The nominative case has two uses, subject and predicate nominative.
Subject
In this use, the nominative case shows the subject of a verb. The subject is the noun that does the action of the verb. For example, in the sentence "The dog jumped over the fence," the dog is the subject. The verb is "jumped" and the dog is the subject of that verb, because the dog is the thing that jumped. So, in Latin, any noun that is the subject of a verb will be in nominative case (except with indirect statements).
When translating a nominative noun, make sure to put it before the verb it goes with - because word order DOES matter in English.
Latin examples:
When translating a nominative noun, make sure to put it before the verb it goes with - because word order DOES matter in English.
Latin examples:
- Rana ad flumen venit. --> The frog comes to the river.
- Vir feminam amavit. --> The man loved the woman.
Predicate nominative
The predicate nominative consists of the subject (remember what that is?) and a noun or adjective, which the subject is connected to by a linking verb. The linking verb will always be a form of the verb sum, esse, fui, futurus. Both the subject and the noun or adjective to which it is connected are in the nominative case.
Here are some English examples.
Here are some English examples.
- The sky is blue.
- The girl was young.
- The dog had been sick.
- The school will be clean.
