The Genitive Case v3
Understanding possession and the 'of' case
What is the Genitive Case?
The genitive case means 'of'. It is used to show possession (ownership) or that something is part of something else. Think of it as showing that one thing belongs to another.
The term "genitive" comes from Latin genesis meaning "origin" - things that are owned by somebody can be thought of as originating from them in a sense! The key thing to remember is that it's the possessor that goes into the genitive, not the thing possessed.
Genitive Endings
Here are the genitive endings for both declensions. Notice how they're different from the nominative and accusative endings you already know:
| Number | Case | 1st Declension (f.) | 2nd Declension (m.) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Nominative |
puell-a
|
domin-us
|
Subject
|
| Accusative |
puell-am
|
domin-um
|
Object
|
|
| Genitive |
puell-ae
|
domin-i
|
Of
|
|
| Plural | Nominative |
puell-ae
|
domin-i
|
Subject (plural)
|
| Accusative |
puell-as
|
domin-os
|
Object (plural)
|
|
| Genitive |
puell-arum
|
domin-orum
|
Of (plural)
|
How to Translate the Genitive
The genitive can be translated into English in two main ways. Both mean exactly the same thing:
Practice Examples
Let's see the genitive in action! Click each sentence to reveal the breakdown and translation. Pay attention to how you can tell whether an ending is genitive or not: