← Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
Today we study the preposition ā/ab/abs meaning "from" or "by". This preposition takes the ablative case and is particularly important in expressing agency with passive verbs.
19.1 The letter epistula comes venit from ā Rome Rōmā
19.2 The slave servus flees fugit from ab the master dominō
19.3 The shepherd pāstor leads dūcit the sheep ovēs from ā the mountains montibus
19.4 The army exercitus withdraws discedit from ab the city urbe
19.5 The temple templum is seen vidētur from ā the hill colle
19.6 The boy puer receives accipit money pecūniam from ā father patre
19.7 The bread pānis is bought emitur from ā the baker pīstore
19.8 The students discipulī learn discunt from ā the teacher magistrō
19.9 The ship nāvis sails nāvigat from ab the harbor portū
19.10 The bird avis flies volat from ab the tree arbore
19.11 The book liber is written scrībitur by ā the poet poētā
19.12 The sword gladius is taken capitur from ab the enemy hoste
19.13 The girl puella receives accipit gifts dōna from ab friends amīcīs
19.14 The fish piscis swims natat from ā the shore lītore
19.15 The house domus is guarded custōdītur by ā dogs canibus
19.1 Epistula ā Rōmā venit. The letter comes from Rome.
19.2 Servus ab dominō fugit. The slave flees from the master.
19.3 Pāstor ovēs ā montibus dūcit. The shepherd leads the sheep from the mountains.
19.4 Exercitus ab urbe discedit. The army withdraws from the city.
19.5 Templum ā colle vidētur. The temple is seen from the hill.
19.6 Puer pecūniam ā patre accipit. The boy receives money from father.
19.7 Pānis ā pīstore emitur. The bread is bought from the baker.
19.8 Discipulī ā magistrō discunt. The students learn from the teacher.
19.9 Nāvis ab portū nāvigat. The ship sails from the harbor.
19.10 Avis ab arbore volat. The bird flies from the tree.
19.11 Liber ā poētā scrībitur. The book is written by the poet.
19.12 Gladius ab hoste capitur. The sword is taken from the enemy.
19.13 Puella dōna ab amīcīs accipit. The girl receives gifts from friends.
19.14 Piscis ā lītore natat. The fish swims from the shore.
19.15 Domus ā canibus custōdītur. The house is guarded by dogs.
19.1 Epistula ā Rōmā venit.
19.2 Servus ab dominō fugit.
19.3 Pāstor ovēs ā montibus dūcit.
19.4 Exercitus ab urbe discedit.
19.5 Templum ā colle vidētur.
19.6 Puer pecūniam ā patre accipit.
19.7 Pānis ā pīstore emitur.
19.8 Discipulī ā magistrō discunt.
19.9 Nāvis ab portū nāvigat.
19.10 Avis ab arbore volat.
19.11 Liber ā poētā scrībitur.
19.12 Gladius ab hoste capitur.
19.13 Puella dōna ab amīcīs accipit.
19.14 Piscis ā lītore natat.
19.15 Domus ā canibus custōdītur.
For English speakers learning Latin, ā/ab/abs has several important features: -
Forms: -
ā: used before consonants -
ab: used before vowels and h -
abs: rare, mainly in compounds -
Case Usage: -
Always takes the ablative case -
Shows separation or source ("from") -
Indicates agency with passive verbs ("by") -
Common Contexts: -
Physical movement away from something -
Source or origin -
Agent of passive verbs -
Separation or difference -
Word Order: -
Usually appears directly before its object -
Forms a prepositional phrase -
Can be separated for emphasis
For English speakers, understanding ā/ab/abs requires cultural context: -
Roman Spatial Concepts: -
Romans were precise about direction and movement -
Important in military and civil administration -
Essential for legal documents -
Social Relations: -
Used to show relationships between people -
Important in expressing hierarchy -
Common in formal and legal language -
Literary Usage: -
Frequent in historical writing -
Essential in passive constructions -
Common in poetry for emotional distance -
Modern Parallels: -
Similar to English "from" but more precise -
Used like English "by" with passive voice -
Important in derived words (e.g., "abstract")
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
From Augustine's "Confessions" (1.1):
Great Magnus are you es, O Lord Domine, and et greatly valde to be praised laudābilis; great magna is est your power virtūs and et of --- your wisdom sapientiae there is est no nōn number numerus.
Magnus es, Domine, et valde laudābilis; magna est virtūs tua et sapientiae tuae nōn est numerus. Great are you, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is your power and of your wisdom there is no number.
This opening of Augustine's Confessions demonstrates the author's mastery of Latin style while expressing Christian devotion. The parallelism between the two halves of the sentence emphasizes God's greatness.
-
Magnus: nominative masculine singular agreeing with implied tu -
Laudābilis: verbal adjective showing necessity -
Sapientiae: genitive case showing possession -
Est: linking verb used twice in parallel structure
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
19.16 Grace grātia comes venit from ā God Deō the Father Patre
19.17 Salvation salūs comes venit from ab the Lord Dominō
19.18 The priest sacerdōs receives accipit strength virtūtem from ā the Holy Spirit Spīritū Sānctō
19.19 The faithful fidēlēs seek petunt mercy misericordiam from ā Christ Christō
19.20 Wisdom sapientia descends dēscendit from ā heaven caelō
19.21 The Church Ecclēsia is guided dūcitur by ā the Spirit Spīritū
19.22 Blessings benedīctiōnēs flow fluunt from ab the altar altārī
19.23 The prayers ōrātiōnēs rise ascendunt from ab earth terrā
19.24 Peace pāx is given datur by ā the Lord Dominō
19.25 The Gospel Evangelium is proclaimed prōclāmātur by ā the deacon diāconō
19.26 The sins peccāta are forgiven remittuntur by ā God Deō
19.27 The blessing benedīctiō is received accipitur from ab the bishop epīscopō
19.28 Light lūx shines fulget from ā heaven caelō
19.29 The faithful fidēlēs depart discēdunt from ab the church ecclēsiā
19.30 Hope spēs comes venit from ā the Lord Dominō
19.16 Grātia ā Deō Patre venit. Grace comes from God the Father.
19.17 Salūs ab Dominō venit. Salvation comes from the Lord.
19.18 Sacerdōs virtūtem ā Spīritū Sānctō accipit. The priest receives strength from the Holy Spirit.
19.19 Fidēlēs misericordiam ā Christō petunt. The faithful seek mercy from Christ.
19.20 Sapientia ā caelō dēscendit. Wisdom descends from heaven.
19.21 Ecclēsia ā Spīritū dūcitur. The Church is guided by the Spirit.
19.22 Benedīctiōnēs ab altārī fluunt. Blessings flow from the altar.
19.23 Ōrātiōnēs ab terrā ascendunt. The prayers rise from earth.
19.24 Pāx ā Dominō datur. Peace is given by the Lord.
19.25 Evangelium ā diāconō prōclāmātur. The Gospel is proclaimed by the deacon.
19.26 Peccāta ā Deō remittuntur. The sins are forgiven by God.
19.27 Benedīctiō ab epīscopō accipitur. The blessing is received from the bishop.
19.28 Lūx ā caelō fulget. Light shines from heaven.
19.29 Fidēlēs ab ecclēsiā discēdunt. The faithful depart from the church.
19.30 Spēs ā Dominō venit. Hope comes from the Lord.
19.16 Grātia ā Deō Patre venit.
19.17 Salūs ab Dominō venit.
19.18 Sacerdōs virtūtem ā Spīritū Sānctō accipit.
19.19 Fidēlēs misericordiam ā Christō petunt.
19.20 Sapientia ā caelō dēscendit.
19.21 Ecclēsia ā Spīritū dūcitur.
19.22 Benedīctiōnēs ab altārī fluunt.
19.23 Ōrātiōnēs ab terrā ascendunt.
19.24 Pāx ā Dominō datur.
19.25 Evangelium ā diāconō prōclāmātur.
19.26 Peccāta ā Deō remittuntur.
19.27 Benedīctiō ab epīscopō accipitur.
19.28 Lūx ā caelō fulget.
19.29 Fidēlēs ab ecclēsiā discēdunt.
19.30 Spēs ā Dominō venit.
In Christian Latin texts, ā/ab shows several special uses: -
Divine Agency: -
Regularly used to show God as the source -
Often with verbs of giving, blessing, forgiving -
Frequently in passive constructions -
Spiritual Movement: -
Shows movement from heaven to earth -
Indicates spiritual origins -
Expresses divine causation -
Liturgical Usage: -
Common in prayer formulas -
Used in blessing formulas -
Important in sacramental language -
Word Order in Religious Texts: -
Often more formal than classical Latin -
May show Hebrew influence through Greek -
Special emphasis patterns for sacred concepts
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
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