Dictionary formculpa, culpae(feminine)
Translation
fault, blame; guilt, sin
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | culpa | culpae |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | culpa | culpae |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | culpam | culpas |
| Genitiveof | culpae | culparum |
| Dativeto, for | culpae | culpis |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | culpa | culpis |
Examples
.
The fault is mine.
.
He confessed his fault.
.
He wanted to live without blame.
.
Let the punishment be equal to the fault.
terruit.
The size of the guilt frightened everyone.
Culpa, culpae, f., first declension, with the verb culpo, culpare, "to blame", beside it. "In culpa esse" is to be at fault and "culpam in aliquem conferre" is to shift the blame onto somebody, which Roman writers do as freely as anyone.
Two senses pull apart and it is worth knowing which corpus you are in. Roman law keeps culpa dry and technical: negligence, carelessness, set against dolus, deliberate wrongdoing, and that distinction still runs through modern civil codes. Ecclesiastical Latin makes it moral guilt, which is where "mea culpa, mea maxima culpa" in the Confiteor comes from. Same word, and a defendant admitting culpa in a Roman court was conceding rather less than a penitent admitting it at Mass.
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culpa: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "culpa" (fault, blame; guilt, sin): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is taught in chapter 10, lesson 3: culpa, contrarius, celeriter and 7 more words.