Demonstratives are the pointing words "this" and "that".
Can recognize Demonstratives hic and ille in a short Latin prompt
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Hic liber meus est, ille tuus.
This book is mine, that one is yours.
Illa nox longa fuit.
That night was long.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Demonstratives are the pointing words "this" and "that". Latin has two main ones: hic (this, the one near me) and ille (that, the one over there). They matter for reading because they steer the listener's attention and, since they change their endings to match the noun, they also flag the gender and number of what is being pointed at.
Both come in three genders. Here are the nominative (subject) forms you will meet first:
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| this (sg.) | hic | haec | hoc |
| that (sg.) | ille | illa | illud |
Examples: Hic vir Romanus est. - This man is a Roman. Illa femina regina est. - That woman is a queen. Hoc verbum breve est. - This word is short.
For English speakers: English "this" and "that" never change shape no matter what follows, so you must train yourself to match the Latin form to its noun. A masculine noun takes hic or ille, a feminine noun takes haec or illa, and a neuter noun takes hoc or illud. When a demonstrative and a nearby noun share gender and number, they usually belong together - a handy clue when you are untangling a longer sentence.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesHic liber meus est, ille tuus.
This book is mine, that one is yours.
Hic is near, ille is far - the same distinction as this and that.
Illa nox longa fuit.
That night was long.
Illa agrees with nox in the feminine. The Romance articles - il, el, le - all descend from ille.
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Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises