The Ablative Absolute

The Ablative Absolute is always a dependent clause within a larger sentence.

The Ablative Absolute almost always consists of an ablative noun and an ablative participle.

The subject of the main sentence is never the subject of the Ablative Absolute.

The Ablative Absolute often, but not always, opens a sentence.

The Ablative Absolute often, but not always, is set off by commas.

The Ablative Absolute may have other words in between the ablative noun and the ablative participle; these words will be used with the Ablative Absolute.

The noun endings for all the ablatives are as follows:

The participle endings for all the ablatives are as follows:

The ablative noun is the subject of the clause and will usually come first.

The ablative participle is the verb of the clause and will usually come last.

Supply a: “with,” “when,” “as,” “while,” “after,” or “since” before translating the noun. “With will almost always work but often sounds uncomfortable in English.

Translate any other words withing the clause as you would normally.

ianua clausa, abire clientes coeperunt