Adjectives in LatinAdjectives in Latin

Latin ILatin I

Grammar LessonGrammar Lesson

Use of AdjectivesUse of Adjectives

Adjectives describe Adjectives describe nounsnouns

The The goodgood boy boy Good describes boyGood describes boy

The The happyhappy dog dog Happy describes Happy describes

dogdog

Use of AdjectivesUse of Adjectives

The English adjective The English adjective typically comes before typically comes before the noun.the noun.

The The happyhappy dog dog The The goodgood boy boy

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

In Latin, the adjective In Latin, the adjective typically follows the typically follows the nouns.nouns.

The noun is given The noun is given more emphasis.more emphasis. The dog (I mean The dog (I mean

the happy one…)the happy one…)

Agreement of Nouns and Agreement of Nouns and AdjectivesAdjectives

Okay, if the Okay, if the adjective follows adjective follows the noun, then how the noun, then how do we know which do we know which noun it describes?noun it describes?

Use the endings!Use the endings!

Agreement of Nouns and Agreement of Nouns and AdjectivesAdjectives

Adjectives Adjectives must must agreeagree with the with the noun they describe noun they describe in 3 ways:in 3 ways:

1.1. CaseCase

2.2. NumberNumber

3.3. GenderGender

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

Examples:Examples:

The The evilevil slave attacked slave attacked the the goodgood girl. girl.

EvilEvil describes describes slaveslave GoodGood describes describes girlgirl

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

Remember: Latin Adjectives must be in Remember: Latin Adjectives must be in the same the same casecase, , numbernumber, and , and gendergender as the as the nouns they describe!nouns they describe!

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

The The goodgood girlsgirls love love their big family.their big family.

““girl” and “good” must girl” and “good” must be in the same case, be in the same case, number, and gendernumber, and gender

The word “girls” is the The word “girls” is the subject: Nominative subject: Nominative case, plural, femininecase, plural, feminine

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

The good girls love their The good girls love their bigbig familyfamily..

““big” and “family” must big” and “family” must be in the same case, be in the same case, number, and gendernumber, and gender

The word “family” is The word “family” is the D.O.: accusative the D.O.: accusative case, singular, femininecase, singular, feminine

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

The good girls love their big The good girls love their big family.family.

(Puellae (Puellae bonaebonae) () (magnammagnam familiam) amant.familiam) amant.

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

Must Latin nouns Must Latin nouns and adjectives and adjectives have the same have the same ending?ending?

NoNo

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

Latin nouns and Latin nouns and adjectives only have adjectives only have to agree in case, to agree in case, number, and number, and gendergender

They do not have to They do not have to look the samelook the same

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

Rex magnusRex magnus

Puerum similemPuerum similem

Agricola senexAgricola senex All of these pairs have All of these pairs have

the same case, the same case, number, and gendernumber, and gender

They just belong to They just belong to different declensionsdifferent declensions

Latin AdjectivesLatin Adjectives

If the adjectives and If the adjectives and nouns belong to nouns belong to different declensions, different declensions, just use the endings just use the endings that correspond to that correspond to each word.each word.

Don’t worry if they Don’t worry if they don’t match; they don’t match; they only have to agree.only have to agree.