Ablative (Latin)

In Latin grammar, the ablative case (in Latin, "cāsus ablātīvus") is one of the six cases of nouns. Traditionally, it is the sixth case (Latin: "cāsus sextus, cāsus latīnus"). It has forms and functions derived from the Proto-Indo-European ablative, instrumental, and locative. It expresses concepts similar to those of the English prepositions "from"; "with", "by"; and "in", "at". It is sometimes called the adverbial case, since phrases in the ablative can be translated as adverbs: "incrēdibilī celeritāte", "with incredible speed", or "very quickly"
Uses.
Ablative proper.
Some uses of the ablative descend from the Proto-Indo-European ablative case.
Instrumental ablative.
Some uses of the ablative descend from the Proto-Indo-European instrumental case.
Locative ablative.
Some meanings of the ablative descend from the Proto-Indo-European locative case.
Ablative with prepositions.
The ablative case is very frequently used with prepositions, for example "out of the city", "with him". Four prepositions ("in" "in/into", "sub" "under/to the foot of", "subter" "under", "super" "over") may take either an accusative or an ablative. In the case of the first two, the accusative indicates motion, and the ablative indicates no motion. For instance, "in urbe" means "in the city"; "in urbem", "into the city". In the case of "super", the accusative means "above" or "over", and the ablative means "concerning".
The prepositions which are followed by the ablative case are the following:
See also: SIDSPACE