NOMINATIVE         GENITIVE         DATIVE         ACCUSATIVE         ABLATIVE

THE NOMINATIVE CASE

1. SUBJECT

                (THE "DOER" OF AN ACTION VERB, WHAT THE SENTENCES IS ABOUT)

                        Caecilius is the father.  (Caecilius est pater.)

2. PREDICATE NOMINATIVE

                (RENAMES SUBJECT/FOLLOWS LINKING VERBS)

                        Caecilius is the father.  (Caecilius est pater.)

THE GENITIVE CASE

1. POSSESSION/OWNERSHIP 

                (TRANSLATE BY USING <'S>, <S'> OR THE WORD "OF")

                        I saw the farmer's house yesterday.       (Vidi agricolae domus heri.)

2.  GENITIVE OF DESCRIPTION

                (DESCRIBES/TELLS ABOUT CHARACTERISTICS)

                        Caecilius was a man of good sense.  (Caecilius erat vir prudentiae.)

3.  PARTITIVE GENITIVE

                (USED TO SHOW PART OF A LARGER WHOLE)

                        I killed 3,000 of the enemy.   (Interfeci tria milia hostium.)

                        I want some water.   (Volo aquae.)

4.  OBJECTIVE GENITIVE 

                (USED AS IF IT WERE THE OBJECT OF A NOUN OR ADJECTIVE CONTAINING THE SAME IDEA OR ACTION)

                        the leader of the forces   (dux copiarum = ducit copias)

                        care for the fields  (cura aegrorum = curat agros)

                        flight from evils  (fuga malorum = fugit mala)

THE DATIVE CASE

1. INDIRECT OBJECT 

                (THE PERSON/THING TO WHOM SOMETHING IS SAID, GIVEN OR SHOWN)

                        I gave the book to the girl.  (Dedi librum puellae.)

                        We showed the slaves the gift.  (Demonstravimus servis donum.)

2.  DATIVE OF REFERENCE (AKA: RE"FOR"ENCE)

                 (THE PERSON/THING FOR WHOM SOMETHING IS DONE)

                        Metella baught a toga for Quintus.  (Metella emit togam Quinto.)

3.  DATIVE OF POSSESSION

                (SHOWS OWNERSHIP WHEN USED WITH THE VERB TO BE---ESSE)

                       The slave has three books.  (Sunt servo tres libri.)---Literally:   There are to the slave 3 books.

4. DATIVE OF AGENT   

                (WITH A PASSIVE PERIPHRASTIC--"GERUNDIVE OF NECESSITY"--SHOWS THE "DOER")

                        The prisoner must flee.  (Captivo effugiendum est.)

                        I must sleep! (mihi dormiendum est!)

5. DIRECT OBJECT OF SPECIAL "DATIVE VERBS"

                (SOME VERBS TAKE THEIR DIRECT OBJECT IN THE DATIVE CASE INSTEAD OF THE ACCUSATIVE)

                        Trust me.  (Crede mihi!)

                        The farmers support Holconius.  (Agricolae favent Holconio.)