Worthy Of, Satisfied With

Level 5

These adjectives take the ablative with no preposition.

How It Works

AdjectiveMeaningExample
dignusworthy ofdignus honore
indignusunworthy ofindignus laude
contentussatisfied withcontentus sorte
plenusfull ofplenus gratia
fretusrelying onfretus viribus
liberfree fromliber cura

The adjective agrees with the person or thing it describes, and the ablative noun stays in its own case: mulier gratia plena.

Plenus also takes the genitive: plenus irae (full of anger).

When the worth is an action, dignus takes a clause. In Domine, non sum dignus ut intres, the words ut intres say what the speaker is not worthy of.

Examples (5)

  1. Marcus dignus est honore.

    Marcus is worthy of honor.

    Dignus takes the ablative honore.

  2. Cornelia contenta est sua villa.

    Cornelia is satisfied with her house.

    Contenta takes the ablative sua villa.

  3. Hic liber lectione dignus est.

    This book is worth reading.

    Lectione is the ablative after dignus.

  4. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.

    Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

    The Sanctus. Pleni takes the ablative gloria tua.

  5. Ave, gratia plena.

    Hail, full of grace.

    Luke 1:28. Plena takes the ablative gratia.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative after dignus.

    Marcus dignus est honorem.
    Marcus dignus est honore.

    Dignus takes the ablative, not the accusative. The English of may suggest a genitive, but Latin uses the ablative.

How It Connects

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

Worthy Of, Satisfied WithLevel 5

Learn This First

Some adjectives and verbs take an ablative.

Words in This Pattern

dignusindignuscontentusplenusfretusliberutorfruorfungorpotiorvescor