3rd declension adjectives

3rd declension adjectives take the same endings as 3rd declension nouns.

If you look a 3rd declension adjective up in a dictionary, you will find it with two possible endings, fortis, -e.

fortis means strong, brave.

The two different forms written out completely would be fortis, forte. These are the masculine, feminine, and neuter nominative singulars.

So,

fortis filius
strong son
but
fortis nomen
strong name

Singular Plural
Masc & fem Neut Masc & fem Neut
Nominative fortis forte fortes fortia
Accusative fortem forte fortes fortia
Genitive fortis fortis fortium fortium
Dative forti forti fortibus fortibus
Ablative forti forti fortibus fortibus

Some adjectives do not have a separate neuter form, e.g.ingens, huge

Singular Plural
Nominative ingens ingentes
Accusative ingentem ingentes
Genitive ingentis ingentium
Dative ingenti ingentibus
Ablative ingenti ingentibus

Summary of case functions

Nominative subject What it is that does the verb
Accusative (direct) object What it is the verb acts upon
Genitive 'of'
Dative (indirect) object 'for, to'
Ablative 'by, with, from'

Examples drawn from the exercises

Locate the adjective in each sentence and identify its number, gender and case. Note with which noun the adjective agrees.

The number after each question indicates the exercise from which it has been drawn, so that you can look at the example in context.

  1. sed etiam omnium oculos in semet haud inmerito convertit. Exercise 10
  2. His autem omnibus druidibus praeest unus. Exercise 11
  3. Principio genus herbarum viridemque nitorem terra dedit ...Exercise 9
  4. ut multo mihi maior acriorque ignis mollibus ardet in medullis. Exercise 8
  5. cupio, patres conscripti, me esse clementem ... Exercise 7
  6. hic unus dolor est ex omnibus acer amanti ... Exercise 6
  7. date palmas nobiles.Exercise 5