LESSON 2.4
Prepositions with the Ablative
Away from, out of, with, and location
Building on What We Know
In Chapter 1, we learnt five prepositions that take the accusative case: ad, circum, contra, in, per. These mostly showed movement towards or through something. Now we'll learn prepositions that take the ablative case.
Remember how the ablative case means "by", "with", or "from"? Well, these prepositions often reinforce or focus those meanings. Just like accusative prepositions work with the "targeting" nature of the accusative, ablative prepositions work with the "separation" and "instrument" meanings of the ablative.
Pattern to Notice: Accusative prepositions often show movement towards.
Ablative prepositions often show movement away from or being with something.
Four Key Ablative Prepositions
Here are four important prepositions that take the ablative. Click each card to reveal its meaning:
⬅️
a/ab
🚪
e/ex
🤝
cum
📍
in
Forms to Remember: Use a and e before consonants, but
ab and ex before vowels and 'h'. This makes them easier to pronounce!
⚠️ Important: "in" with Two Cases
The preposition in can take either the accusative OR the ablative, with a crucial difference in meaning:
in + ACCUSATIVE
into, onto (motion towards)
in hortum ambulat
He walks into the garden
(He enters it - movement towards)
in + ABLATIVE
in, on (staying put)
in horto ambulat
He walks in the garden
(He's already there - location)
Prepositions in Context
Let's see how these prepositions work with nouns. Remember, the noun after these prepositions must be in the ablative case:
| Preposition | + Ablative Noun | Phrase Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a/ab |
ab insulā
|
from the island
|
| e/ex |
e villā
|
out of the house
|
| cum |
cum puellā
|
with the girl
|
| in |
in horto
|
in the garden
|
Complete Sentences
Now let's see these prepositions in full sentences. Click to reveal the translations and notice how they reinforce the ablative's meanings:
Ablative Prepositions in Action
nuntius ab insulā navigat.
ancillae dominum e villā portant.
cum puellā ambulo.
servus in hortō laborat.
Meaning Connection: Notice how these prepositions reinforce the ablative's natural meanings -
a/ab and e/ex emphasise separation ("from"), cum emphasises accompaniment ("with"),
and in emphasises location.
Two Ways to Say "With"
You now know two ways to express "with" in Latin! There's an important difference between them:
cum + ablative
For people (accompanied by)
cum amicō pugnō
I fight with my friend
(He's fighting alongside me)
ablative alone
For things (using as a tool)
gladiō pugnō
I fight with a sword
(The sword is my instrument)
Quick Practice
Choose the Right Translation
puella in villam festinat
puella in villā laborat
domini e forō veniunt
cum servis cibum consumit