Nouns

Declension

First-Declension Nouns

Stems and Types of First-Declension Nouns

The first declension is also known as the vocalic declension, since it consists of nouns with a stem historically ending in an ā- and ō-sounds.

The following types of noun belong to the first declension:

• strong: disyllabic nouns or nouns with a heavy penult;
• weak: nouns with a light penult;
• nouns in ⸱-oa.

Nouns in -a

Overview of forms:

strong	cirya	ship
	sg	pl
com.	cirya	ciryar
gen. I	ciryo	ciryaron
gen. II	ciryava	ciryaiva
dat.	ciryan	ciryain
instr.	ciryanen	ciryainen
loc.	ciryasse	ciryassen
abl.	ciryallo	ciryallon1
all.	ciryanna	ciryannar
weak	telluma	dome
	sg	pl
com.	telluma	tellumar
gen. I	tellumo	tellumáron
gen. II	tellumáva	tellumaiva
dat.	telluman	tellumain
instr.	tellumánen	tellumainen
loc.	tellumasse	tellumassen
abl.	tellumallo	tellumallon
all.	tellumanna	tellumannar

A few nouns of the first declension, like erma matter, have historically ended in a short ă-sound. Those belong to the strong declension.

Note

Nouns having in the last syllable ⸱-ra use i-plural instead of r-plural: aura posession — aure possessions.²

Nouns in -o

Overview of forms:

strong	ondo	stone
	sg	pl
com.	ondo	ondor
gen. I	ondo	ondoron
gen. II	ondova	ondoiva
dat.	ondon	ondoin
instr.	ondonen	ondoinen
loc.	ondosse	ondossen
abl.	ondollo	ondollon
all.	ondonna	ondonnar
weak	ontamo	mason
	sg	pl
com.	ontamo	ontamor
gen. I	ontamo	ontamóron
gen. II	ontamóva	ontamoiva
dat.	ontamon	ontamoin
instr.	ontamónen	ontamoinen
loc.	ontamosse	ontamossen
abl.	ontamollo	ontamollon
all.	ontamonna	ontamonnar

Many male names and agental nouns with suffixes ⸱-mo, ⸱-ro belong to the weak declension³: Ulmo — Ulmóva.

Note

Nouns having in the last syllable ⸱-ro (especially unstable agental suffix) use i-plural instead of r-plural: nostaro parent — nostari parents.²

Nouns in -oa

Overview of forms:

	coa	house
	sg	pl
com.	coa	coar
gen. I	cuo4	coaron
gen. II	coava	coaiva
dat.	coan	coain
instr.	coanen	coainen
loc.	coasse	coassen
abl.	coallo	coallon
all.	coanna	coannar

Second-Declension Nouns

Stems and Types of Second-Declension Nouns

The second declension is also known as the e-declension, since it consists of nouns with a stem historically ending in an ē-sound. It is perhaps the most common declension.

The following types of noun belong to the second declension:

• strong nouns in ⸱-e: disyllabic or with a heavy penult;
• strong nouns in ⸱-ye: disyllabic or with a heavy penult;
• their weak variants with a light penult.

Nouns in -e

Overview of forms:

strong	lasse	leaf
	sg	pl
com.	lasse	lassi
gen. I	lasseo	lassion
gen. II	lasseva	lassíva
dat.	lassen	lassin
instr.	lassenen	lassínen
loc.	lassesse	lassissen5
abl.	lassello	lassillon
all.	lassenna	lassinnar
weak	undume	abyss
	sg	pl
com.	undume	undumi
gen. I	undumèo6	undumion
gen. II	unduméva	undumíva
dat.	undumen	undumin
instr.	unduménen	undumínen
loc.	undumesse	undumissen
abl.	undumello	undumillon
all.	undumenna	unduminnar

The nouns containing ⸱⸱-ui- in the root are weak: huine gloom — huinéva, etc.

To-Do

Add the reference to -ui- being extra long.

In some texts forms like nasser natures, venderon of maidens, lasseron of leaves can be found. Those are literary and largely out of use.

Note

Some nouns in ⸱-e irregularly decline like nouns in ⸱-ye, particularly those ending in ⸱-le, ⸱-ve and ⸱-tse: fintaler tricks, tyáver tastes, lotser flowers.

Nouns in -ye and -ie

Overview of forms:

strong	selye	daughter
	sg	pl
com.	selye	selyer
gen. I	selyo7	selyeron
gen. II	selyeva	selyéva
dat.	selyen	selyéna8
instr.	selyenen	selyénen
loc.	selyesse	selyessen
abl.	selyello	selyellon
all.	selyenna	selyennar
weak	tyalie	mirth
	sg	pl
com.	tyalie	tyalier
gen. I	tyalio9	tyaliéron
gen. II	tyaliéva	tyaliéva10
dat.	tyalien	tyaliéna
instr.	tyaliénen	tyaliénen10
loc.	tyaliesse	tyaliessen
abl.	tyaliello	tyaliellon
all.	tyalienna	tyaliennar

Disyllabic nouns in ⸱-ie are strong: tie path — tieva, etc.

Note

Abstract nouns can have epenthetic ⸱⸱-n- in common, genitive-partitive and dative: márie happiness — máriéno, máriéna.

Third-Declension Nouns

Stems and Types of Third-Declension Nouns

The third declension is also known as the semivocalic declension, since it consists of nouns with a stem historically ending in short ĭ- and ŭ-sounds, syllabic or non-syllabic.

The following types of noun belong to the third declension:

• nouns in ⸱-ë, which show ⸱⸱-i- in inflection;
• nouns in ⸱-ö, which show ⸱⸱-u- in inflection;
• their weak variants.

Nouns in -ë

Overview of forms:

strong	súrë	wind
	sg	pl
com.	súrë	súri
gen. I	súryo	súrion
gen. II	súriva	súríva
dat.	súryen11	súrin
instr.	súrinen	súrínen
loc.	súrisse	súrissen
abl.	súrillo	súrillon
all.	súrinna	súrinnar
weak	lindë	song
	sg	pl
com.	lindë	lindi
gen. I	lindio	lindion
gen. II	lindiva	lindíva
dat.	lindin	lindína
instr.	lindinen	lindínen
loc.	lindisse	lindissen
abl.	lindillo	lindillon
all.	lindinna	lindinnar

Nouns in -ö

Overview of forms:

strong	ruscö	fox
	sg	pl
com.	ruscö	rusqui
gen. I	rusquo	rusquion
gen. II	ruscuva	rusquiva
dat.	rusquen11	rusquin
instr.	ruscunen	rusquínen
loc.	ruscusse	ruscussen
abl.	ruscullo	ruscullon
all.	ruscunna	ruscunnar
weak	luppö	lump
	sg	pl
com.	luppö	luppuvi
gen. I	luppuo	luppuron
gen. II	luppuva	luppuiva
dat.	luppun	luppuin
instr.	luppunen	luppuinen
loc.	luppusse	luppussen
abl.	luppullo	luppullon
all.	luppunna	luppunnar

Note

Weak nouns might have plural forms of the first declension: macsö mire — macsor.

Caution

Words of this declension originally tend to be reanalyzed as belonging to the first and second declension respectively¹²: taurisse > tauresse, languen > langon.

Fourth-Declension Nouns

Stems and Types of Fourth-Declension Nouns

The fourth declension is also known as the animate declension.

The following types of noun belong to the fourth declension:

• masculine nouns in ⸱-u;
• feminine nouns in ⸱-i.

Overview of forms:

masculine	ainu	angel
	sg	pl
com.	ainu	ainur
gen. I	ainuo	ainúron
gen. II	ainúva	ainuiva
dat.	ainun	ainuin
instr.	ainúnen	ainuinen
loc.	ainusse	ainussen
abl.	ainullo	ainullon
all.	ainunna	ainunnar
feminine	tári	queen
	sg	pl
com.	tári	tárir
gen. I	tário	tárion
gen. II	táríva	táríva
dat.	tárin	tárin13
instr.	tárínen	tárínen
loc.	tárisse	tárissen
abl.	tárillo	tárillon
all.	tárinna	tárinnar

Note

Nouns in ⸱-ru have i-plural: veru husband — veruvi, veruion.

Note

Some nouns in ⸱-i permit r-plural genitive: quendi woman — quendir, quendíron.

Fifth-Declension Nouns

Stems and Types of Fifth-Declension Nouns

All fifth-declension nouns have a stem ending in a consonant.

Although the endings used are generally the same throughout the entire declension (for exceptions, see the individual sections below), a number of different subtypes of the fifth declension are distinguished. The differences between these types largely depend on two factors:

• (type of) the consonant in which the stem ends;
• length of the vowel in the stem.

It is often impossible to derive the stem of a fifth-declension noun (and thus the exact pattern of that noun’s declension) from the common singular alone: the genitive is required to determine which subtype the noun belongs to. Compare, for example:

n-base	aran	king
	sg	pl
com.	aran	arani
gen. I	arano	aranion
gen. II	aranwa	araníva
dat.	aranen	aranin
instr.	aranwen	aranínen
loc.	aranesse	aranissen
abl.	aranello	aranillon
all.	aranna	arannar
nd-base	vilwarin	butterfly
	sg	pl
com.	vilwarin	vilwarindi
gen. I	vilwarindo	vilwarindion
gen. II	vilwarindua	vilwarindíva
dat.	vilwarinden	vilwarindin
instr.	vilwarindanen	vilwarindínen
loc.	vilwarindesse	vilwarindissen
abl.	vilwarindello	vilwarindillon
all.	vilwarindenna	vilwarindinnar
nt-base	oron	mountain
	sg	pl
com.	oron	oronti
gen. I	oronto	orontion
gen. II	orontua	orontíva
dat.	oronten	orontin
instr.	orontanen	orontínen
loc.	orontesse	orontissen
abl.	orontello	orontillon
all.	orontenna	orontinnar

Overview of Bases

• if common singular ends in ⸱-n, the base might be ⸱⸱-nd-, ⸱⸱-nt-, ⸱⸱-ng-, ⸱⸱-m-, ⸱⸱-mb-;
• if common singular ends in ⸱-s, the base might be ⸱⸱-ss-, ⸱⸱-st-, ⸱⸱-cs-, ⸱⸱-ts-, ⸱⸱-ps-;
• if common singular ends in ⸱-t, the base might be ⸱⸱-c-, ⸱⸱-p-, ⸱⸱-ct-;
• if common singular ends in ⸱-r, the base might be ⸱⸱-rd-, ⸱⸱-rt-;
• if common singular ends in ⸱-l, the base might be ⸱-ld-.

Note

In Late Quenya¹⁴ final ⸱-t became ⸱-s, and subtypes (2) and (3) merged into one large group.

Assimilated and Other Special Forms

Nouns with simple bases have some distinct endings in the singular:

• bases on ⸱-m have genitive-adjective in ⸱-nwa, instrumental in ⸱-mnen;
• bases on ⸱-n have genitive-adjective in ⸱-nwa, instrumental in ⸱-nwen, allative in ⸱-nna;
• bases on ⸱-l have genitive-adjective in ⸱-lwa, instrumental in ⸱-lmen, ablative in ⸱-llo;
• bases on ⸱-r have genitive-adjective in ⸱-rwa, instrumental in ⸱-rmen;
• bases on ⸱-s have genitive-adjective in ⸱-rwa, instrumental in ⸱-rmen, locative in ⸱-sse;
• bases on ⸱-t have instrumental in ⸱-twen.

To-Do

-tya genitive-adjective of PE21

In addition to those, for some old nouns it is possible to encounter similar forms in other cases, which are, however, rarely used in later speech:

• in ablative:
  • bases on ⸱-n, ⸱-r and ⸱-s can have ⸱-llo;
  • bases on ⸱-m can have ⸱-lmo;
• in locative:
  • bases on ⸱-l, ⸱-n and ⸱-r can have ⸱-lde, ⸱-nde and ⸱-rde;
  • bases on ⸱-l and ⸱-t can have ⸱-lse and ⸱-tse;
• in allative:
  • bases on ⸱-l can have ⸱-lda.

Monosyllabic Nouns

Monosyllabic nouns belonging to fifth declension can be divided into groups:

• strong nouns which keep long stem;
• weak nouns which keep short stem;
• mixed nouns which have long stem in common, but otherwise short.

Overview of forms:

strong	mól	slave
	sg	pl
com.	mól	móli
gen. I	mólo	mólion
gen. II	mólua	mólíva
dat.	mólen	mólin
instr.	mólanen15	mólínen
loc.	mólosse	mólissen16
abl.	mólollo	mólillon
all.	mólonna	mólinnar
weak	cas	head
	sg	pl
com.	cas	cari
gen. I	caro	carion
gen. II	carwa	caríva
dat.	caren	carin
instr.	carmen	carínen
loc.	carasse	carissen
abl.	carallo	carillon
all.	caranna	carinnar
mixed	tál	foot
	sg	pl
com.	ta́l	tali
gen. I	talo	talion
gen. II	talwa	talíva
dat.	talen	talin
instr.	talmen	talínen
loc.	talasse	talissen
abl.	talallo	talillon
all.	talanna	talinnar

Caution

Nouns that appear monosyllabic in common singular might have a base with a cluster: nís woman — nissi, tol island — tolli. They follow the polysyllabic declension.

Note

Sometimes adverbial cases allow two forms: short assimilated (talse on foot) or long proper (talasse on foot). The former are crystalized adverbs, and the latter are typically used with a specific noun. The difference might be vague at times.

Sixth-Declension Nouns

Stems and Types of Sixth-Declension Nouns

All sixth-declension nouns are irregular vocalic nouns.

The first group includes monosyllabic nouns that have a stem ending in a vowel. These nouns decline as nouns of either first or fourth declension, but are often defective and extended to disyllabic forms.

	fá17	breath
	sg	pl
com.	fá	fár
gen. I	fáo	fáron
gen. II	fáva	fáiva
dat.	fán	fáin
instr.	fánen	fáinen
loc.	fásse	fássen
abl.	fállo	fállon
all.	fánna	fánnar

The second group includes nouns that end in a consonant in common case, but decline as vocalic nouns.

Danger

nóre declines as tál per PE17/106

	nór18	land
	sg	pl
com.	nór	nóri
gen. I	nóreo	nórion
gen. II	nóreva	nóríva
dat.	nóren	nórin
instr.	nórenen	nórínen
loc.	nóresse	nórissen
abl.	nórello	nórillon
all.	nórenna	nórinnar

Derivation

Under construction

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Footnotes

1. With alternative euphonic variant -llor. This is applicable to ablative plural in general. ↩

2. To avoid unpreferrable rVr sequence. Plural on -e is not controversial, appearing in [DN4], [DN5b], [DN5c], and generally agreeing with a behaviour of the final -ai in OP1 and plural adjectives. The situation with -oi is more obscure: [DN5] suggested -oi > -o, while [OP1] — -oi# > -ui# [PE19/66]. However, [PE19/63] indicates that -ui# > -ue, -uvi. Alternative of -oi# > -i# from [PE19/66] is also possible, thus making unstable -r(o) regular. The last choice is used here. ↩ ↩²

3. Such explanation for Ulmóva is given in [PE21/8]. ↩

4. Supposedly, kawā-ō > kawō > köo > kuo. Alternative form có from kawā-ō > koa-ō > köo > kō has been proposed before, and both could coexist [PE21/40]. ↩

5. Classically, lassessen, etc, as per PD. The change is first suggested in [DN5b], but supported by such later examples as lúmissen at times. ↩

6. Alternatively, undumo. The position of the stress is debatable, but here I follow [PE21/41] and mark atypical stress with a grave accent. On undumo, cf [3]. ↩

7. Considering AQ plural lassio (from a regular change ei-o > io), I assume in agreement with [PE21/7] a singular form lasso. It is expected that genitive-partitive -o was originally replacing final vowels of the first and second declensions (thus we don’t see -uo in nouns on -o), similar to dual -u. From this perspective I find early forms of DN4 and DN5 on -yo and -io fitting LQ paradigm. ↩

8. In DN6 we find plural dative on -ino. This form seems to be its suitable update, taking long dative into account. ↩

9. tyalièo is attested in [PE17/72]. However, whether it was a fixed idea is debatable (particularly in having three vowels in hiatus, cf. the Note below), as well as what is its stress patern, is unclear. ↩

10. Despite these plural forms being distinct in DN4 and DN5, iei > iai change seems to be solidly discarded, and syncretism is unavoidable. ↩ ↩²

11. Alternatively, súrin, ruscun, etc. Perhaps one of the most contentious positions of all the charts. On more detailed reasoning for this choice, see [TBD]. ↩ ↩²

12. First discussed in DN4, this is strongly supported by Tolkien’s, most probably unintentional, change of historical forms: compare [PE21/76] and [PE17/92] for one instance. Instead of discarding semivocalic forms, here such instances are treated as later analogies and reinterpretations. ↩

13. Alternatively, tárína, but the same form can be used in singular. A disambiguation with plural epenthetic -n (tárínan) seems possible [cf TBD]. ↩

14. At least post-Exile, but perhaps even limited to Gondorian usage [cf TBD]. ↩

15. Or molmen. ↩

16. Originally molossen. However, it is possible that the same time lassessen > lassissen change happened, consonantal declension did so as well. Here done to bridge with DN4 forms. ↩

17. Beside regular foa. ↩

18. Beside regular nóre. ↩