Latin Third Declension

This is a Latin or Greek grammar multiple-choice quiz. If you find something you do not understand, and you are one of my students, bring it to me. Perhaps you need additional help, or perhaps I have made a mistake. Otherwise, if you find errors, please email director@classicstuition.co.uk.
Question 1/10
Score: 0/0

 

Third Declension: masculine, feminine and neuter

Case Masculine: rēx Feminine: nāvis Neuter: corpus
Nominative rēx / rēgēs nāvis / nāvēs corpus / corpora
Vocative rēx / rēgēs nāvis / nāvēs corpus / corpora
Accusative rēgem / rēgēs nāvem / nāvēs corpus / corpora
Genitive rēgis / rēgum nāvis / nāvium corporis / corporum
Dative rēgī / rēgibus nāvī / nāvibus corporī / corporibus
Ablative rēge / rēgibus nāve / nāvibus corpore / corporibus

Important rule: third declension neuter nouns have the same form in the nominative and accusative.
In the plural, neuter nominative and accusative end in -a. So:
corpus = body, corpora = bodies.

Another important point: third declension nouns do not all look alike in the nominative singular.
You must learn the genitive singular, because that shows you the stem:
rēx, rēgis, nāvis, nāvis, corpus, corporis.

What the Cases Do

Case What it shows Example
Nominative The subject case. It shows who or what is doing the action. Rēx advenit
The king arrives.

Nāvis venit
The ship comes.

Corpus iacet
The body lies there.
Accusative Shows the direct object (the person or thing affected by the verb).
Also shows movement towards when used with ad.		 Rēgem videō
I see the king.

Nāvem spectāmus
We watch the ship.

Ad corpus currit
He runs towards the body.
Genitive Shows ownership, quantity, or description.
English often uses “of” for this.		 Verba rēgis audiō
I hear the words of the king.

Multum labōris habet
He has much work.

Vir magnae virtūtis est
He is a man of great courage.
Dative Shows the indirect object – usually “to” or “for”.
Also used with certain common verbs.		 Rēgī dīxī
I spoke to the king.

Dōnum cīvī dedī
I gave a gift to the citizen.

Nāvī appropinquat
He approaches the ship.
Ablative Used for many ideas, usually helped by a preposition.
Learn to recognise the case, but rely on the preposition to guide you.		 In nāve sedet – He sits in the ship.

Ex urbe venit – He comes out of the city.

Ab rēge currit – He runs away from the king.

Cum cīvibus ambulat – He walks with the citizens.