Vocativus
Vocativus
What is the Vocative Case?
The vocative case in Latin is used for directly addressing or calling someone. Think of it as the "Hey, you!" case. It’s like when you call a friend’s name to get their attention.
How does it work?
Most Latin nouns have a special form in the vocative case, which is often different from the nominative (the subject form). For example, the name "Marcus" in nominative becomes "Marce" in vocative when you call him.
Patterns and endings
- For most second declension masculine nouns ending in -us, the vocative ends in -e (Marcus → Marce).
- For nouns ending in -ius, the vocative usually ends in -i (filius → fili).
- First declension and most other declensions have the vocative identical to the nominative (e.g., puella → puella).
Why is this interesting?
The vocative is a very direct and personal way to speak. It shows how Latin speakers would call out to each other, and it’s still visible in some modern languages derived from Latin, like Italian.
Summary table example (singular):
| Nominative | Vocative |
|---|---|
| Marcus | Marce |
| Filius | Fili |
| Puella | Puella |
Example sentences:
- "Marce, veni huc!" (Marcus, come here!)
- "Amice, audi me." (Friend, listen to me.)
Let’s practice recognizing and using the vocative case!
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