Nouns Like akmens and suns
These nouns end in -s but decline like nouns in -is. The genitive of akmens is also akmens, and the dative is akmenim. Suns (dog) is regular except for its -s: suņa, sunim, suni.
How It Works
1. The akmens group. These nouns keep the same form in the nominative and genitive singular. The other endings are the ones brālis uses:
- nominative: akmens — genitive: akmens
- dative: akmenim — accusative: akmeni — locative: akmenī
- plural: akmeņi, akmeņu, akmeņiem, akmeņus, akmeņos
In the plural, n changes to ņ, as in other second-declension nouns (see consonant changes).
2. The whole group. akmens (stone), asmens (blade), mēness (moon), rudens (autumn), ūdens (water) and zibens (lightning). You will use some of their forms every day:
- rudenī (in autumn): the locative of rudens (see time with the locative)
- glāze ūdens (a glass of water): the genitive, which looks like the nominative (see amounts)
3. Suns. Suns (dog) also ends in -s, but its genitive is regular, with n → ņ as in other -is nouns: suņa, sunim, suni, sunī; plural suņi, suņu, suņiem.
Tip: if a masculine noun in -s is on this short list, think of brālis, not galds: brālim → akmenim, brāli → akmeni.
Examples (6)
- Uz akmens sēž putns.
A bird is sitting on the stone.
Uz with the genitive means on. The genitive of akmens is still akmens.
- Lūdzu, glāzi ūdens!
A glass of water, please!
Ūdens here is genitive: a glass of water.
- Rudenī lapas kļūst dzeltenas.
In autumn the leaves turn yellow.
Rudens → rudenī, the locative for a time of year.
- Šonakt ir pilns mēness.
There is a full moon tonight.
Mēness is masculine, so the adjective is pilns.
- Es iedevu sunim ēst.
I fed the dog.
Word by Word: I gave dog to-eat.
Suns → sunim, the dative, like brālis → brālim.
- Mūsu suņa vārds ir Reksis.
Our dog's name is Reksis.
The genitive of suns is suņa, with n → ņ.
Common Mistakes
Declining akmens like galds.
Uz akmena sēž putns.Uz akmens sēž putns.The genitive of akmens is akmens, not akmena. The same goes for ūdens, rudens and mēness.
Using the first-declension dative -am.
Es iedevu sunam ēst.Es iedevu sunim ēst.Suns and the akmens group take -im in the dative: sunim, akmenim, ūdenim.
Using the first-declension locative -ā.
Rudenā lapas kļūst dzeltenas.Rudenī lapas kļūst dzeltenas.These nouns take the locative -ī: rudenī, ūdenī, akmenī.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Nouns like akmens and suns use consonant changes.
Related Patterns
- Second Declension: -isSecond Declension: Masculine -is
The declension these nouns follow, apart from the nominative.
Level 1 - First Declension: -s, -šFirst Declension: Masculine -s and -š
The pattern they look like but do not follow.
Level 1 - Genitive Singular Endings
Where akmens and its group are unusual: the genitive is the same as the nominative.
Level 2 - Dative Endings
The dative -im these nouns take.
Level 2 - In January and in the Evening
Rudenī (in autumn) is one of the most common forms of this group.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Nouns Like akmens and suns in Bubblegum
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