Year 4C · Grade 8: Place, Supines, and Special Cases
Learn the locative, the two supines, and verbs that take a dative or an ablative object.
What to notice
- locative
- supines
- special-verb cases
Explanation
Names of cities and a few everyday place words use a small set of forms. Romae means at Rome, Romam means to Rome, and Roma means from Rome. Domi means at home, domum means homeward, and domo means from home. These place-where forms are locatives. They are not the same as the genitive, even when the ending looks alike.
The supine is a verbal noun from the fourth principal part. After a verb of motion, the accusative supine shows purpose: Venit rogatum, he came to ask. With an adjective, the ablative supine shows in what respect: mirabile dictu, wonderful to say. Some verbs also take an unexpected case. Credo tibi means I trust you, with the dative. Utor gladio means I use a sword, with the ablative.
Examples
- Romae manet. — He stays at Rome. Romae is locative.
- Domi sum. Domum eo. Domo exeo. — I am at home. I go home. I leave home. Three forms of domus.
- Venit rogatum. — He came to ask. Accusative supine of purpose.
- mirabile dictu — wonderful to say Ablative supine.
- Credo tibi. — I trust you. Credo takes the dative.
- Utor gladio. — I use a sword. Utor takes the ablative.
Latin in this lesson
- Romae manet. — at Rome
- domi / domum / domo — at home, homeward, from home
- Venit rogatum. — a supine of purpose
- mirabile dictu — wonderful to say
- Credo tibi. — I trust you.
- Utor gladio. — I use a sword.