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In Latin, the ablative case is used to refer to adverbial concepts (means, place where, time, accompaniment, etc)
For Example:
English: "The farmers aren't in the field."
Latin: "Agricolae in agris non sunt."
English: "There are many roads in Rome."
Latin: "Romae sunt multae viae."
In Latin, the ablative case uses the endings:
Sing Plur
1Dec -a -is
2Dec -o -is
3Dec -e -ibus
4Dec -u -ibus
5Dec -e -ebus
Ablative of Respect
The ablative case is sometimes used to show the respect to which something is said, given, or done.
Examples of use:
English: "He is king in name."
Latin: "Est rex nomine."
English: "All these are similar in language, customs, and laws."
Latin: "Hi omnes lingua, institutis, et legibus similes sunt."
English: "The boy is large in body."
Latin: "Puer corpore magnus est."
Ablative of Place Where
Ablative is also used with the preposition 'in' to show the place where something is used or done.
Examples of use:
English: "The Farmers Aren't in the forest."
Latin: "Agricolae in silvis non sunt."
English: "There are slaves in Athens."
Latin: "Athenis sunt servar."
English: "My frind is in the house."
Latin: "Amicus meus in casa est."
Ablative Absolute
Also called nominative absolute, this is used to convey a conditional that is grammatically independant from the rest of the sentence structure.
Example of use:
English: "Caesar being leader, the city was saved."
Latin: "Caesare Duce, urbs servata est."
Ablative of Accompaniment
When used with the preposition cum and denoting company or conflict, an ablative becomes ablative of Accompaniment.
Examples of use:
English: "The swords are with the weapons in the field."
Latin: "Gladii cum telis in agro sunt"
English: "The servants work with the Farmers."
Latin: "Servi cum agricolis laborant."
Ablative of Agent
Ablative of Agent is the Latin equivalent of the English passive voice phrase by whom or by what.
Example of use:
English: "The boy was carried by the servant"
Latin: "Puer a servo portabatur"
Ablative of Cause
This is used to express the cause or reason of an action, state, or feeling.
Example of use:
English: "Caesar was praised because of his bravery."
Latin: "Caesar virtute laudati sunt."
Ablative of Comparison
Ablative of comparison is used when a comparison is expressed without using quam.
Example of use:
English: "Your plans are clearer to us than light."
Latin: "Consilia tua sunt clariora luce."
Ablative of Degree of Difference
This is generally used with paulo, multo, or a phrase containing a number to express degree of difference.
Example of use:
English: "I am much stronger."
Latin: "multo fortior sum."
Ablative of Description
Ablative can also be used to describe a noun.
Example of use:
English: "He is a man of great courage."
Latin: "Homo magna virtute est."
Ablative of Place from which
When an ablative is used in conjunction with the prepositions a, ab, de, e, or ex, it demonstrates motion from one place to another.
Example of use:
English: "The messenger hastened from the city to the camp."
Latin: "Nuntius ab urbe ad castra properavit."
Ablative of Manner
Another common variant of the ablative used with cum, this shows how an action is done.
Example of use:
English: "The servants worked with dilligence."
Latin: "Servi cum diligentia laboraverant."
Ablative of Means
This is used to express the means by which something is said, given, or done, without using cum.
Example of use:
English: "The master called the servant with a trumpet"
Latin: "Dominus tuba servum vocabat."
Ablative of Separation
This ablative is used to convey the state of being apart from something. If the ablative refers to a person, a preposition is used.
Examples of use:
English: "He freed his country from danger."
Latin: "Patriam periculo liberavit."
English: "He freed his country from the enemy."
Latin: "Patriam ab hostibus liberavit."
Sources:
Personal notes from
Latin class
"Our Latin Heritage", book 2 (
ISBN 0153894687)