Chapter 13

The grammar we have to cover today is relatively short. We have two points to cover. The first refers to the reflexive pronoun. The second refers to the intensive pronoun.

Let’s look at the reflexive pronoun first. The word reflexive in English means to bend back or to refer back to something previous. In the case of the reflexive pronoun, it is referring back to the subject. As an example: I hit myself. Myself refers back to the subject, I. Another example would be: We praised ourselves. Again, ourselves refers back to the subject, we. Since they refer back to the subject, they are referred to as reflexive.

The pronouns can be in the first, second or third person, singular or plural. It sounds a lot more complicated than what it really is. Also, since the pronoun refers back to the subject, it can never be a nominative or subject. Therefore, this pronoun begins with its genitive.

First person singular

Nom. --------
Gen. mei (of myself)
Dat. mihi (to / for myself)
Acc. Me (myself)
Abl. me ([by] myself)

First person plural

Nom. --------
Gen. nostri (of ourselves)
Dat. Nobis ( to / for ourselves)
Acc. Nos (ourselves)
Abl nobis ([by] ourselves)

Second person singular

Nom. -------
Gen. tui (of yourself)
Dat. Tibi (to / for yourself)
Acc. Te ( yourself)
Abl. te ([by] yourself)

Secong person plural

Nom. -------
Gen. vestri (of yourself)
Dat. Vobis (to / for yourself)
Acc. Vos (yourself)
Abl vobis ([by] yourself)

Third person singular & third person plural are exactly the same

Nom. -------
Gen. sui (of himself, herself, itself, themselves )
Dat sibi (to / for himself, herself, itself, themselves )
Acc. Se or sese (himself, herself, itself, themselves )
Abl. se or sese ([by] himself, herself, itself, themselves )


Now an intensive pronoun is a pronoun which emphasizes a noun or pronoun. As an example: Caesar himself; I myself, you yourself, he himself. That’s about all there is to it. All these pronouns are used greatly in the Latin Language, so they must be memorized.

The intensive Pronouns

Singular Plural

M F N M F N

Nom. Ipse ipsa ipsum ipsi ipsae ipsa
Gen ipsius ipsius ipsius ipsorum ipsarum ipsorum
Dat ipsi ipsi ipsi ipsis ipsis ipsis
Acc ipsum ipsam ipsum ipsos ipsas ipsos
Abl ipso ipsa ipso ipsis ipsis ipsis

Now let’s go back to the workbook

 

Main Page