Chapter 1 Vocabulary
Americāna, American
aperta, open clausa, closed Cornēlia, Cornelia discipula, (female) student est, he/she/it is sunt, they are et, and fēmina, woman fenestra, window iānua, door Iūlia, Julia magistra, (female) teacher |
magna, big, large, great
mēnsa, table nōn, not parva, small, little puella, girl quoque, also schola, school sed, but sella, seat, chair, bench stat, he/she/it stands; stant, they stand bona, good |
Chapter 1 Derivatives
aperta, aperture
clausa, clause, clausal discipula, disciple, discipline fēmina, feminine, effeminate, female fenestra, defenestrate |
iānua, January, janitor
magistra, magistrate magna, magnanimous, magnify, magnate, magnificent mēnsa, mesa schola, scholar, school, scholarship, scholastic stat, statue, state, |
SCHOLA AMERICĀNA I
Latin Text Schola est schola Americāna. Schola est magna. Iānua est clausa. Fenestra nōn est clausa. Fenestra est aperta. Mēnsa est magna. Sella nōn est magna. Sella est parva.
Fēmina est Americāna. Fēmina est magistra. Magistra stat. Puella est Americāna. Puella magistra nōn est. Puella est discipula. Puella quoque stat. Puella est Iūlia. Iūlia discipula bona est. Cornēlia est discipula. Cornēlia quoque discipula bona est. Sella nōn est magna. Sella est parva. Mēnsā nōn est parvā. Mēnsa est magna. Fenestra clausa nōn est. Fenestra aperta est. Iānua nōn est aperta. Iānua est clausa. |
Translation Video |
SCHOLA AMERICĀNA I: Responde Latine
1. Quid est?
Quid = "what" 2. Quis est fēmina? Quis = "who" 3. Quis stat? 4. Quis est Iūlia? 5. Quis est discipula bona? |
6. Quālīs est sella?
Qualis = "of what kind" 7. Quālīs est mēnsā? 8. Quālīs est fenestra? 9. Quālīs est iānua? 10. Quālīs est schola? |
SCHOLA AMERICĀNA I: Discussion
- Find the subject of each verb in the first paragraph of Schola Americana I. With what letter does each of these subjects end?
- A noun which is used as the subject of a verb is said to be in the "Nominative Case". Observe that each of the nouns in the foregoing story, when used as the subject of a verb, ends in "-a".
- The words which describe nouns are adjectives. What is the ending of each adjective? These adjectives, like the nouns, end in "-a" and are in the Nominative Case. They are said to "agree" with the nouns which they describe.
- The verb "est" is often used to connect the subject with a noun or adjective, as in "femina est magistra" (the woman is a teacher) or "sella est parva" (the chair is small).
- Does each noun refer to only one person or thing, or more than one? Nouns that refer to one person or thing are singular in number. The ending of the Nominative Singular is "-a". Nouns that end in "-a" in the Nominative Singular are in a group call the "first declension". There are nouns with other endings in the Nominative Singular, but we will cover them in later lessons.
- Quid? and Quis? are also used as subjects and therefore are in the Nominative Case.
- There is no Latin word for "a, an" or "the." Therefore "femina" means "woman," "the woman," or "a woman." Use whichever article works best for your translation.
SCHOLA AMERICĀNA II
Latin Text Iūlia est discipula. Cornēlia est discipula. Discipulae sunt Cornēlia et Iūlia. Puellae Americānae sunt discipulae. Discipulae bonae sunt. Discipulae stant. Magistra quoque stat. Scholae Americānae sunt magnae. Fenestra magnae sunt et iānuae parvae sunt. Iānuae sunt clausae sed fenestrae sunt apertae.
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Translation Video |
SCHOLA AMERICĀNA II: Responde Latine
1. Quis est Iūlia?
2. Quis est Cornēlia? 3. Quālēs discipulae sunt Iūlia et Cornēlia? "Quales" = "what kind of?" 4. Quis stat? |
5. Quālēs sunt scholae Americānae?
6. Quālēs sunt fenestra? 7. Quālēs sunt iānuae? |
SCHOLA AMERICĀNA II: Discussion
- In the sentence "Iulia est discipula," what is the subject? In the sentence "Puellae Americanae sunt discipulae," what is the subject? If both "Iulia" and "puellae" are subjects, what case are they? Why are the endings different?
- Nouns that refer to more than one person or thing are plural in number. In the story find other nouns that are plural in number and used as subjects. What endings do these words have?
- The ending of the Nominative Plural for the 1st Declension is "-ae"
- A noun used as a singular subject ends in "-a". A noun used as a plural subject ends in "-ae." The verb ends in "-t" if the subject is singular and "-nt" if the subject is plural
- Nominative Singular: puella
- Nominative Plural: puellae
Chapter 1 Grammar Notes
Nouns, Adjectives, and Verbs
In Chapter 1, we focus on the basic parts of speech (in Latin and English): nouns, adjectives and verbs. Here are a few basic notes to make sure you understand the difference between them and how they are used. Remember, use your knowledge of English grammar to help you understand the Latin!
Nouns: used for names of persons, places, things, ideas/qualities
Adjectives: words that describe persons, places, things, ideas/qualities.
Verbs: words that indicate actions or existence (the verb "to be")
Looking at the nouns, adjectives, and verbs in this chapter you should notice a specific pattern. Nouns/Adjectives are all ending in "-a" while verbs are ending in "-t." In Latin, the endings of nouns, adjectives and verbs are very important! Unlike English, the way a Latin word is spelled will tell you whether it is a noun, adjective, or verb. In this chapter, a word ending in "-t" will be a verb, while a word ending in "-a" will be either a noun or adjective. As we move forward you will see that there is much more to this pattern, but for now we are just trying to establish the basics. Keep this pattern in mind as we move forward this year.
Here are a few quick helpful hints for translating Latin:
In Latin, there is no word for "a/an/the", so when you see a noun (like "puella") it means "the girl" or "a girl"-- use your best judgment when you translate!
There are several ways to translate a Latin verb. "Habitat," for instance, can mean either "he/she lives," "he/she is living," or "he/she does live." If you think about it, they all mean the same thing in English
Nouns: used for names of persons, places, things, ideas/qualities
Adjectives: words that describe persons, places, things, ideas/qualities.
Verbs: words that indicate actions or existence (the verb "to be")
Looking at the nouns, adjectives, and verbs in this chapter you should notice a specific pattern. Nouns/Adjectives are all ending in "-a" while verbs are ending in "-t." In Latin, the endings of nouns, adjectives and verbs are very important! Unlike English, the way a Latin word is spelled will tell you whether it is a noun, adjective, or verb. In this chapter, a word ending in "-t" will be a verb, while a word ending in "-a" will be either a noun or adjective. As we move forward you will see that there is much more to this pattern, but for now we are just trying to establish the basics. Keep this pattern in mind as we move forward this year.
Here are a few quick helpful hints for translating Latin:
In Latin, there is no word for "a/an/the", so when you see a noun (like "puella") it means "the girl" or "a girl"-- use your best judgment when you translate!
There are several ways to translate a Latin verb. "Habitat," for instance, can mean either "he/she lives," "he/she is living," or "he/she does live." If you think about it, they all mean the same thing in English
Declensions
Now that we've seen Latin endings in context, let's take a step back and think about noun endings in general. In Latin (like English), there are thousands and thousands of nouns. It can feel overwhelming, for sure. But the good news is that all the thousands of nouns actually follow a set pattern of endings. These "groups" we've been seeing are not by accident-- they are actually how the language works.
We call these groups of nouns "Declensions". Remember, "Declension" is just a technical language term that means "group of nouns," so don't get too overwhelmed by the terminology! Did you notice that all the nouns we used in this chapter ended in either "-a" or "-ae"? That isn't by accident! All of those nouns are part of the same group, or Declension. Specifically we call them "1st Declension" nouns -- keep that in the back of your mind, as it will help us stay organized as we move through more grammar!
We call these groups of nouns "Declensions". Remember, "Declension" is just a technical language term that means "group of nouns," so don't get too overwhelmed by the terminology! Did you notice that all the nouns we used in this chapter ended in either "-a" or "-ae"? That isn't by accident! All of those nouns are part of the same group, or Declension. Specifically we call them "1st Declension" nouns -- keep that in the back of your mind, as it will help us stay organized as we move through more grammar!
Cases
As you've seen so far, Latin is all about endings! Nouns, Adjectives and Verbs all have different endings that tell us specific information about how the word is being used in a sentence -- is a noun singular or plural? is it the subject? which word is my verb? All of these questions are answered by looking at the endings.
In Latin, we have different endings for NOUNS when they are used as Subjects or for another reason (we'll explore more as we go!). This is called the "Case System" in Latin. We have specific terms for each use of a Noun. When a Noun is being used as the SUBJECT of the sentence, we say it is in the "NOMINATIVE CASE".
We will be using these terms throughout the year, so start memorizing which is which! There are 6 "cases" in Latin and we will be adding more each chapter. Stay tuned!
In Latin, we have different endings for NOUNS when they are used as Subjects or for another reason (we'll explore more as we go!). This is called the "Case System" in Latin. We have specific terms for each use of a Noun. When a Noun is being used as the SUBJECT of the sentence, we say it is in the "NOMINATIVE CASE".
We will be using these terms throughout the year, so start memorizing which is which! There are 6 "cases" in Latin and we will be adding more each chapter. Stay tuned!
from Legonium
Nominative Case Singular and Plural (1st Declension)
Take a look at these sentences from our stories so far:
Cornēlia est discipula.
Discipulae sunt Cornēlia et Iūlia.
Discipulae sunt Cornēlia et Iūlia.
In Schola Americana I, we only saw singular nouns in our readings (ex. Cornelia, discipula, schola, etc). In Schola Americana II, however, we are introduced to plural nouns and adjectives. So how exactly do we know if a noun/adjective is singular or plural? The key is the endings. Remember we learned that when 3rd person verbs would end in "-t" if they were singular and an '-nt" if they were plural? Nouns and adjectives follow a similar idea -- the ending will change depending on whether it's singular or plural. Nouns and adjectives will have separate endings from verbs, though.
Most of the nouns we have seen so far have ended in either an "-a". Here is the basic rules for making nouns/adjectives plural:
*Nota bene (note well)! Adjectives will follow this same pattern! (Ex. "puella Romana" --> "puellae Romanae"). So, whenever you have an adjective modifying a noun, if you make the noun plural you also need to make the adjective plural. This makes sense in English, too. You would never say "I see one boys" or "I see two boy." This is part of a larger concept called "Noun-Adjective Agreement" which we will explore later on in the book.
Most of the nouns we have seen so far have ended in either an "-a". Here is the basic rules for making nouns/adjectives plural:
- Nouns ending in "-a" are singular and will switch to "-ae" in the plural (ex. puella, "girl --> puellae, "girls")
*Nota bene (note well)! Adjectives will follow this same pattern! (Ex. "puella Romana" --> "puellae Romanae"). So, whenever you have an adjective modifying a noun, if you make the noun plural you also need to make the adjective plural. This makes sense in English, too. You would never say "I see one boys" or "I see two boy." This is part of a larger concept called "Noun-Adjective Agreement" which we will explore later on in the book.
Verbs: Persons
Have you ever called yourself by your own name only to have someone say "Don't refer to yourself in the 3rd person"? We often use this phrase, and probably understand it, but can we actually define what it means?
When we use the grammatical term "person" (in English or Latin) we are describing who or what is performing the action of the verb. We have 6 options for this: I, You, He/She/It, We, You All, or They. To organize these options, we break them into "persons" and it all has to do with who the subject is in the sentence. Look below to read how these all break down.
When we use the grammatical term "person" (in English or Latin) we are describing who or what is performing the action of the verb. We have 6 options for this: I, You, He/She/It, We, You All, or They. To organize these options, we break them into "persons" and it all has to do with who the subject is in the sentence. Look below to read how these all break down.
1st Person
A "1st Person" point of view is when the subject is referring to itself. When the subject is referring his/her/itself alone, the pronoun "I" is used -- we call this "1st Person Singular." When the subject is referring to his/her/itself as part of a group, the pronoun "We" is used -- we call this "1st Person Plural."
One way to think of the 1st person is to think of a movie, tv show, or video game in which the viewer is looking through the eyes of the character. In other words, it feels as though you are that person. Look to the right to see an example of a 1st person point of view. In that picture, you are taking on the point of view of the person riding the bike. |
2nd Person
The "2nd Person" point of view is used when someone is directly speaking to someone else. Imagine a conversation you have had with a friend-- how do you refer to that person? Unless you are calling them by name you were refer to them as "you" (ex. "Hey, I saw you at school yesterday."). When the subject is talking with one person, the pronoun "you" is used -- this is called the "2nd Person Singular." When the subject is talking to a group of people, the pronoun "you all" is used -- this is called the "2nd Person Plural."
3rd Person
A "3rd Person" point of view is when the subject is talking about someone/something. To try and visualize this, think about how you would talk to one person about another person who is not in the room-- what pronoun would you use to talk about that absent person? When the subject is talking about one person, the pronoun "he/she/it" is used -- we call this "3rd Person Singular." When the subject is talking about more than one person, the pronoun "they" is used -- we call this "3rd Person Plural."
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One way to think of the 3rd person is to think of a movie, tv show, or video game in which the viewer is watching the action happen from a distance. The viewer is not actually part of the action, but simply an observer. This is how most tv shows and movies work. In many books, too, the story is told through a 3rd person narrator -- someone who is not part of the action, but just tells the reader about what is happening. Look at the picture above to see an example of a 3rd person point of view. In that picture, you are taking on the point of view of watching other people ride a bike. You don't know what they are saying to each other, and you don't know what they are thinking-- you can only observe them.
Latin Verb Endings
So what does all this talk if "persons" have to do with Latin verbs? Well, the same thing as English verbs, actually. In English, we have mostly lost any difference in verb endings between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person. There are still traces of these differences, though, in the way we spell verbs according to who the subject is. For example, we would say "I walk, you walk, he/she/it walks". Do you notice how the ending of the verb changed when we went to 3rd person singular? Saying "he/she/it walk" would be grammatically incorrect in English! We actually change the ending/spelling of our English verb to match with the subject.
The same thing happens in Latin, but on a much larger scale. In Latin, the endings of words change according to circumstances in the sentence. We have seen this with nouns/adjectives with the "cases." With verbs, it all depends on who the subject is -- in other words, it depends on the "person." These verb endings are called the "personal endings," for that reason. We have seen many of these personal verb endings already, but let's organize them in one place. Take a look at the chart below and make sure you memorize these endings! They are key to understanding who the subject of a sentence is!
The same thing happens in Latin, but on a much larger scale. In Latin, the endings of words change according to circumstances in the sentence. We have seen this with nouns/adjectives with the "cases." With verbs, it all depends on who the subject is -- in other words, it depends on the "person." These verb endings are called the "personal endings," for that reason. We have seen many of these personal verb endings already, but let's organize them in one place. Take a look at the chart below and make sure you memorize these endings! They are key to understanding who the subject of a sentence is!
Since each person (1st, 2nd, 3rd, singular and plural) has a distinct verb ending, we actually don't need an explicit subject in each sentence. In other words, when you see a verb ending in "-mus" you know that the subject HAS to be "we." Likewise, if the verb ends in "-s" the subject HAS to be "you." This can really help when you are translating a sentence, since you will be able to anticipate the subject, based on the verb ending. For example, if you see a verb ending in "-nt" you know that it needs a plural subject. Therefore, you should be looking for a noun in the Nominative Plural Case. This should help you translate Latin sentences more quickly and accurately.
These verb endings (in the Present Tense) never change, which makes them predictable. So, if you memorize them now you will always be able to translate Latin verbs!
Since each person (1st, 2nd, 3rd, singular and plural) has a distinct verb ending, we actually don't need an explicit subject in each sentence. In other words, when you see a verb ending in "-mus" you know that the subject HAS to be "we." Likewise, if the verb ends in "-s" the subject HAS to be "you." This can really help when you are translating a sentence, since you will be able to anticipate the subject, based on the verb ending. For example, if you see a verb ending in "-nt" you know that it needs a plural subject. Therefore, you should be looking for a noun in the Nominative Plural Case. This should help you translate Latin sentences more quickly and accurately.
These verb endings (in the Present Tense) never change, which makes them predictable. So, if you memorize them now you will always be able to translate Latin verbs!
Chapter 1 Grammar Exercises
Grammar Exercise 1:
Supply the correct case endings for each sentence. Then translate. Check the Answer Key when you are done!
Supply the correct case endings for each sentence. Then translate. Check the Answer Key when you are done!
1. Mēnsa est magn___; sellae sunt parv____.
2. Schol_____ sunt magn_____. 3. Ianu_____ sunt apert_____. 4. Festr_____ est apert_____. 5. Discipul_____ bōn_____ stat. 6. Quid est? Sell_____ parv_____ est. 7. Iūlia et Cornēlia sunt puell_____ parv_____. 8. Quālis discipul_____ Iūlia est? Iūlia bōn_____ discipul_____ est. 9. Discipul_____ est puell_____ American_____. 10. Quis stat? Magistr_____ stat; discipul_____ nōn stant. |
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Grammar Exercise 2: Write in Latin
Write the following English sentences in Latin. Check the Answer Key when you are done!
Write the following English sentences in Latin. Check the Answer Key when you are done!
1. American schools are large.
2. The windows are open. 3. The doors are closed. 4. The chairs are small; the table also is small. 5. The teacher is an American woman. 6. The girls are not standing up. 7. A good student stands up. 8. Julia and Cornelia are good pupils. |
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Magistrula Practice
Click the link below to open a Magistrula practice set for this chapter. Just hit "BEGIN" and you're all set!
Chapter 1 Magistrula
Chapter 1 Magistrula