(Grammar)Accusative+Case

Accusative Case
After the nominative case, the accusative case is the most frequently used case in Latin. It has a multitude of functions, only a few of which we will go over here. As with the dative, other pages that discuss the accusative case will contain a link back to here to assist with endings and translations.

Usage:


 * Direct Object- the direct object is the receiver of an action. Most actions can be done to something: you can throw **a ball**, or see **a person**, or play **a game**, and this lends itself to why the accusative is so frequently seen. In fact, this is probably the most frequent function of this most frequently used case. Some examples:

Patricius **amicum** videt.- Patrick sees **his friend**.

Gloria **ludos** ludit.- Gloria plays **games**.


 * Object of the Preposition- prepositions introduce phrases which tell us more about another part of a sentence (usually the verb). You probably know quite a few of these: to, from, over, under, through, around, about, etc. In Latin, prepositions can either take an accusative noun for their objects or an ablative noun. A semi-useful way of dividing up the prepositions: accusative prepositions show some kind of motion (except from), or they are long words (yeah, it has no linguistic validity whatsoever, but surprisingly it works); ablative prepositions show motion from or states of being. We'll list the ablative prepositions here (link forthcoming). As for the accusative, the more common ones are: //ad// (to);//in// (into);//sub// (under);//per// (through);//circum// (around);//ante// (before);//post// (after);//apud// (with, at the house of);//prope// (near); and //trans// (across).

Example: Cenabis bene **apud me**. - You will dine well **at my house/with me**. (From Catullus 13).

Example: Anna **prope pontem** sedet. - Anna is sitting **near the bridge**.

Endings:


 * || Singular || Plural ||
 * 1st || am || as* ||
 * 2nd || um || os* (a) ||
 * 3rd || em (NP) || es* (a) ||
 * 4th || um (u*) || us* (ua) ||
 * 5th || em || es* ||


 * - indicate endings only used by neuter nouns of this group. The rule of thumb is that the accusative of a neuter noun imitates the nominative. See the nominative endings table here to confirm this.

Looking at the endings, with the exception of the neuter-related ones, the accusative singular ends in "m" and the plural in "s." This is similar to how the object forms of English pronouns end in "m" - "he" becomes "him," "they" into "them," and "who" going to "whom."

Placement: As a direct object, in prose accusative nouns fit in between the subject and verb. As an object of the preposition, the noun follows the preposition and the entire phrase can fit in anywhere in the sentence.