Latin Demystified

Overview

Become a bona fide master of Latin

English vocabulary owes a great debt to Latin, ergo you already know many Latin words and phrases. Now you can move beyond the status quo and learn this classical language. With Latin Demystified, nihil obstat (nothing stands in the way).

Beginning with an overview of Latin, basic pronunciation rules, and a discussion on the differences between inflected and analytical languages, Latin Demystified covers key grammar fundamentals such as nouns, verb forms, and syntax. You'll build your Latin vocabulary with essential words and phrases and quickly master this challenging language. Test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement that you're fast on your way to reading and understanding Latin.

This fast and easy guide features:

• Clear and straightforward explanations of Latin grammar fundamentals
• Numerous examples of simple and complex sentence structures
• Full coverage of Latin noun declensions and verb tenses
• Helpful writing exercises
• Quizzes at the end of each chapter to reinforce new material

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for a more experienced student, Latin Demystified is your shortcut to mastering this complex language.

Table of contents

Table of Contents
Introduction

PART ONE:
FUNDAMENTALS OF THE LATIN LANGUAGE

Chapter 1:
Overview of the Latin Language
Parts of speech
Pronunciation
Inflection VS Analysis
Latin Nouns
Latin Verbs

Chapter 2:The Perfect and Imperfect Tenses
Verbal Aspect
Perfect Tense
Perfect Stem Recognition
The Conjugations
Imperfect Tense
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 3:
The Basics of a Latin Sentence
How Latin Nouns Work
Transitive VS Intransitive Verbs
Accusative Case
Direct Objects
Nominative Ccase
Personal Pronouns
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 4:
The Present Tense
Present Tense
First Conjugation
Second Conjugation
Third Conjugation
Third Conjugation -io
Fourth Conjugation
The Irregular Verb sum, esse, fui, futurus
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 5:
Building Up Basic Sentences with Modifiers
Using Noun Cases as Modifiers
Other Types of Modifiers
Using Predicate Nominatives as Modifiers
Using Appositives
as Modifiers
The Genitive Case
Possessive Adjectives
The Dative Case
Key Vocabulary

PART ONE TEST

PART TWO: BUILDING ON FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 6:
Adjectives
Using Adjectives as Modifiers
First/Second Declension Adjectives
Third Declension Adjectives
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 7:
Adverbs and the Ablative Case
Using Adverbs as Modifiers
Neuter Gender
Ablative Case
Using Prepositional Phrases as Modifiers
Ablative Case Uses
Distinguishing Dative and Ablative Forms
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 8:
The Future, Pluperfect, and Future Perfect Tenses
Future Tense
Distinguishing Present and Future Tenses
Function of the Pluperfect and Future Perfect tenses
Pluperfect Tense
Future Perfect Tense
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 9;
When, Whither, Wence, and Where
Talking About Time
Motion Toward, Away, and in Places
Third Declension i-Stem Nouns
Fourth Declension
Fifth Declension
Substantive use of Adjectives
Conjunctions
Synopsis
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 10:
Irregular Verbs
Irregular Verbs
The Irregular Verb possum, posse, potui
The Irregular Verb possum, posse, potui
Using Infinitives
Complementary Infinitives
The Irregular Verb volo, velle, volui
The Irregular Verb nolo, nolle, nolui
Objective Infinitives
Impersonal Verbs
Subjective Infinitives
The Irregular Verb eo, ire, ii, itum
The Irregular Verb fero, ferre, tuli, latum
Prefixes
Key Vocabulary

PART TWO TEST

PART THREE: ADVANCED GRAMMAR
Chapter 11:
Pronouns
More About Personal Pronouns
Demonstrative Adjectives/Pronouns
Reflexive Pronouns
Intensive Adjectives/Pronouns
Relative Pronouns
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 12:
Passive Voice
Grammatical Voice
Passive Voice: Present System Tenses
Passive Voice: Perfect System Tenses
Passive Infinitives
Passive of Irregular Verbs
Ablative of Agent
Middle Voice
Deponent Verbs
Semi-Deponent Verbs
The Irregular Verb fio, fieri, factus sum
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 13:
Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs
Comparison of Adjectives
Comparison of Adverbs
Ablative of Comparison
Ablative of Degree of Difference
The Adverb quam with Adjectives and Adverbs
The Irregular Verb malo, malle, malui
Numerals
Adjectives of Special Declension
Key Vocabulary

Chapter 14:
Giving Commands and Asking Questions
Vocative Case
Imperative Mood
Asking Questions
Dative with Intransitive Verbs
Dative with Compound Verbs
Vocabulary Building
Suffixes
Key Vocabulary
Chapter 15:
Subjunctive Mood
Grammatical Mood
The Imperfect Subjunctive
The Pluperfect Subjunctive
Dependant and Independent Clauses
Cum Clauses
Purpose Clauses
The Present Subjunctive
The Perfect Subjunctive
Sequence of Tense
Result Clauses
Conditions
Independent Uses of the Subjunctive
The Subjunctive After Verbs of Fearing
Key Vocabulary
Chapter 16:
Participles, Gerunds, and Indirect Discourse
Participles
Participial Phrases
Ablatives Absolute
Gerunds
Gerundives
Supines
Indirect Discourse
Indirect Questions
Indirect Commands
Indirect Statements
Perfect and Future Infinitives
Relative Time Value in Indirect Statements
PART THREE TEST
FINAL EXAM
Latin-English Glossary
Answer Key

Biographical note

Richard Prior (Greenville, SC) is an associate professor of classical languages at Furman University. He has written several books on Latin such as The Everything Learning Latin Book (Adams), 501 Latin Verbs (Barron’s), and Latin Verb Drills (McGraw-Hill).