Four ways to say "with"
The ablative of cause, means, accompaniment and manner, and when to use cum.
LatinBeginning Latin · The ablativeAbout 3 min: 1 reading, 2 practiceUpdated
- Tell cause, means, accompaniment and manner apart
- Use cum for company and manner, and the plain ablative for cause and means
- Translate each into natural English
Latin Level 1: nouns and cases: lesson 11 of 13
- Beginning Latin · Sounds
- Saying Latin out loud 4 min
- Beginning Latin · How sentences work
- Endings do the work 3 min
- The five cases 3 min
- Beginning Latin · Nouns
- The first declension 3 min
- Adjectives agree with their nouns 3 min
- Beginning Latin · The second declension
- The second declension 4 min
- Predicate nouns and apposition 3 min
- Adjectives in all three genders 3 min
- Nouns in -ius, -er and -ir 4 min
- Beginning Latin · Pronouns and adjectives
- My, your, his, our 3 min
- Beginning Latin · The ablative
- Four ways to say "with" 3 min
- Beginning Latin · Pronouns and adjectives
- The nine irregular adjectives 4 min
- is, ea, id: this, that, he, she, it 3 min
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Pairs with D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Ginn, 1909), Lesson XV ("The Ablative Denoting With"), §§ 100–105
What it is
English "with" covers several ideas. Latin uses the ablative for all of them, but only some take the preposition cum:
| Idea | Question it answers | Latin | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cause | Because of what? | ablative, no cum | inopiā cibī īnfīrmus, weak from lack of food |
| Means | With what? By means of what? | ablative, no cum | gladiō pugnat, he fights with a sword |
| Accompaniment | With whom? | cum + ablative | cum Sextō, with Sextus |
| Manner | How? | cum + ablative; cum may drop if there's an adjective | magnā (cum) cōnstantiā, with great steadiness |
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
"He fights with a sword." Which is right?
- cum means "together with"; a sword is a tool, so use the plain ablative
Show answer
gladiō pugnat. Means: the plain ablative, normally without cum.
Why it matters
Using cum for a tool is the classic beginner's error, and it changes the picture: cum gladiō would suggest the sword is a companion. Knowing the four uses also makes Roman battle stories much easier to read.
Worked example
Virī cum lēgātō ad oppidum properant et pīlīs magnā cōnstantiā pugnant. → The men hurry to the town with the lieutenant and fight with spears with great steadiness.
- cum lēgātō: accompaniment (with whom)
- pīlīs: means (with what)
- magnā cōnstantiā: manner (how), cum left out because of the adjective magnā
Common mistake
Putting cum before a tool or a cause: wrong: cum pīlīs pugnant for "they fight with spears". The rule to learn now: cum for company and manner, the plain ablative for means and cause. (Later you will meet cum with weapons meaning "armed with".)
Key terms
- ablative of cause
- because of what; no cum
- ablative of means
- with what, by means of what; no cum
- ablative of accompaniment
- with whom; cum
- ablative of manner
- how; cum, which may be left out with an adjective
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 4 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| ablative of cause | because of what; no cum |
| ablative of means | with what, by means of what; no cum |
| ablative of accompaniment | with whom; cum |
| ablative of manner | how; cum, which may be left out with an adjective |
Practice
Sort it
Which kind of "with" is this?
Sagittīs ferās necat. (She kills the wild animals with arrows.)
Arrows are the tool: plain ablative.Show answer
Means. Arrows are the tool: plain ablative.
Iūlia cum Sextō ambulat. (Julia walks with Sextus.)
With a person: cum.Show answer
Accompaniment. With a person: cum.
Inopiā cibī īnfīrmī sunt. (They are weak from lack of food.)
Because of the lack: plain ablative.Show answer
Cause. Because of the lack: plain ablative.
Magnā cum dīligentiā labōrat. (He works with great care.)
How he works: cum + ablative.Show answer
Manner. How he works: cum + ablative.
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
"with great steadiness" (manner, with the adjective magnā)
- Manner uses the ablative, not the accusative
Show answer
magnā cōnstantiā. Ablative of manner; with an adjective, cum is optional, so magnā cum cōnstantiā is also right.
Which needs cum?
- A tool: plain ablative
- A cause: plain ablative
Show answer
with friends. Company takes cum.
Practise speaking
Studyfern has no voice tools of its own. To practise out loud, copy this prompt into a voice-capable AI assistant and talk with it.
You are a patient Latin tutor. Use the classical pronunciation only, never the Church one: c is always k, g is always hard, v sounds like w, ae like the ai in aisle, and long vowels are held longer. Speak slowly. Use only these Latin words: cum, pīlō, gladiō, magnā cōnstantiā, lēgātus, labōrat, puella. Say an English phrase like 'with a spear', 'with the lieutenant' or 'with great steadiness', and I will say it in Latin, with or without cum, and name the kind of ablative. Do 6 phrases. After each answer, tell me what kind of mistake I made, if any, and let me try again, then tell me one thing to improve. Keep every reply under 2 sentences. If I need a name or a town, I will make one up. Speak English except for the Latin itself.
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Good to know. AI feedback on pronunciation is hit and miss, so check yourself against native recordings. This course teaches the classical pronunciation (see lesson 1); AI voices may mix it with the Church (Italian-style) one, so ask for classical and check against lesson 1. Don't share personal details: use a made-up name and town.
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In short
- Cause and means: plain ablative, normally no cum.
- Accompaniment: cum + ablative.
- Manner: cum + ablative; cum may drop when there's an adjective.
- Ask: because of what, with what, with whom, how?
Mastery check
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Check yourself
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Translate Diāna sagittīs ferās necat.
Show answer
Diana kills the wild animals with arrows (means).
Why is there no cum in gladiō pugnat?
Show answer
A sword is a means, a tool, which takes the plain ablative.
"Marcus with friends": cum or not?
Show answer
Cum: cum amīcīs.
Further reading
- D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lesson XV, §§ 100–105. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.
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