In the reader every word takes the colour of its case. These pages say what each colour means, what the case does and how to spot it, with real lines from the library to show it at work.
Topics The nominative The Latin nominative names the subject of a verb, and whatever renames the subject after sum. How to spot it, with real lines from Genesis and Eutropius. The genitive The Latin genitive ties one noun to another, where English says “of” or adds ’s. Its uses and endings, with real lines from the story of Perseus and Genesis. The dative The Latin dative marks the person something is given to, said to or done for. Its uses and endings, with real lines from Horace, Seneca and Catullus. The accusative The Latin accusative marks the direct object and follows prepositions of motion such as ad and in. Uses and endings, with real lines from Genesis and Eutropius. The ablative The Latin ablative says by what, with what, from where and in what respect. Its main uses and endings, with real lines from Caesar, Genesis and Eutropius. The vocative The Latin vocative is the case of direct address: mi Lucili, mea Lesbia, lupe. How it differs from the nominative, in lines from Seneca, Catullus, Phaedrus. The locative The Latin locative says “at” a place: for cities, towns, small islands and a few words such as domī. With real lines from Eutropius and Pliny. Agreement How Latin adjectives, pronouns and participles agree with their nouns in case, number and gender, and why that lets them stand apart. With real lines. Word order Why a Latin adjective can sit far from its noun: the endings carry the grammar, so writers order words for emphasis. Lines from Virgil, Cicero and Horace. To see a word at work across many lines, try the Latin words .
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