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The Noun: A summary
There are five declensions in Latin, each declension determined by the ending in the genitive case:
| ENDING |
DECLENSION |
| -ae |
I |
| -i |
II |
| -is |
III |
| -us |
IV |
| -ei |
V |
. They are characterized by the final letter of their BASE ("stem", "root"). The BASE is discovered by removing the ending which is characteristic of the GENITIVE in each declension from the genitive of the respective noun:
|
Nominative |
Genitive |
Base |
Gender |
FIRST Declension |
gloria |
gloriae |
glori- |
feminine |
SECOND Declension |
amicus
puer
hortum
bellum
Romanus
magister |
amici
pueri
horti
belli
Romani
magistri |
amic-
puer-
hort-
bell-
Roman-
magistr- |
masculine
masculine
masculine
neuter
masculine
masculine |
THIRD Declension
-Liquid (l,m,n,r)
-Sibilant
-Mute
-Vowel |
consul
leo
nomen
labor
pater
genus
corpus
aes
princeps
rex
aetas
pes
collis
mare
animal
|
consulis
leonis
nominis
laboris
patris
generis
corporis
aeris
principis
regis
aetatis
pedis
collis
maris
animalis |
consul-
leon-
nomin-
labor-
patr-
gener-
corpor-
aer-
princip-
reg-
aetat-
ped-
coll-
mar-
animal- |
masculine
masculine
neuter
masculine
masculine
neuter
neuter
neuter
masculine
masculine
feminine
neuter
masculine
neuter
neuter |
FOURTH Declension |
fructus
cornu
arcus
genu |
fructus
cornus
arcus
genus |
fruct-
corn-
arc-
gen- |
masculine
neuter
masculine
neuter |
FIFTH Declension |
dies
res
species |
diei
rei
speciei |
die-
re-
specie- |
masculine
feminine
feminine |
|
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