The first declension
All ten forms of puella, and which -a nouns are masculine.
LatinBeginning Latin · NounsAbout 3 min: 1 reading, 2 practiceUpdated
- Decline a first-declension noun in the singular and plural
- Tell singular from plural forms
- Know that most first-declension nouns are feminine, with a few masculine ones
Latin Level 1: nouns and cases: lesson 4 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
Try first
You haven't learned this yet, so guess. Guessing before you read helps the explanation stick. Nothing here is scored.
Already know this? Take a 3-question check and skip ahead.
Get all three right and the lesson is marked done.
Pairs with D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners (Ginn, 1909), Lessons VII–VIII ("The First or Ā-Declension"), §§ 57–61, pp. 25–30
What it is
Nouns whose nominative ends in -a belong to the first declension. They share the same set of endings, ten forms in all:
Text description
puella, form by form: Nom. sg. puella (ending -a); Gen. sg. puellae (ending -ae); Dat. sg. puellae (ending -ae); Acc. sg. puellam (ending -am); Abl. sg. puellā (ending -ā); Nom. pl. puellae (ending -ae); Gen. pl. puellārum (ending -ārum); Dat. pl. puellīs (ending -īs); Acc. pl. puellās (ending -ās); Abl. pl. puellīs (ending -īs).
To decline a new noun, take off the -a to find the stem (nauta → naut-) and add the same endings.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
What is the accusative plural of puella?
- That is the nominative plural (or genitive / dative singular)
- That is the accusative singular
Show answer
puellās. Accusative plural ends in -ās.
Why it matters
These endings work for hundreds of nouns: rosa (rose), casa (cottage), īnsula (island), via (road). Learn them once and every one of those words is ready to use.
Worked example
Nautae puellīs rosās dant. → The sailors give roses to the girls.
- nautae: nominative plural, the subject (the sailors)
- puellīs: dative plural (to the girls)
- rosās: accusative plural, the object (roses)
More detail: two exceptions
A few nouns use -ābus in the dative and ablative plural, so that they are not confused with masculine nouns: dea (goddess) → deābus, fīlia (daughter) → fīliābus (D'Ooge § 67).
Common mistake
Assuming every -a noun is feminine. Most are, but a few words for men's jobs are masculine: nauta (sailor), agricola (farmer), poēta (poet). They still use the first-declension endings.
Key terms
- declension
- a group of nouns that share one set of endings
- stem
- the part that stays the same: puell-
- singular / plural
- one / more than one
- feminine / masculine
- the grammatical gender of a noun
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 4 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| declension | a group of nouns that share one set of endings |
| stem | the part that stays the same: puell- |
| singular / plural | one / more than one |
| feminine / masculine | the grammatical gender of a noun |
Practice
Recognition drill
Pick the right answer, as fast as you can.
All pairs
Tap a card to turn it over. 5 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| puellārum | genitive plural |
| puellam | accusative singular |
| puellās | accusative plural |
| puellā | ablative singular |
| puella | nominative singular |
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
Decline rosa in the genitive plural.
- That is dative or ablative plural
- That is nominative plural, or genitive / dative singular
Show answer
rosārum. Genitive plural ends in -ārum.
What gender is agricola (farmer)?
- Most -a nouns are, but agricola is a man's job
Show answer
masculine. A few first-declension nouns for men are masculine.
In Nautae puellīs rosās dant, what case is puellīs?
- The subject is nautae
- The object is rosās
Show answer
dative. puellīs means "to the girls": dative plural.
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: puella, agricola, fīlia, nauta. Ask me to decline one of these nouns aloud, singular then plural, all five cases. Then ask me for single forms, for example the dative plural of fīlia. Do 3 nouns. 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.
Listen too. Listen to native speakers before and after: see the free listening and shadowing links.
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.
New to this? Read Practising speaking with an AI.
In short
- First declension: nouns with nominative -a.
- Singular: -a, -ae, -ae, -am, -ā. Plural: -ae, -ārum, -īs, -ās, -īs.
- Find the stem by dropping -a, then add the endings.
- Most are feminine; nauta, agricola and poēta are masculine.
Mastery check
Answer without looking back. Score 80% or more and the lesson is marked done. Your result is kept only in this browser.
Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then open the answer. Nothing is saved.
Give the dative plural of casa.
Show answer
casīs.
What is the stem of īnsula?
Show answer
īnsul-.
Which forms end in -īs?
Show answer
The dative plural and the ablative plural.
Further reading
- D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lessons VII–VIII, §§ 57–61. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.
Finished? Mark it done to fill in your leaf on the Latin map.