is, ea, id: this, that, he, she, it
One word for "this" and "that", which also stands in for he, she and it.
LatinBeginning Latin · Pronouns and adjectivesAbout 3 min: 1 reading, 2 practiceUpdated
- Decline is, ea, id
- Use it for he, she, it and they
- Choose eius or suus for "his"
Latin Level 1: nouns and cases: lesson 13 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), Lesson XVII ("The Demonstrative is, ea, id"), §§ 112–116
What it is
Is, ea, id means "this" or "that" (plural "these, those"), and it is also Latin's usual way to say he, she, it, they.
Singular
| Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | is | ea | id |
| Gen. | eius | eius | eius |
| Dat. | eī | eī | eī |
| Acc. | eum | eam | id |
| Abl. | eō | eā | eō |
Plural
| Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | eī (iī) | eae | ea |
| Gen. | eōrum | eārum | eōrum |
| Dat. | eīs (iīs) | eīs (iīs) | eīs (iīs) |
| Acc. | eōs | eās | ea |
| Abl. | eīs (iīs) | eīs (iīs) | eīs (iīs) |
Eius is said EH-yus.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
"I see him." Which form is "him"?
- is is the subject form, "he"
- eius means "his" or "of him"
Show answer
eum. Accusative masculine singular: eum.
Why it matters
You will meet is constantly whenever a sentence refers back to someone already mentioned (though "he" or "she" as a subject is often left to the verb ending). It also solves a problem English hides: whose "his" is it?
Worked example
- Is vir est lēgātus. → That man is a lieutenant. (as an adjective)
- Eum laudant. → They praise him. (as a pronoun)
- Galba suum fīlium vocat. → Galba calls his (own) son.
- Galba eius fīlium vocat. → Galba calls his son: someone else's son.
suus points back to the subject; eius (plural eōrum, eārum) means "his, her, their" for someone who is not the subject.
Common mistake
Using eius for the subject's own things: wrong: Mārcus eius equum cūrat for "Marcus looks after his own horse". That eius would mean someone else's horse. Use suum: Mārcus suum equum cūrat.
Key terms
- is, ea, id
- this, that; he, she, it
- eius
- his, her, its (not the subject's)
- eōrum / eārum
- their (not the subject's)
- suus, -a, -um
- his / her / their own (the subject's)
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 4 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| is, ea, id | this, that; he, she, it |
| eius | his, her, its (not the subject's) |
| eōrum / eārum | their (not the subject's) |
| suus, -a, -um | his / her / their own (the subject's) |
Practice
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
"with her" (accompaniment)
- Close, but the ablative feminine has a long ā: eā
Show answer
cum eā. Ablative feminine singular: eā.
Julia is talking about her friend's horse: "I look after her horse." Which word for "her"?
- suum would point back to the subject
Show answer
eius. "Her" is someone other than the subject: eius.
Plural "of them" for a group of women
- eōrum is masculine or neuter
Show answer
eārum. Feminine genitive plural: eārum.
Build the sentence
Build "Marcus looks after his own horse", in the order subject, possessive, noun, verb.
Show answer
Mārcus suum equum cūrat.. The subject's own horse: suum.
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: is, ea, id, eius, eōrum, eārum, puer, puella, oppidum. Say an English phrase like 'his field', 'their daughter' or 'that boy', and I will say it in Latin with the right form of is, ea, id. Do 8 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.
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
- is, ea, id = this / that, and he / she / it.
- Genitive eius, dative eī, accusative eum, eam, id.
- suus = the subject's own; eius / eōrum / eārum = someone else's.
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 accusative plural feminine.
Show answer
eās.
Translate Ea est fīlia Galbae.
Show answer
She is Galba's daughter.
"He calls his (someone else's) slave": suum or eius?
Show answer
eius.
Further reading
- D'Ooge, Latin for Beginners, Lesson XVII, §§ 112–116. Public domain; Project Gutenberg.
Finished? Mark it done to fill in your leaf on the Latin map.