Editing Latin grammar (section)

==Adjectives==
===Declension of adjectives===
Adjectives, like nouns, have different endings for the different cases, singular and plural. They also differ as to gender, having different forms for masculine, feminine, and neuter. (But masculine and neuter are identical in the genitive, dative, and ablative cases.)

Many adjectives belong to the 1st and 2nd declensions, declining in the same way as the nouns {{lang|la|puella, dominus, bellum}}. An example is the adjective {{lang|la|bonus}} "good" shown below:

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
|-
! class=unsortable|Case
! class=unsortable|''m. sg.''
! class=unsortable|''f. sg.''
! class=unsortable|''n. sg.''
! class=unsortable|
! class=unsortable|''m. pl''
! class=unsortable|''f. pl.''
! class=unsortable|''n. pl.''
! class=unsortable|
! Br
! GL
! Wh
|-
| Nominative
| '''{{lang|la|bonus|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bona|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonum|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|bonī|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonae|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bona|italic=no}}''' || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| Vocative
| '''{{lang|la|bone|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bona|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonum|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|bonī|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonae|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bona|italic=no}}''' || || 2 || 5 ||6 
|-
| Accusative
| '''{{lang|la|bonum|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonam|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonum|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|bonōs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonās|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bona|italic=no}}''' || ||3 || 4 || 4 
|-
| Genitive
| '''{{lang|la|bonī|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonae|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonī|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|bonōrum|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonārum|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonōrum|italic=no}}''' || || 4 || 2 || 2
|-
| Dative
| '''{{lang|la|bonō|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonae|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonō|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|bonīs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonīs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonīs|italic=no}}''' ||  ||5 || 3 || 3 
|-
| Ablative
| '''{{lang|la|bonō|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonā|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonō|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|bonīs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonīs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|bonīs|italic=no}}''' ||  ||6 || 6 || 5 
|-
|}

Other adjectives belong to the 3rd declension, in which case the masculine and feminine are usually identical. Most 3rd declension adjectives are i-stems, and have ablative singular ''-ī'' and genitive plural ''-ium''. An example is {{lang|la|ingēns}} "huge" shown below:

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
|-
! class=unsortable|Case
! class=unsortable|''m/f. sg.''
! class=unsortable|''n. sg.''
! class=unsortable|
! class=unsortable|''m/f. pl''
! class=unsortable|''n. pl.''
! class=unsortable|
! Br
! GL
! Wh
|-
| Nominative
| '''{{lang|la|ingēns|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|ingēns|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|ingentēs|italic=no}}''' ||  '''{{lang|la|ingentia|italic=no}}''' || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| Vocative
| '''{{lang|la|ingēns|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|ingēns|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|ingentēs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|ingentia|italic=no}}''' || || 2 || 5 ||6 
|-
| Accusative
| '''{{lang|la|ingentem|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|ingēns|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|ingentēs/-īs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|ingentia|italic=no}}''' || ||3 || 4 || 4 
|-
| Genitive
| '''{{lang|la|ingentis|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|ingentis|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|ingentium|italic=no}}''' ||  '''{{lang|la|ingentium|italic=no}}''' || || 4 || 2 || 2
|-
| Dative
| '''{{lang|la|ingentī|italic=no}}''' ||  '''{{lang|la|ingentī|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|ingentibus|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|ingentibus|italic=no}}''' ||  ||5 || 3 || 3 
|-
| Ablative
| '''{{lang|la|ingentī|italic=no}}''' ||  '''{{lang|la|ingentī|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|ingentibus|italic=no}}''' ||  '''{{lang|la|ingentibus|italic=no}}''' || || 6 || 6 || 5 
|-
|}

In a very few 3rd declension adjectives such as {{lang|la|ācer, ācris, ācre}} "sharp, keen", the feminine is different from the masculine, but only in the nominative and vocative singular.

A few adjectives (especially comparative adjectives) decline as consonant stems, and have ablative singular ''-e'' and genitive plural ''-um''. An example is {{lang|la|melior}} "better":

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
|-
! class=unsortable|Case
! class=unsortable|''m/f. sg.''
! class=unsortable|''n. sg.''
! class=unsortable|
! class=unsortable|''m/f. pl''
! class=unsortable|''n. pl.''
! class=unsortable|
! Br
! GL
! Wh
|-
| Nominative
| '''{{lang|la|melior|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|melius|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|meliōres|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|meliōra|italic=no}}''' || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| Vocative
| '''{{lang|la|melior|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|melius|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|meliōrēs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|meliōra|italic=no}}''' || || 2 || 5 ||6 
|-
| Accusative
| '''{{lang|la|meliōrem|italic=no}}''' ||  '''{{lang|la|melius|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|meliōrēs|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|meliōra|italic=no}}''' || ||3 || 4 || 4 
|-
| Genitive
| '''{{lang|la|meliōris|italic=no}}''' ||  '''{{lang|la|meliōris|italic=no}}''' || ||'''{{lang|la|meliōrum|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|meliōrum|italic=no}}''' || || 4 || 2 || 2
|-
| Dative
| '''{{lang|la|meliōrī|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|meliōrī|italic=no}}''' ||  ||'''{{lang|la|meliōribus|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|meliōribus|italic=no}}''' ||  ||5 || 3 || 3 
|-
| Ablative
| '''{{lang|la|meliōre|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|meliōre|italic=no}}''' || || '''{{lang|la|meliōribus|italic=no}}''' || '''{{lang|la|meliōribus|italic=no}}''' || || 6 || 6 || 5 
|-
|}

Participles such as {{lang|la|dūcēns}} "leading" usually have ''-e'' in the ablative singular, but ''-ium'' in the genitive plural.{{sfn|Gildersleeve|Lodge|1903|p=42}}

There are no adjectives in the 4th or 5th declensions.

The adjectives {{lang|la|sōlus}} "only" and {{lang|la|tōtus}} "the whole of" decline like pronouns, with genitive singular ''-īus'' and dative singular ''-ī'':
:{{lang|la|'''tōtīus''' Graeciae}} = of the whole of Greece (genitive case)
:{{lang|la|tibī '''sōlī'''}} = to you alone (dative case)

===Agreement of adjectives===
Any adjective that describes or refers to a noun must be in the same case as the noun, as well as the same number and gender. Thus in the phrase below, where ''rēx'' is in the vocative singular case, ''bonus'' must be in the vocative singular also:
:{{lang|la|ō '''bone''' rēx}} = o good king

===Comparative and superlative adjectives===
Adjectives have positive, comparative and superlative forms. Superlative adjectives are declined according to the first and second declension, but comparative adjectives are third declension.

When used in sentences, a comparative adjective can be used in several ways:
* Absolutely (with the meaning "rather" or "more than usual")
* With {{wikt-lang|la|quam}} (Latin for "than")
* With an ablative meaning "than"
* With the genitive

Examples:

* ''{{lang|la|Cornēlia est '''fortis''' puella}}'': Cornelia is a brave girl.

The comparative adjective can be used absolutely (i.e. without any overt comparison) or with the comparison made explicit:
* ''{{lang|la|Cornēlia est '''fortior''' puella}}'': Cornelia is a rather brave girl.
* ''{{lang|la|Cornēlia est '''fortior''' puella quam Flāvia}}'': Cornelia is a braver girl than Flavia. (Here ''quam'' is used, ''Flavia'' is in the nominative to match Cornelia)
* ''{{lang|la|Cornēlia est '''fortior''' Flāviā}}'': Cornelia is braver than Flavia. (Here ''Flavia'' is in the ablative.)
* ''{{lang|la|Cornēlia est '''fortior''' puellārum}}'': Cornelia is the braver of the girls

Superlative adjectives are most frequently used absolutely, but they can also be used with the genitive {{lang|la|omnium}} "of all":
* ''{{lang|la|Cornēlia est puella '''fortissima'''}}'': Cornelia is a very brave girl
* ''{{lang|la|Cornēlia est puella omnium '''fortissima'''}}'': Cornelia is the bravest girl of all.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Some comparative and superlative adjectives
! Positive
! Comparative
! Superlative
|-
| '''{{lang|la|longus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''long, tall''
| '''{{lang|la|longior, -ius|italic=no}}'''<br >''longer, taller''
| '''{{lang|la|longissimus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very long, longest''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|brevis, -e|italic=no}}'''<br >''short''
| '''{{lang|la|brevior, -ius|italic=no}}'''<br >''shorter''
| '''{{lang|la|brevissimus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very short, shortest''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|pulcher, -chra, -chrum|italic=no}}'''<br >''beautiful''
| '''{{lang|la|pulchrior, -ius|italic=no}}'''<br >''more beautiful''
| '''{{lang|la|pulcherrimus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very beautiful, most beautiful''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|bonus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''good''
| '''{{lang|la|melior, -ius|italic=no}}'''<br >''better''
| '''{{lang|la|optimus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very good, best''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|facilis, -is, -e|italic=no}}'''<br >''easy''
| '''{{lang|la|facilior, -ius|italic=no}}'''<br >''easier''
| '''{{lang|la|facillimus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very easy, easiest''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|magnus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''great''
| '''{{lang|la|maior, -ius|italic=no}}'''<br >''greater''
| '''{{lang|la|maximus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very great, greatest''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|malus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''bad''
| '''{{lang|la|peior, -ius|italic=no}}'''<br >''worse''
| '''{{lang|la|pessimus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very bad, worst''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|multus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''much''
| '''{{lang|la|plūs|italic=no}}''' (+ genitive)<br >''more''
| '''{{lang|la|plūrimus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very much, most''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|multī, -ae, -a|italic=no}}'''<br >''many''
| '''{{lang|la|plūres, plūra|italic=no}}'''<br >''more''
| '''{{lang|la|plūrimī, -ae, -a|italic=no}}'''<br >''very many, most''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|parvus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''small''
| '''{{lang|la|minor|italic=no}}'''<br >''smaller''
| '''{{lang|la|minimus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''very small, smallest''
|-
| '''{{lang|la|superus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''situated above''
| '''{{lang|la|superior, -ius|italic=no}}'''<br >''higher, previous''
| '''{{lang|la|suprēmus, -a, -um / summus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''highest, last''
|-
| '''({{lang|la|prae|italic=no}})'''<br >''before''
| '''{{lang|la|prior, prius|italic=no}}'''<br >''earlier''
| '''{{lang|la|prīmus, -a, -um|italic=no}}'''<br >''first''
|}

''Detailed information and declension tables can be found at [[Latin declension]].''