THIRD DECLENSION

Third declension will probably cause problems, because there is no set nominative singular form, and there are different endings for different genders.. Learn the nominative singular, the genitive singular (from which the other forms then derive), the gender for the specific word (telling you which endings to use), and the meaning. Click here for some common third declension nouns.

LEARN YOUR GENITIVE SINGULARS AND GENDERS

 NOUNS OF THIRD DECLENSION (M/F)

                                SINGULAR                 PLURAL

NOMINATIVE             rex                             regES

GENITIVE                   regIS                          regUM

DATIVE                       regI                             regIBUS

ACCUSATIVE            regEM                         regES

ABLATIVE                 regE                             regIBUS

NB: Some forms take -IUM in Genitive Plural, or an -I in Ablative Singular, while others take -IS in both Nominative and Accusative Plural. Specific rules may be found in most good grammars.

                                SINGULAR                 PLURAL

NOMINATIVE         corpus                         corporA

GENITIVE                corporIS                     corporUM

DATIVE                    corporI                        corporIBUS

ACCUSATIVE          corpus                          corporA

ABLATIVE                corporE                        corporIBUS

Again, note the similarity between the two third declensions. Like the second declensions, there is a close connection. Also, note that in the neuter, the nominative and accusative singular are the same form, regardless of the genitive singular.

As mentioned above, some variance exists in endings for third declension. There are two words that follow this to the ultimate degree, mare (maris, n, sea) and animal (animalis, n, animal). Here is mare declined:

                            SINGULAR                 PLURAL

NOMINATIVE    mare                             marIA

GENITIVE           marIS                            marIUM

DATIVE               marI                              marIBUS

ACCUSATIVE    mare                             marIA

ABLATIVE          marI                              marIBUS