Nine Adjectives With -ius: unus, nullus, totus
Learn the nine words, then use -ius in the genitive and -i in the dative for all three genders.
How It Works
| Case | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | totus | tota | totum |
| genitive | totius | totius | totius |
| dative | toti | toti | toti |
| accusative | totum | totam | totum |
| ablative | toto | tota | toto |
The nine are unus (one), nullus (no), ullus (any), solus (alone), totus (whole), alius (another), alter (the other), uter (which of two) and neuter (neither). Teachers remember them with the two words unus nauta, because the first letters spell them.
Only the genitive and dative singular are special. Every other form is like bonus.
Two neuter forms are special: alius has aliud, and uter has utrum.
Examples (5)
- Haec est villa unius amici.
This is the house of one friend.
Unius is the genitive singular of unus.
- Toti urbi pax placet.
Peace pleases the whole city.
Toti is the dative singular, after placet.
- Uter frater maior est?
Which of the two brothers is older?
Uter is nominative singular.
- Soli Deo honor et gloria.
To God alone be honor and glory.
From 1 Timothy 1:17. Soli is the dative singular of solus.
- Maria mater unius Filii est.
Mary is the mother of one Son.
Unius is the genitive singular, and it agrees with Filii.
Common Mistakes
Giving totus an ordinary genitive.
Murus totae urbis altus est.Murus totius urbis altus est.Totus is one of the nine, so its genitive singular ends in -ius for every gender: totius.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These nine follow bonus except in two cases, so bonus and the genitive and dative endings come first.
- Adjectives: bonus, bona, bonum
Know bonus, bona, bonum, because the nine follow it in most forms.
Level 2 - Genitive Singular: -ae and -iGenitive Endings -ae and -i
Know the genitive endings, because these adjectives use -ius instead: unius, nullius.
Level 2 - Dative Singular: -ae and -oDative Endings -ae and -o
Know the dative endings -ae and -o, because these adjectives have -i there instead: toti urbi.
Level 2
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice Nine Adjectives With -ius: unus, nullus, totus in Bubblegum
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