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Latin reference
Latin Declensions Chart
Every noun ending in one place, with the patterns students need for Henle, First Form, Latin for Children, and classical co-op review.
Fast lookup pattern
| Case | 1st sg. | 1st pl. |
|---|---|---|
| Genitive | -ae | -arum |
| Dative | -ae | -is |
| Accusative | -am | -as |
- 1. Find the case the sentence needs.
- 2. Choose the noun's declension.
- 3. Add the singular or plural ending.
How to read a declension chart
Each row is a case (Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Ablative, Vocative). Each column is a number (singular or plural). The intersection shows the ending you add to the stem of the word.
Example: to say “of the girl” (the genitive singular of puella), you take the stem puell- and add the first-declension genitive singular ending -ae, giving you puellae.
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First Declension
Gender: Mostly feminine (a few masculine like nauta, poeta, agricola)
Example: puella (girl) — stem: puell-
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ||
| Genitive | ||
| Dative | ||
| Accusative | ||
| Ablative | ||
| Vocative |
Tip: tap or click any ending to see its case, what it means, and an example form.
Notes
- The stem is usually the nominative singular minus the -a.
- The dative and ablative plural are identical (-is) — context tells you which.
- Most first-declension nouns are feminine, but a few naturally-masculine nouns (nauta, poeta, agricola, pirata) follow the same endings.
- First declension is typically introduced early in most classical Latin programs.
Second Declension — Masculine (-us)
Gender: Masculine
Example: servus (slave) — stem: serv-
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ||
| Genitive | ||
| Dative | ||
| Accusative | ||
| Ablative | ||
| Vocative |
Tip: tap or click any ending to see its case, what it means, and an example form.
Notes
- The vocative singular ends in -e (e.g. serve, amice). This is one of the only places the vocative differs from the nominative.
- Proper names in -ius take vocative -i instead of -ie: Tulli, not Tullie.
- The dative and ablative plural are -is (same as first declension).
Second Declension — Masculine (-er)
Gender: Masculine
Example: puer (boy) — stem: puer-
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ||
| Genitive | ||
| Dative | ||
| Accusative | ||
| Ablative | ||
| Vocative |
Tip: tap or click any ending to see its case, what it means, and an example form.
Notes
- Some -er nouns keep the 'e' in all forms (puer, pueri) — these are called 'stem-e' nouns.
- Others drop the 'e' in all cases except the nominative/vocative singular (ager, agri, agro).
- Vocative singular = nominative singular (unlike the -us pattern).
Second Declension — Neuter
Gender: Neuter
Example: bellum (war) — stem: bell-
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ||
| Genitive | ||
| Dative | ||
| Accusative | ||
| Ablative | ||
| Vocative |
Tip: tap or click any ending to see its case, what it means, and an example form.
Notes
- Neuter rule: the nominative, accusative, and vocative are ALWAYS identical in both singular and plural.
- Plural neuter nominative and accusative always end in -a (regardless of declension).
- Classic examples: bellum (war), verbum (word), templum (temple), donum (gift).
Third Declension
Gender: All three genders (masculine, feminine, neuter)
Example: rex, regis (king) — stem: reg-
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ||
| Genitive | ||
| Dative | ||
| Accusative | ||
| Ablative | ||
| Vocative |
Tip: tap or click any ending to see its case, what it means, and an example form.
Notes
- Third declension is the biggest and hardest — you MUST memorize both the nominative and genitive for every noun because the nominative is unpredictable.
- Neuter third-declension nouns follow neuter rules: nom/acc/voc are identical, and plural nom/acc ends in -a (or -ia for i-stems).
- i-stem nouns (ending in -is or -es with genitive also in -is) take -ium in genitive plural and -i in ablative singular.
- Classic examples: rex regis (king), civis civis (citizen), nomen nominis (name), corpus corporis (body).
- Henle Latin and Memoria Press both spend significant time on third declension.
Fourth Declension
Gender: Mostly masculine (with some feminine like manus, domus)
Example: manus (hand) — stem: man-
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ||
| Genitive | ||
| Dative | ||
| Accusative | ||
| Ablative | ||
| Vocative |
Tip: tap or click any ending to see its case, what it means, and an example form.
Notes
- Nominative singular (-us) and genitive singular (-us with long mark) look identical — you tell them apart by quantity and context.
- manus (hand) is feminine despite the -us ending. domus (home) is also usually feminine. These are exceptions worth memorizing.
- Smaller declension — fewer nouns but they're common.
- Examples: exercitus (army), manus (hand), domus (home), senatus (senate), spiritus (spirit).
Fifth Declension
Gender: Mostly feminine (dies and meridies are masculine)
Example: res (thing, affair) — stem: r-
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ||
| Genitive | ||
| Dative | ||
| Accusative | ||
| Ablative | ||
| Vocative |
Tip: tap or click any ending to see its case, what it means, and an example form.
Notes
- The smallest declension — only two really common nouns: res (thing) and dies (day).
- dies is the exception to the 'all feminine' rule — it's usually masculine but can be feminine when it refers to a specific date.
- res is one of the most useful nouns in Latin, appearing in thousands of phrases. Its English descendant 'real' comes from this root.
- Classic phrases: res publica (public thing → republic), res gestae (things done → achievements), in medias res (into the middle of things).
Practice these declensions interactively
Use the chart when you need the ending, then switch into retrieval practice so the pattern comes back without staring at the table.
Common questions about Latin declensions
How many declensions are there in Latin?
Latin has 5 declensions (noun groups). The 2nd declension has three subtypes (-us masculine, -er masculine, -um neuter) because the endings differ for each. Together that gives students 7 patterns to memorize.
How do I know which declension a Latin noun belongs to?
Look at the genitive singular — it's the giveaway. 1st: -ae (puella, puellae). 2nd: -i (servus, servi). 3rd: -is (rex, regis). 4th: -us with macron (manus, manūs). 5th: -ei (res, rei). Always memorize a noun in both nominative and genitive form.
What gender are first declension Latin nouns?
Most first declension nouns are feminine (puella, terra, aqua), but a small group of naturally-masculine nouns follow the same endings — nauta (sailor), poeta (poet), agricola (farmer), pirata (pirate). They take masculine adjectives despite the feminine endings.
What is the neuter rule in Latin declensions?
For every neuter noun in every declension, the nominative, accusative, and vocative are ALWAYS identical — in both singular and plural. The plural nominative and accusative of neuter nouns always end in -a (or -ia for third-declension i-stems).
Why is third declension Latin the hardest?
Because the nominative singular is unpredictable — there's no single ending that signals 3rd declension. You must memorize both the nominative and genitive for every noun (rex, regis; corpus, corporis; nomen, nominis). The genitive in -is is the only reliable tell.
What is an i-stem noun in third declension Latin?
An i-stem noun is a third-declension noun that adds an extra 'i' in certain forms — genitive plural becomes -ium (instead of -um), and ablative singular can be -i (instead of -e). Common examples: civis (citizen), mare (sea), animal (animal).
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