Prepositions are the little words that show relationships - "into", "through", "toward".
Can recognize Prepositions with accusative in a short Latin prompt
Schau dir diese Beispiele an. Kannst du das grammatische Muster erkennen?
He sent the legions across the Rhine.
We travelled along the Appian Way.
Achte auf die hervorgehobenen Teile. Was haben sie gemeinsam?
Prepositions are the little words that show relationships - "into", "through", "toward". In Latin, every preposition demands that its noun stand in a particular case, and one large group requires the accusative. These prepositions typically involve motion toward or through something, so recognizing them tells you both the meaning and the ending to expect.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ad | to, toward | ad villam - to the house |
| in (+ acc.) | into, onto | in silvam - into the forest |
| per | through | per viam - through the street |
| trans | across | trans flumen - across the river |
Examples: Ad forum ambulamus. - We are walking to the forum. Puer in aquam currit. - The boy runs into the water.
For English speakers: in English the noun after a preposition never changes shape ("to the house", "the house is big"), so you have to remember that Latin re-shapes it: after these prepositions villa becomes villam. Pay special attention to in, which is a two-faced word - with the accusative it means motion "into" (in silvam, into the forest), but with the ablative it means rest "in" (in silva, in the forest). The ending on the noun is your clue to which meaning is intended.
Wende diese Grammatik in den Übungen des Kurses A1 an
ÜbungsaufgabenHe sent the legions across the Rhine.
Trans takes the accusative because there is motion across. Caesar's Rhine campaigns are where most readers first meet the phrase.
We travelled along the Appian Way.
Per plus accusative means along or through. The Via Appia was Rome's first paved road, and its stones are still walkable.
Im Kurs üben
Wende diese Grammatik in den Übungen des Kurses A1 an