(Grammar)Genitive+Case

Genitive Case
The genitive case is typically listed second on a list of noun endings, the main reason being is that it is the second form usually learned for a noun if going by vocabulary. We discussed here, under declensions, that if you look at the genitive singular of a noun (the second form listed in a grammar entry), you learn its declension. But that is not all the genitive is used for. A few of the functions of the genitive are given below.

Usage:


 * Possession- a noun in the genitive case can show that it owns something else. In English, we indicate this by 's or s', or by using the English preposition "of." An example: Patricius librum **Gloriae** habet - Patrick has **Gloria's** book.


 * Part of a Whole- English phrases like "some **of us**," or "a part **of the group**" show part of a larger thing. This is sometimes called the //partitive genitive//. An example: Pars **incolarum** vallum aedificat - A part **of the inhabitants** builds a wall.


 * Objective Genitive- When using nouns that have a sense of action, like "love" or "leader," Latin follows with a noun in the genitive case, as if it were a direct object (what do you love? Whom do you lead?). The best example is from Vergil's //Aeneid, Book I//: Dux femina **facti** - A woman (was) leader **of the deed**.


 * Description- Sometimes, people can be described by a genitive noun or phrase. An example: Vir **magnae virtutis** - a man **of great courage**.

Endings:


 * || Singular || Plural ||
 * 1st || ae || arum* (long "a") ||
 * 2nd || i* || orum* (long "o") ||
 * 3rd || is || um ||
 * 4th || us* || uum* (long first "u") ||
 * 5th || ei* (long "i") || erum* (long "e") ||

Placement: Genitive case nouns are notorious followers. They are always associated with another noun, and in prose the genitive noun almost always follows the noun with which it's connected. Look again at the example sentences and phrases above and you will see that this is the case. This is useful when you're looking at a noun whose ending could go one of two or three ways- if it follows a second noun, bet on the genitive.


 * NB**: As you can see looking at the endings table, certain patterns emerge. The genitive plural always ends with the letters "um." Also notice that the genitive singular often mimics the nominative plural. This leads to two common problems for Latin students:


 * 1) Thinking the second form of the noun in vocabulary is the nominative plural- it is **NOT**. The second form of a noun is always the genitive.


 * 1) Thinking that the genitive singular and nominative plural are always the same- while that is true in 1st, 2nd, and 4th, it is **NOT** true in 3rd and 5th. That's an important point to remember.