3rd Declension Nouns(Lesson 40)

Latin IIOct. 9-12, 2012

Third Declension Nouns!

• Latin has 5 declensions of nouns.• Declensions are groups of nouns which share

the same endings.

3rd declension nouns

• Third declension is the largest declension of nouns.

• Third declension includes masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns (we’ll work with the neuter nouns later on).

• Both masculine and feminine 3rd declension nouns use the same chart.

3rd declension nouns

• Third declension nouns are identified by the –is ending in the genitive singular.pax, pacis (f.)lex, legis (f.)salus, salutis (f.)dux, ducis (m.)

Nominative

Genitive

Dative

Accusative

Ablative

Singular Plural

----is

-i

-em

-e

-es-um

-ibus

-es

-ibus

3rd Declension Endings

Step 1 – Find the noun stemThe noun stem is found by dropping the genitive singular ending from the noun.

Dictionary entry of a noun:

pax, pacis, f. peace

Nominativesingular

Genitive singular

Gender Meaning

pacis – is = pac

Noun Stem

Step 2: Add the case endings to the noun stem.

Nominative

Genitive

Dative

Accusative

Ablative

Singular Plural

paxpac

pac

pac

pac

pacpac

pac

pac

pac

e

em es

um

ibus

es

ibus

pax, pacis (f.)

i

is

Your Turn!

• Decline any 3 of your third declension vocabulary nouns for a daily grade.

Nouns and Adjectives

• The adjectives you have learned thus far are called “1st/2nd declension adjectives”

• Therefore, they do not use 3rd declension endings!

• But what if you need to use an adjective to describe a 3rd declension noun?!?!

Nouns and Adjectives

• Remember our old abbreviation G-N-C?• Nouns and adjectives agree in gender,

number, and case.• They DO NOT have to agree in declension!• This means: sometimes nouns and adjectives

have endings that AGREE but don’t MATCH.

Nouns and Adjectives

• Let’s say we want to decline the pair of words “a good law.”

• Lex, legis (f.)---law• bonus, BONA, bonum---good• So, a good law is a “lex bona”• Let’s see what it looks like…

Lex Bona

Nom. lex bona leges bonaeGen. legis bonae legum

bonarumDat. legi bonae legibus bonisAcc. legem bonam leges bonasAbl. lege bona legibus bonis

Singular Plural

Your Turn!

• Decline “pax aequa” on a single chart• Complete WB Ex. “C” pages 147-148• Add it to your declension practice from

yesterday!

Practice!

• Complete textbook page 282, Ex. A• Write the LATIN and ENGLISH• Add to your previous exercises and turn in

everything to the box. Gratias!