singular and plural

puella ad Circum festīnat.

A girl hurries to the Circus.

puellae ad Circum festīnant.

The girls hurry to the Circus.

amīcus Sabīnam salūtat.

A friend greets Sabina.

amīcī Iūliam salūtant.

The friends greet Julia.

fūr labōrat.

A thief is working.

fūrēs labōrant.

The thieves are working.

In Latin, the endings of both the nominative noun and the verb indicate whether one person or more than one person is carrying out an action.

If one person is doing something, Latin uses the nominative singular (puella, amīcus, fūr). If more than one person is doing something, Latin uses the nominative plural (puellae, amīcī, fūrēs).

first declension

puella

puellae

second declension

amicus

amici

third declension

fur

fures

Notice that the -nt ending of the verb also indicates that more than one person is carrying out the action:

puellae festīnant.

The girls are hurrying.

iuvenēs clāmant.

The young people are shouting.

frātrēs bibunt.

The brothers are drinking.

Note the use of sunt in the following sentences.

amīcī nōn sunt laetī.

The friends are not happy.

senēs sunt in popinā.

The old men are in the bar.