Prepositional Phrases
A phrase is a group of words that expresses a thought but doesn't form a complete sentence. A prepositional phrase is a phrase that starts with a preposition. That sounds simple, doesn't it? In English that's all there is to it. Latin nouns, however, need to be in certain cases. The word that follows or goes with a preposition is called its object. Earlier you learned about direct objects of verbs and how Latin puts direct objects in the accusative case. Objects of prepositions are also in the accusative case. Well, most of them are.
There is another case, the ablative case, whose job it is to show many different kinds of relationships between words.
There are many prepositions. If some require their objects to be in the accusative case while others require their objects to be in the ablative case, how can you keep them all straight? TABLE 8-1 should eliminate any confusion before it begins.
The objects of the seven prepositions in the first column are always in the ablative case. With the exception of in and sub, all other prepositions are followed by a word in the accusative case.
Prepositions That Take the Ablative Case |
Prepositions That Take Either Case |
Prepositions That Take the Accusative Case |
ā /ab ([away] from) |
in (in, on, into, onto) |
all others! |
ē /ex (out of) |
sub (under, at the foot of) |
|
dē (down from, about) |
||
sine (without) |
||
cum (with) |
||
prae (in front of, before) |
||
prō (in front of, on behalf of, for) |
The prepositions in and sub are not ambivalent about which case their objects take. The choice depends on meaning. As you may recall, the basic idea behind the accusative case is to show the limit of an action. If you read a book, the reading is limited to the book, so in Latin, “book” would be in accusative case. If you go to the city, the “going” is limited to the city. When you get to the city you stop going, so “city” would be in the accusative case. One of the basic ideas behind the ablative case is location — where the action is taking place. If you live in the city, that's just where you live.
The preposition ā becomes ab when the next word begins with a vowel; for example, ā silvā (“away from the woods”), but ab urbe (“from the city”). The prepositionsē and ex do the same thing; for example, ē silvā (“out of the woods”), but ex urbe (“out of the city”). This is similar to the way the English word “a” becomes “an” before a word starting with a vowel; for example, “a tree” but “an apple.”
How this applies to in and sub is simple: Use the accusative to show motion toward and the ablative to show the place where something is.
Catellus in domum cucurrit.
Catellus sub mensam cucurrit.
Catellus in domī dormiē bat.
Catellus sub mensā dormiē bat.
Why domī in the example instead of domū? The word domus is fourth declension, so it should be domū. Sometimes the word domus thinks it's second declension. Occasionally it is domū, but it usually appears as domī.
The prepositions that take only the accusative case are all the others. TABLE 8-2 shows the most common ones.
ad |
to, toward, near |
prope |
near |
per |
through |
circā |
around |
inter |
between, among |
circum |
around |
ante |
before, in front of |
praeter |
except for, beyond |
post |
before, behind |
trans |
across |
super |
on top of, above |
infrā |
beneath |
apud |
at the home of, among |
suprā |
above |
propter |
on account of |
intrā |
inside of |
ob |
on account of |
extrā |
outside of |
