Stage 14 Adjectives

Stage 14 About the Language I: Adjectives

By Amelia F Beck

Study the following sentences:

servus iratus non laborabat
dominus servo fesso praemium dedit.
agricola servum ignavum punivit.

The angry slave was not working.
The master gave a reward to the tired slave
the fermer punished the lazy slave.

The words in bold are adjectives. They are used to describe nouns. In each of these examples, the adjective is describing the slave.

Adjectives change their endings to match the case of the word they describe.

In the first sentence iratus is nominative because it describes a nominative noun (servus).
In the second sentence, fesso is dative because it describes a dative noun (servo).
In the third sentence, ignavum is accusative because it describes an accusative noun (servum).

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ancilla ​

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ad culinam contendit.

On a piece of paper, translate:

ancilla perterrita ad culinam contendit.

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coquus ancillam ​

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salutavit.

On a piece of paper, translate:

coquus ancillam ​ perterritam salutavit.

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cives mercatorem ​

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laudaverunt.

On a piece of paper, translate:

cives mercatorem ​ fortem laudaverunt.

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cives mercatori ​

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praemium dederunt.

On a piece of paper, translate:

cives mercatori ​forti praemium dederunt.

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senex filium ​

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habebat.

On a piece of paper, translate:

senex filium​ bonum habebat.

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senex filio ​

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villam emit.

On a piece of paper, translate:

senex filio ​bono villam emit.

Adjectives also change their endings to match the number (singular or plural) of the noun they describe.

An adjective is singular if it describes a singular noun, and plural if it describes a plural noun.

servi irati non laborabant.
dominus servis fessis praemium dedit.
agricola servos ignavos punivit.

The angry slaves weren't working.
The master gave a reward to the tired slaves.
The farmer punished the lazy slaves.

Multiple Choice

Which adjective can describe ancillae?

• bonus

• bona

• bonae

• bonis

Multiple Choice

Which adjective can describe mercatores?

• fortes

• fortis

• fortem

• forte

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feminae ​

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per vias ambulabant.

On a piece of paper, translate:

feminae ​laetae per vias ambulabant.

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femina ​

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per vias ambulabat.

On a piece of paper, translate:

femina ​ laeta per vias ambulabat.

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gladiator leones ​

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necavit.

On a piece of paper, translate:

femina ​ laeta per vias ambulabat.

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coquus servis ​

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cibum paravit.

On a piece of paper, translate:

coquus servis ​aegris cibum paravit.

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pictura ​

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erat in atrio.

On a piece of paper, translate:

pictura ​ pulchra erat in atrio.

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Volubilis ornatricem ​

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conspexit.

On a piece of paper, translate:

Volubilis ornatricem ​ tristem conspexit.