At What Time: nocte, hieme

Level 3

A point in time goes in the ablative, with no preposition.

How It Works

The ablative says when: nocte (at night). The accusative says for how long: noctem (through the night). The accusative of time comes at Level 4.

The times of the day follow the same rule: mane (in the morning), vespere (in the evening) and media nocte (at midnight).

Latin uses no preposition here. English adds at, in or on, and Latin does not.

Nocte stellae in caelo sunt.
At night the stars are in the sky.
Nocte is the ablative of nox.
Hieme Marcus domi est.
In winter Marcus is at home.
Hieme is the ablative of hiems.
Prima luce pueri ad forum eunt.
At first light the boys go to the forum.
Prima luce is an ablative phrase of time.
Media nocte monachi in ecclesia orant.
At midnight the monks pray in the church.
Media nocte is the ablative of time.
Die Dominica populus ad ecclesiam venit.
On Sunday the people come to church.
Die is the ablative of dies, day, and Dominica means of the Lord. Together they say on Sunday, in the ablative of time.

Using the accusative for a point in time.
Noctem Marcus ambulat.
Nocte Marcus ambulat.
Noctem is the accusative and says for how long, so this sentence means that Marcus walks through the night. The intended meaning was: at night Marcus walks, which needs the ablative nocte.

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

At What Time: nocte, hiemeLevel 3

Time uses the ablative the way means does.

noctehiemsnox

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