Latin Adjectives 1st and 2nd Declension

In Latin, adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in case and number, as well as gender. This means that like nouns, Latin adjectives must be declined.* Latin 1st and 2nd declension adjectives are declined like nouns in the 1st and 2nd declensions. It so happens that like nouns, there are also 3rd declension adjectives, but there are no 4th or 5th declension adjectives. So, since there are more declensions for nouns than adjectives, the number of the declension of the noun cannot possibly have to match the number of the declension of the adjective. Its even misleading to think of adjectives as belonging to the 1st OR the 2nd declension. They belong to both but look different depending on gender. For this reason, its better to refer to such adjectives as 1st AND 2nd declension adjectives. The Latin from which we get our word republic comes from a 5th declension feminine noun ( res) and a feminine adjective ( publica). If the 5th declension noun were masculine ( e.g., meridies midday), the adjective would take the masculine form publicus. As stated above, Adjectives need to match only the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify. A 1st and 2nd declension adjective can modify any noun. The 1st and 2nd declension adjective used here as a model is bonus, -a, -um, the Latin word for good, showing the full masculine form first, followed by the ending of the feminine next, and finally the ending for the neuter. nominative bona puellagenitive bonae puellaedative bonae puellaeaccusative bonam puellamablative bona puella The word girl is puella in Latin, a 1st declension noun, and like most 1st declension nouns, its feminine. The adjectival form corresponding with puella—a noun in the nominative singular—is bona. Declension of Bona Puella (Good Girl) in Latin Singular Plural: nominative bonae puellaegenitive bonarum puellarumdative bonis puellisaccusative bonas puellasablative bonis puellisnominative bonus puergenitive boni pueridative bono pueroaccusative bonum puerumablative bono puero The word for boy in Latin is puer. This is the nominative singular of a 2nd declension masculine noun. The form of the model adjective were using, that corresponds with puer—that is, the form of the adjective that agrees in number, case, and gender—is bonus. Declension of Bonus Puer (Good Boy) in Latin Singular Plural: nominative boni puerigenitive bonorum puerorumdative bonis puerisaccusative bonos puerosablative bonis puerisnominative bonum verbumgenitive boni verbidative bono verboaccusative bonum verbumablative bono verbo The English word word is verbum in Latin. This is a 2nd declension neuter noun. The form of the model adjective good that corresponds with verbum is bonum. Note that since this is a neuter, we can not say whether bonum verbum is nominative or accusative, although it is clearly singular. Declension of Bonum Verbum (Good Word) in Latin Singular Plural: nominative bona verbagenitive bonorum verborumdative bonis verbisaccusative bona verbaablative bonis verbis The paradigm form you will usually see for a 1st and 2nd declension adjective is: bonus -a -umboni -ae -ibono -ae -obonum -am -umbono -a -oboni -ae -abonorum -arum -orumbonis -is -isbonos -as -abonis -is -is *Note: You may run into indeclinable adjectives, which, obviously, are not declined.