Fifth Declension: res, dies
Fifth declension nouns end in -es, and the genitive and dative singular end in -ei.
How It Works
| Case | res (thing) | plural | dies (day) | plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | res | res | dies | dies |
| genitive | rei | rerum | diei | dierum |
| dative | rei | rebus | diei | diebus |
| accusative | rem | res | diem | dies |
| ablative | re | rebus | die | diebus |
This is a small declension. The words to know are res (thing, matter), dies (day), fides (faith), spes (hope) and facies (face).
Res is everywhere: res publica is the state. Dies takes a masculine adjective in most sentences: dies longus.
Fides and spes are usually singular.
A dictionary shows the declension in the genitive. A noun listed as res, rei belongs to the fifth declension.
Examples (5)
- Quot dies habet annus?
How many days does a year have?
Dies is the accusative plural and the object of habet.
- Dies longus est, nox brevis.
The day is long, the night is short.
Dies is masculine here, so the adjective is longus.
- Res publica Romana magna est.
The Roman state is great.
Res is the nominative singular, and publica agrees with it.
- Spes mea in Deo est.
My hope is in God.
From Psalm 61:8. Spes is nominative singular and feminine.
- Fides tua te salvam fecit.
Your faith has saved you.
From Matthew 9:22. Fides is the subject, and salvam agrees with te.
Common Mistakes
Giving res a second declension ending.
Marcus de reis bonis loquitur.Marcus de rebus bonis loquitur.Res belongs to the fifth declension, so the ablative plural is rebus. The ending -is belongs to the first and second declensions.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The fifth family is the last set of endings.