Genitive Singular: -ae and -i

Genitive Endings -ae and -i

Level 2

Two endings for of.

How It Works

Declension	Nominative	Genitive singular	English
first	puella	puellae	of the girl
second, masculine	amicus	amici	of the friend
second, neuter	verbum	verbi	of the word
second, in -er	puer	pueri	of the boy

In Church Latin puellae sounds like pu-EL-leh, because ae sounds like eh. In classical Latin it is pu-EL-lye.

A noun or name in -ius can have a genitive in -ii, as in Filii (of the Son) and Iulii.

The same ending -ae also marks the dative singular of the first declension and the plural nominative. The sentence tells you which one it is.

Villa puellae est magna.
The girl's house is big.
Puellae is genitive singular of puella.
Liber amici est bonus.
The friend's book is good.
Amici is genitive singular of amicus.
Dominus villae est Marcus.
The owner of the house is Marcus.
Villae is genitive singular and follows dominus.
Mater Iuliae est in villa.
Iulia's mother is in the house.
Iuliae is genitive singular of Iulia.
Filius Dei est in caelo.
The Son of God is in heaven.
Dei is genitive singular of Deus.

Giving a second declension noun the first declension genitive.
Liber amicae est bonus.
Liber amici est bonus.
Amicae is correct Latin for a female friend. For a male friend or friends in general, the genitive of amicus is amici.

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Genitive Singular: -ae and -iLevel 2Genitive Endings -ae and -i

These are the genitive endings of two families you know.

Patterns that build on this one.

-i

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