Ch 5 · Lesson 18Latin · Chapter 5 · Lesson 18 · Common mistake
-is: of one, or to and by many?
The ending -is is a genitive singular in the third declension and a dative or ablative plural in the first and second. The dictionary entry decides which.
The rule
Check the genitive in the dictionary entry. If it is or (third declension), -is is the genitive singular: of the father. (A few third-declension nouns, like and , end in -is in the nominative too; the dictionary entry shows that as well.) If the word is first or second declension (, ; , ; , ), -is is dative or ablative plural, and the sentence decides which: a giving verb wants the dative, a preposition like , , or wants the ablative.
Pick the right one
0/8Pick the right one: genitive singular or dative plural or ablative plural.
Domus patris magna est: patris is .
Cum amicis venit: amicis is .
Pueris librum dat: pueris is .
Nomen regis scio: regis is .
In templis sunt: templis is .
Servis panem dedit: servis is .
Vocem militis audio: militis is .
De bellis dicit: bellis is .
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