PRONOUNS (Part 2)
Determinative Pronouns (also Determinative Adjectives)
These pronouns or adjectives are used to determine exactly the person or the thing to which they refer or speak about. In English they translate with the pronoun, or adjective, self. Again, the function of pronoun or adjective is distinguished by the absence or presence of a substantivum, respectively. When the substantive is missing the pronoun is said to be used substantivally.
| m. | f. | n. | English | Notes: |
| ipse | ipsa | ipsum | he himself she herself itself |
|
| is | ea | id | he, she, it |
|
| idem | eadem | idem | the same |
|
| | | ipse - ipsa - ipsum | | is - ea - id | | idem - eadem - idem |
| Number | Case | m. | f. | n. | m. | f. | n. | m. | f. | n. |
| sing. | Nom. | ipse | ipsa | ipsum | is | ea | id | idem | eadem | idem |
Gen. | ipsius | ipsius | ipsius | eius | eius | eius | eiusdem | eiusdem | eiusdem |
Dat. | ipsi | ipsi | ipsi | ei | ei | ei | eidem | eidem | eidem |
Acc. | ipsum | ipsam | ipsum | eum | eam | id | eundem | eanden | idem |
Voc. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Abl. | ipso | ipsa | ipso | eo | ea | eo | eodem | eadem | eodem |
|
pl. | Nom. | ipsi | ipsae | ipsa | | ii | eae | ea | | iidem | eaedem | eadem |
Gen. | ipsorum | ipsarum | ipsorum | eorum | earum | eorum | eorundem | earundem | eorundem |
Dat. | ipsis | ipsis | ipsis | iis | iis | iis | iisdem | iisdem | iisdem |
Acc. | ipsos | ipsas | ipsa | eos | eas | ea | eosdem | easdem | eadem |
Voc. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Abl. | ipsis | ipsis | ipsis | iis | iis | iis | iisdem | iisdem | iisdem |
Notes:
ipse and idem
The difference between ipse and idem is that ipse highlights specifically the person or the thing to which it refers, whereas idem expresses equality of the person or thing that was already referred to.
For example:- Magister ipse = the master himself
- Rex ipse = the King himself
- Eo ipso die = the very same day
- Magister idem = the same master (of which we spoke about... or we wrote to... etc. is implied)
- eosdem libros legimus = we are reading the same books. Reason thus: We (subject) are reading (verbal predicate), what? the same (eosdem-acc. pl.- hence direct object) books (libros- acc. pl. hence direct object).
- idem qui or idem ac (or atque)
General expression of equality make use of the terms idem qui or idem ac to express the meaning of: the same that, the same as.
For example: - habeo eosdem libros quos tu - translates as, I have the same books that you havehabeo eosdem libros ac tu - translates as, I have the same books as you do. (N.B.: qui is a relative pronoun, ac or atque are the conjunctions you have already met.)
- Puer idem venit quem antea in horto videramus - translates as, the same boy that we saw in the garden came...
- is - ea - id
- is, ea, and id are used as personal pronouns; bear in mind what was said about personal pronouns: they are usually omitted other than for putting emphasis.
- the genitive form, eius, eorum, earum are also used as possessive pronouns -his, theirs- when they do not refer to the subject of the sentence.
Relative Pronouns
The normal use of a relative pronoun is to join one dependent clause to another clause in the same sentence, the governing clause.
There are only three relative pronouns, qui (m.), quae (f.) and quod (n.). They translate as who, which, that.
In addition there are three other compound relative pronouns with an indefinite meaning; they are: quicumque (m.), whoever, quaecumque (f.), whoever, and quodcumque (n.), whatever, whatsoever.
They are called compound because they are made of the relative pronoun+cum+que.
| m. | f. | n. | English | Notes: |
| qui | quae | quod | who, which, that |
|
| quicumque | quaecumque | quodcumque | whoever, whatever |
|
| | | qui | quae | quod | | quicumque | quaecumque | quodcumque |
| Number | Case | m. | f. | n. | | m. | f. | n. |
| sing. | Nom. | qui | quae | quod |
| quicumque | quaecumque | quodcumque |
Gen. | cuius | cuius | cuius | cuiuscumque | cuiuscumque | cuiuscumque |
Dat. | cui | cui | cui | cuicumque | cuicumque | cuicumque |
Acc. | quem | quam | quod | quemcumque | quamcumque | quodcumque |
Voc. | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Abl. | quo | qua | quo | quocumque | quacumque | quocumque |
|
pl. | Nom. | qui | quae | quae | | quicumque | quaecumque | quaecumque |
Gen. | quorum | quarum | quorum | quorumcumque | quarumcumque | quorumcumque |
Dat. | quibus | quibus | quibus | quibuscumque | quibuscumque | quibuscumque |
Acc. | quos | quas | quae | quoscumque | quascumque | quuacumque |
Voc. | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Abl. | quibus | quibus | quibus | quibuscumque | quibuscumque | quibuscumque |
N.B.:
The suffix -cumque translates as -ever, -soever.
The ending -cumque is invariable, only the base qui, quae or quod is declined.
Notes
When a clause starts with a relative pronoun it is said to be a "relative clause", and its pronoun agrees in gender and number with the word that precedes it in the sentence. The case is defined by the logical function that the relative clause has with the governing clause.
Consider the following examples:
The boy that you see is my son.
The sentence has two main clauses: Clause 1- The boy is my son.
Clause 2- That you see
Grammatically the sentence should be analyzed in this way:
The boy is my son: The boy (subject) is (verbal (nominal) predicate) my son (direct object).
That you see = whom you see. You (subject) see (verbal predicate) whom (object of clause 2).
Thus the logic function is objective, hence you need to use the relative pronoun quem.
Constructing the Latin translation in the same order as in English, it becomes: Puer quem vides est meus filius.
If it had been a daughter instead of a son the translation would have been: Puella quam vides est mea filia.
We praise the boy that is strolling in the garden.
This sentence has two clauses:
Clause 1: We praise the boy
Clause 2: that is strolling in the garden
Grammatically the sentence should be analyzed in this way:
We praise the boy - We (subject) praise (verbal predicate) the boy (direct object)
That is strolling in the garden = who is strolling in the garden. Who (subject) is strolling (verbal predicate), in the garden (indirect object, strictly speaking a complement of location); the logic function pertains to the subject.
Constructing the Latin translation in the same order as in English, it becomes:
Nos laudamus puerum qui deambulabam in horto.
Putting it in the normal Latin word order you would say, unemphatically: Puerum qui deambulabam in horto laudamus.
The feminine case would be: Puellam quae in horto deambulabam laudamus.
- Mark, the young man to whom I gave the book is my son.
- Mark, the young man is my son.
- To whom I gave the book
Translate as:
Iuvenis, Marce, cui dedi librum est meus filius. (to whom is dative, hence cui)
- Brutus is the teacher whose children are hard-working.
Translate as: Brutus est magister cuius liberi sunt diligentes.
Interrogative Pronouns (also Interrogative Adjectives)
Interrogative pronouns are used substantivally and adjectivally. The first list of pronouns is shown in the following table:
| m. | f. | n. | English | Notes: |
quis? | quae? | quid? | who? which? what (thing)? | Used when referring to more than two persons or things |
qui? | quae? | quod? | what? which? | Used only as adjective to ask about the quality or nature of a person or thing |
uter | utra | utrum | who? (out of two); which? (one out of two) | Used only when referring to two persons or things |
| | | quis? - quae? - quid? |
| uter? - utra? - utrum? |
| qui? - quae? - quod? |
| Number | Case | m. | f. | n. | m. | f. | n. | m. | f. | n. |
| sing. | Nom. | quis? | quae? | quid? | uter? | utra? | utrum? | qui? | quae? | quod? |
Gen. | cuius? | cuius? | cuius rei? | utrius? | utrius? | utrius? | cuius? | cuius? | cuius? |
Dat. | cui? | cui? | cui rei? | utri? | utri? | utri? | cui? | cui? | cui? |
Acc. | quem? | quam? | quid? | utrum? | utram? | utrum? | quem? | quam? | quod? |
Voc. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Abl. | quo? | qua? | qua re? | utro? | utra? | utro? | quo? | qua? | quo? |
|
pl. | Nom. | qui? | quae? | quae? (quae res?) | | utri? | utrae? | utra? | | qui? | quae? | quae? |
Gen. | quorum? | quarum? | quarum rerum? | utrorum? | utrarum? | utrorum? | quorum? | quarum? | quorum? |
Dat. | quibus? | quibus? | quibus rebus? | utris? | utris? | utris? | quibus? | quibus? | quibus? |
Acc. | quos? | quas? | quae? (quas res?) | utros? | utras? | utra? | quos? | quas? | quae? |
Voc. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Abl. | quibus? | quibus? | quibus rebus? | utris? | utris? | utris? | quibus? | quibus? | quibus? |
N.B.: The declension of quis, quae and quid is the same as that of the relative pronouns qui, quae, quod. The feminine interrogative pronoun quae is used very rarely. Some textbooks omit it altogether.
Examples using quis - quae - quid:
Quid Marcus agit? What is Mark doing? (agit, ind. pres. 3rd pers. sing., from the verb ago, -is, -egi, -ēre)
Quid Marcus agebat? What was Mark doing?
Quis hoc dixit? Who said this? (dixit, ind. perf. 3rd pers. sing., from the verb: dico, -is, dixi, -ēre)
Quid dixit ille? What did he say?
Quae dixit illa? What did she say?
(note that the feminine interrogative pron. quae? is rarely used in these of expressions and quis? is preferred: Quis dixit illa? What did she say?)
Quis venit? Meus pater? Who is coming? My father. (venit, ind. pres. 3rd pers. sing, from the verb: venio, -is, veni, -īre)
- Quis venibat? Mea magistra. Who came? My (she) teacher. (venibat, ind. imperfect of venio; also spelt veniebat)
- Quis est ille discipulus? Meus filius est. Who is that pupil? He is my son.
- Qui discipulus est ille? Intelligentissimus meorum discipulorum. What type of pupil is he? He is the most intelligent of my pupils.
- Qui civis? Which citizen?
N.B.: Often the interrogative adj. qui? is found in the form of the pron. quis?; hence Quis civis? instead of Qui civis? Qui magister? instead of Quis magister?
Examples using uter - utra - utrum:
Uter discipulus? Which of the two pupils? (masculine)
Utra discipula? Which out of the two pupils? (feminine)
Utra puella? Which of the two girls?
Utrum puerum vidisti? Which of the two boys did you see? (vidisti, ind. perf. 2nd pers. sing. of:video, -es, vidi, ēre)
Uter eorum? Which of the two of them?
Utrae nuptiae? Which of the two weddings?
Uter vestrum? Who, out of you two?
Uter nostrum? Who, out of us two?
Additional Interrrogative or Adjective Pronouns: Quantus? Qualis? Quot? & Quotus?
| m. | f. | n. | Notes |
quantus? | quanta? | quantum? | by how much? how great? |
qualis? | qualis? | quale? | of what kind? of what nature? |
quot? | quot? | quot? | how many? (in number) |
quotus? | quota? | quotum? | in what quantity? in what number? |
| | | quantus? - quanta? - quantum? |
| qualis? - qualis? - quale? |
| quotus? - quota? - quotum? |
| Number | Case | m. | f. | n. | m. | f. | n. | m. | f. | n. |
sing. | Nom. | quantus | quanta | quantum | qualis | qualis | quale | quotus | quota | quotum |
Gen. | quanti | quantae | quanti | qualis | qualis | qualis | quoti | quotae | quoti |
Dat. | quanto | quantae | quanto | quali | quali | quali | quoto | quotae | quoto |
Acc. | quantum | quantas | quantum | qualem | qualem | quale | quotum | quotam | quotum |
Voc. | quante | quanta | quantum | qualis | qualis | quale | quote | quota | quotum |
Abl. | quanto | quanta | quanto | quali | quali | quali | quoto | quota | quoto |
|
pl. | Nom. | quanti | quantae | quanta | | quales | quales | qualia | | quoti | quotae | quota |
Gen. | quantorum | quantarum | quantorum | qualium | qualium | qualium | quotorum | quotarum | quotorum |
Dat. | quantis | quantis | quantis | qualibus | qualibus | qualibus | quotis | quotis | quotis |
Acc. | quantos | quantas | quanta | quales | quales | qualia | quotos | quotas | quota |
Voc. | quanti | quantae | quanta | quales | quales | qualia | quoti | quotae | quota |
Abl. | quantis | quantis | quantis | qualibus | qualibus | qualibus | quotis | quotis | quotis |
Notes:
The declension of quantus, -a, -um follows the paradigm of the 1st Class adjectives.
The declension of qualis, -is, -e follows the paradigm of the 2nd Class adjectives, Group 2.
- Quot is invariable, hence there is no declension, and is used only in pluralia tantum.
- The declension of quotus, -a, -um follows the paradigm of the 1st Class adjectives.
- The meaning of quantus, -a, -um refers to the measure, quantity, of something; in fact, the word quantity derives from quantus.
- The meaning of qualis, -is, -e refers to the nature or quality of something; the word quality derives from qualis.
- The meaning of quot refers to the number of things or persons. Quot can only be used if it is followed by a substantive. If the substantive is absent then instead of quot you need to use quam multi.
Examples:
- Quantum est hominum venustiorum? How many kind people are there? (Catullus 3.2) Literally: How great is the number of kind people?
- Quanta calliditas? What shrewdness? Literally: How much shrewdness (implied- has he/she shown)?
- Quam magna calliditas? Quam (how) magna (big) ...
- Quod scelus? Which crime?
- Quale scelus? Which kind of crime?
- Quod lex? Which law?
- Quale lex? Which kind of law?
- Quod regula? Which rule?
- Quale regula? Which kind of rule?
- Quot oratores? How many speakers?
- Quam multi orationes scripserunt? How many wrote speeches?
- Reminder: Add some more examples with Quantus and Quam multi.
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS ( also Indefinite Adjectives)
The indefinite pronouns are those that refer to a generic class or group of persons or things, such as someone, some, something. They are formed with the pronouns quis, qui and uter plus an invariable prefix or suffix. The declension of the indefinite pronouns follows that of the corresponding interrogative pronouns quis, qui and uter, plus the invariable part of the suffix or prefix.
m. | f. | n. | Translation | Example | Notes |
Pronoun | Pronoun | Pronoun | Adjective | | | |
aliquis | aliqua | aliquid | aliquod | someone; somewhat; something | | Click |
quispiam | quaepiam | quidpiam | quodpiam | some; someone; something | | Click |
quisquam | quaequam | quidquam | quodquam | some; a few | | * |
quidam | quaedam | quiddam | quoddam | a certain; a few; some | | |
quisque | quaeque | quidque | quodque | each; every; everybody; everyone; everything | | |
quilibet | quaelibet | quidlibet | quodlibet | whoever; whatever you please | | |
| quivis | quaevis | quidvis | quodvis | anyone | | |
unusquisque | unaquaeque | unumquidque | unumquodque | each one; each thing | | |
| | | | | | | |
uterque | utraque | utrumque | | each of the two; both | | |
utervis | utravis | utrumvis | | anyone of the two; any of two | | |
uterlibet | utralibet | utrulibet | | whoever of the two; whichever of the two | | |
utercumque | utracumque | utrumcunque | | anyone of the two | | |
neuter | neutra | neutrum | | neither one nor the other | | |
alteruter | alterutra | alterutrum | | one of the two; either one or the other | | |
| | | | | | |
plerique | pleraeque | pleraque | | the major part; many | | |
nemo | nemo | - | | no one | nemo nostrum | Click |
nihil | - | - | | nothing | | |
nullus | nulla | nullum | | no one, | | |
| | | | | | |
Correlative Pronouns (also Correlative Adjectives)
These are pronouns that are related to each other and regularly used together in a way that one implies the other. In English the construction formed with such words is generally followed by with, to. There three main correlative Latin pronouns are:
| m. | f. | n. | Notes |
talis...qualis | | | like...like; some...some; as (so)...as |
tantus...quantus | | | as much as; so much as |
tot...quot | | | as many as |
| | | |
End!