Third Declension Neuter: corpus, nomen

Level 3

The nominative and accusative are the same, and the plural ends in -a.

How It Works

CaseSingularPlural
nominativecorpuscorpora
genitivecorporiscorporum
dativecorporicorporibus
accusativecorpuscorpora
ablativecorporecorporibus

The nominative corpus hides the stem corpor-. Likewise tempus has the stem tempor-, nomen has nomin- and flumen has flumin-. Check the genitive each time.

Because the nominative and the accusative are the same, the sentence shows which one you have. In Pueri flumen vident the boys are the subject, so flumen is the object.

The plural -a looks like a feminine singular, but the plural verb or the meaning tells you it is a plural neuter noun.

Examples (5)

  1. Pueri flumen vident.

    The boys see the river.

    Flumen is the accusative singular, the same as the nominative.

  2. Nomen puellae Iulia est.

    The girl's name is Iulia.

    Nomen is the nominative, and puellae is the genitive.

  3. Nomina apostolorum scribo.

    I write the names of the apostles.

    Nomina is the accusative plural.

  4. Tempus fugit.

    Time flies.

    Tempus is the nominative singular.

  5. Hoc est corpus meum.

    This is my body.

    Corpus is the nominative singular after est. The words are from Matthew 26:26.

Common Mistakes

  • Ending a neuter plural in -es.

    Nomines civium scribo.
    Nomina civium scribo.

    Neuter nouns end in -a in the nominative and accusative plural. The ending -es belongs to masculine and feminine nouns.

  • Adding -em to a neuter accusative.

    Pueri flumenem vident.
    Pueri flumen vident.

    A neuter noun does not change in the accusative singular. The accusative of flumen is flumen.

How It Connects

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Third Declension Neuter: corpus, nomenLevel 3

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Neuter nouns of the third family combine the third family and the neuter rule.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

corpusnomen