Some Latin Basics

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Some Latin Basics

• Grammar

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Terms

• Inflection changing the ending of the word to
  indicate modification of its grammatical function
• Conjugation (v) what happens to verbs
• Conjugation (n) a group of verbs that conjugate
  in a similar pattern
• Decline (v) what happens to nouns
• Declension (n) a group of nouns that decline in
  a similar pattern

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Nounsthis is simplified but it gives the
general idea

• Cases (as indicated by the ending) show a nouns
  function in a sentence
• Nominative subject
• Genitive possession (of)
• Dative indirect object (to,for), acted upon
• Accusative direct object, receives the action
• Ablative Adverbial/prepositional
• Vocative formal address

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Nouns also have

• Gender
• Number
• Note in Latin there are no articles (the,a)

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Verbs

• 5 Characteristics
• Person who the subject is
• Number how many subjects
• Tense when action takes place
• Mood speakers attitude toward what is being
  said
• Voice relation between the subject and action of
  the verb

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Pronunciation

• Consonants are hard
• s is voiceless (as in hiss but not his)
• v sounds like our w
• Vowels are short unless they have a macron
• a, e, i, o, u
• I and J are sometimes interchangeable