Second Declension: amicus

Level 1

Drop the -us to find the stem, then add the endings.

How It Works

CaseSingularPlural
nominativeamicusamici
genitiveamiciamicorum
dativeamicoamicis
accusativeamicumamicos
ablativeamicoamicis
vocativeamiceamici

The vocative is the one form that changes: amice, Marce, domine. The word deus (god) is irregular and has its own entry.

Common nouns of this family are hortus (garden), dominus (lord), populus (people), equus (horse) and lupus (wolf). Watch the repeats: -i is a genitive singular or a nominative plural, and -o is a dative or an ablative.

The neuter nouns in -um share most of these endings and have their own entry.

Examples (5)

  1. Amicus in horto est.

    The friend is in the garden.

    Amicus is nominative singular, and horto is ablative.

  2. Marcus amicum videt.

    Marcus sees the friend.

    Amicum is accusative singular.

  3. Amici in horto sunt.

    The friends are in the garden.

    Amici is nominative plural, so the verb is sunt.

  4. Populus Dominum laudat.

    The people praise the Lord.

    Dominum is accusative singular.

  5. Salve, amice!

    Hello, friend!

    Amice is the vocative singular.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the genitive form where the accusative plural is needed.

    Marcus amici videt.
    Marcus amicos videt.

    Intended meaning: Marcus sees the friends. The friends are the object and there is more than one, so the form is the accusative plural amicos. Amici is a genitive singular or a nominative plural.

How It Connects

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

Second Declension: amicusLevel 1

Learn This First

The second family works like the first with other endings, so the first family comes first.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-us