Latin Lesson #39: Declensions 1-2-3 Review

So now that you know the first, second, and third declensions, both nominative and genitive, you are ready to learn some more sayings and keep learning new vocabulary. I'm also going to start building some vocabulary review into each week; I'll do the first vocabulary review on Wednesday. You've already seen over 350 Latin words (!), so there will be plenty to review.

With all the words you know already, I'll now start emphasizing the new words in each new saying, and then I'll remind you about the words that are already familiar.

And now, here are today's proverbs:

1. Bona res quies.
Rest (is a) good thing.
bona res quies

You've seen all the words in this saying before!

You haven't seen the feminine bona before, but you know the masculine bonus from this saying: Bonus liber amicus optimus.

You know the feminine noun res from this saying: Amicus res rara. The adjective bona agrees with res.

You know the noun quies from this saying: Parva domus, magna quies.


2. Felis demulcta mitis.
(A) cat (when) caressed (is) gentle.
felis de-MULC-ta mitis

The feminine noun felis, "cat," gives us English "feline."

The feminine adjective demulcta means "caressed, stroked." There is a word from this Latin root, but it is not commonly used: "demulcent."

The feminine adjective mitis, "gentle, soft," is the root of English "mitigate." 

This is true of literal cats, and it can be used metaphorically to anyone who becomes gentle when you treat them affectionately.


3. Animae sal est amor.
Love is (the) salt of-(the)-soul.
A-nimae sal est amor

You've seen all the words in this saying before too!

The genitive animae is from anima, which you have seen in this saying: Nonne anima plus est quam esca?

You've seen sal in this saying: Vitae sal amicitia, which has a meaning similar to this one.

You've seen amor in many sayings, including Pacis Amor deus est.

The idea is that in the same way that salt bring sout the flavor of food, love brings out the best qualities of the soul.

4. Confessio sceleris initium salutis.
(The) confession of-(the)-crime (is the) beginning of-salvation.
con-FES-sio SCE-leris i-NI-tium sa-LU-tis

The third-declension noun confessio gives us English "confession." That English word also gives you a clue about the genitive form: confessionis.

The third-declension noun scelus, "crime," has sceleris as its genitive form.

The third-declension noun salus, "health, safety, salvation," has salutis as its genitive form. You can see this root in English "salutary."

You've seen the second-declension noun initium in this saying: Omne initium difficile.


5. Thesauri absconditi nulla est utilitas.
(A) hidden treasure has no use.
the-SAU-ri ab-SCON-diti nulla est u-TI-litas

Literally the Latin means: "Of a hidden treasure, there is no use." As often with the genitive case, you can add the verb "have" in order to express the idea of the genitive.

The masculine adjective absconditus, "hidden," has absconditi as its genitive form, agreeing with the masculine genitive thesauri. You can see this root in English "abscond."

The feminine noun utilitas, "use," gives us English "utility."

You haven't seen the feminine nulla before, but you know the masculine nullus from Nullus dies omnino malus.

This is literally true of treasures of gold and silver; they don't do any good if you keep them locked up. And the same is true of metaphorical treasures such as wisdom, love, etc.


Here's a recap:

1. Bona res quies.
2. Felis demulcta mitis.
3. Animae sal est amor.
4. Confessio sceleris initium salutis.
5. Thesauri absconditi nulla est utilitas.

And here is today's audio:



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