Particularities of the Declensions

Particularities of the Declensions

The circumflex accent ( ˆ ) is used to denote the length of the vowels.

1. A few nouns in Latin are undeclinable (Indeclinabilia):

fas n divine law;
nefas n sin, impious act;
pondo m pound.

2. A few nouns have case forms of different declensions (Heteroclita):

vesper, -eri m evening star have Acc. sg. vesperum & vesperem, Abl. vespere;
vas, vasis n vessel have plural forms of II decl.: Nom. Acc. vasa, Gen. vasorum, Dat. Abl. vasis.

3. Several nouns have plural forms with endings of different genders (Heterogena):

*Singular*	*Plural*
frenum, i n bridle	freni, ôrum m	frena, ôrum n
jocus, i m joke	joca, ôrum n	joci, ôrum m
locus, i m place	loca, ôrum n	loci, ôrum m
balneum, ei n bath	balneae, ârum f	balnea, ôrum n

4. Some nouns are used in singular only (Singularia tantum). Most proper names are singularia tantum; apart of them, singularia tantum are also:

aurum, i n gold;
fides, ei f faith;
justitia, ae f justice;
plumbum, i n leather;
sapientia, ae f wisdom;
vestis, is f garment;
vulgus, i n the people.

5. Some nouns are used in plural only (Pluralia tantum):

arma, ôrum n arms;
castra, ôrum, n camp;
divitia, ârum f wealth;
fides, ium f strings;
liberi, ôrum m children;
majores, um m ancestors;
moenia, ium n city walls;
nuptiae, ârum f wedding.

Few geographical names are also used in plural only:

Argi, ôrum m Argos, city in northeastern Peloponnese;
Athenae, ârum f Athens;
Leuctra, ârum n Leuctra, city in Central Greece;
Syracusae, ârum f Syracuse, city in Sicily;
Thebae, ârum f Thebes, name of cities in Greece and Egypt.

6. Some nouns have different meanings in singular and plural:

*Singular*	*Plural*
aedis, is f temple	aedes, ium f house
aqua, ae f water	aquae, ârum f mineral waters
auxilium, ii n help, aid	auxilia, ôrum n auxiliary troops
copia, ae f plenty, abundance	copiae, ârum f troops
finis, is m end, boundary	fines, ium m territory, country
fortuna, ae f luck, chance	fortunae, âarum f wealth, property
littera, ae f letter of the alphabet	litterae, ârum f letter (epistle)
naris, is m nostril	nares, ium m nose
opera, ae f work	operae, ârum f workers
pars, partis f part, share	partes, partium f party, faction

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