velim vellem voluerim voluissem
2nd person veIrs velles volueris voluisses
3rd person velit vellet voluerit voluisset
Plural
1st person vellmus vellemus voluerimus voluissemus
2nd person velItis velletis volueritis voluissetis
3rdperson velint vellent voluerint voluissent

Present infinitive Perfect infinitive

velle voluisse

Present participle
volens (-ntis)