Awesome AblativesAblative of Means

Ablative of Place Where

Feb. 3-7, 2014

Ablative Endings:-ā, -o, -is

Case Singular PluralNominative (subject) -a -aeGenitive (“of”) -ae -arumDative (“to”/ “for”) -ae -isAccusative (direct obj.) -am -asAblative -ā -is

Case Sg. Pl.Nom. (subject) -us -iGen. (“of”) -i -orumDat. (“to”/ “for”) -o -isAcc. (direct obj.) -um -osAbl. -o -is

Remember Our Narrative Chain?

• Lots of ABS!• The ABLATIVE case has many

uses.• There are as many as 15 uses

for the ablative!• This week we’ll learn 2: ablative

of place where and ablative of means.

Ablative of Place Where• A very long name for a very easy concept!• It simply means that when you use the

preposition “in” in Latin, the object of “in” has to be in the ablative case.

• Remember that the Latin word“in” can mean “in” or “on” depending on the context

aqua, aquae (f.)

• Where is the boat? Aqua becomes ablative:aquāin aquā

casa, casae (f.)

• Where is the girl? Casa becomes ablative:casāin casā

unda, undae (f.)• Where are the surfers?

Unda becomes ablative pl.:

undisin undis

equus, equi (m.)

• Where is the man? Equus becomes ablative:equo in equo

Remember that “in” in Latin can

also mean “on”

carrus, carri (m.)

• Where is the girl? Carrus becomes ablative:carroin carro

Ablative of Means

• An ablative word can be used to express the instrument or means by which a person does something.

• This is called the ablative of means.• In English, we have to say “by…” or “with…” to

express the same thing.

Ablative of Means

How does a cook stir the soup?

with a spoon

Ablative of Means

How does the baseball player hit the ball?

with a bat

Ablative of Means

How does the child color the picture?

with crayons

Ablative of Means

• The phrases with a spoon, with a bat, with crayons would be ablatives of means in Latin.

• The ablative of means does NOT use a Latin word for “with” or “by.” You have to add it in the English.

• Remember that we had to add “of” when translating genitives, and “to” when translating datives. Same idea here!

Examples!

• Cibum carro portamus.• We carry the food with a cart.

Examples!

• Romani Siciliam pugnis occupant.• The Romans seize Sicily by battles.

Examples!

• Puella vitam equi cibo servat.• The girl saves the life of the horse with food.

Dative vs. Ablative…How Can I Tell?

• You’ll notice some endings are the same for dative and ablative.

• Remember: an ablative of means is usually a THING, not a person or animal. Use “by” or “with” for these.

• If there’s a light bulb verb in the sentence (giving, showing, telling), then it may be a dative like we learned earlier. Use “to” with these.

Dative vs. Ablative

• Agricola equo cibum donat.• The farmer gives food to the horse.

• We carry food with a cart.• Cibum carro portamus.• Not “we carry food to/toward the cart”---that

would be “Cibum ad carrum portamus.”

Things to Take Away from This Lesson

• Ablatives use the endings –ā, -o, and –is.• Ablatives can show place where after the word

in.• Puella est in casā. The girl is in the house.• Ablatives can show “by means of” without

using a word for “with” or “by.”• Puella vitam equi cibo servat. The girl saves

the life of the horse with food.