Editing Declension (section)

==Latin==
{{Main|Latin declension|Latin syntax}}

Just as verbs in Latin are conjugated to indicate grammatical information, Latin nouns and adjectives that modify them are declined to signal their roles in sentences. There are five important cases for Latin nouns: [[Nominative case|nominative]], [[Genitive case|genitive]], [[Dative case|dative]], [[Accusative case|accusative]], and [[Ablative (Latin)|ablative]]. Since the [[vocative case]] [[Vocative case#Latin|usually]] takes the same form as the nominative, it is seldom spelt out in grammar books.{{dubious|date=May 2019}} Yet another case, the [[Locative case|locative]], is limited to a small number of words.

The usual basic functions of these cases are as follows:
*Nominative case indicates the [[Subject (grammar)|subject]].
*Genitive case indicates [[Possessive|possession]] and can be translated with 'of'.
*Dative case marks the [[Object (grammar)|indirect object]] and can be translated with 'to' or 'for'.
*Accusative case marks the [[Object (grammar)|direct object]].
*Ablative case is used to modify verbs and can be translated as 'by', 'with', 'from', etc.
*Vocative case is used to address a person or thing.

The genitive, dative, accusative, and ablative also have important functions to indicate the object of a preposition.

Given below is the declension paradigm of Latin ''puer'' 'boy' and ''puella'' 'girl':
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Case !! Singular !! Plural !! Singular !! Plural
|-
| Nominative || puer || puer'''ī''' || puell'''a''' || puell'''ae'''
|-
| Genitive || puer'''ī''' || puer'''ōrum''' || puell'''ae''' || puell'''ārum'''
|-
| Dative || puer'''ō''' || puer'''īs''' || puell'''ae''' || puell'''īs'''
|-
| Accusative || puer'''um''' || puer'''ōs''' || puell'''am''' || puell'''ās'''
|-
| Ablative || puer'''ō''' || puer'''īs''' || puell'''ā''' || puell'''īs'''
|-
|Vocative
|puer
|puer'''ī'''
|puell'''a'''
|puell'''ae'''
|}

From the provided examples we can see how cases work:

{{interlinear|lang=la|indent=2
| liber puerī
| book boy.GEN
| the book of the boy}}

{{interlinear|lang=la|indent=2
| puer puellae rosam dat
| boy.NOM girl.DAT rose.ACC give.3SG.PRES
| the boy gives the girl a rose}}