Locative case

In grammar, the locative case (/ˈlɒkətɪv/ LOK-ə-tiv; abbreviated loc) is a special form of a word that tells us about a place. When a language uses the locative case, it helps show where something is located. This is similar to how we use words like "in," "on," "at," and "by" in English.

The locative case is part of a group of cases called the local cases. It works together with the lative and the ablative case. Many different languages around the world have a locative case to help express ideas about location.

Indo-European languages

The Proto-Indo-European language had a way to show "place where" something is. This is called the locative case. In languages that use it, this case can show locations like "in," "on," or "at."

Many later Indo-European languages changed this case or mixed it with others. But some kept it as a special way to show location. It is found in:

• modern Balto-Slavic languages, except Bulgarian and Macedonian
• some classical Indo-European languages, like Sanskrit and Old Latin
• some modern Indic languages, like Bangla and Marathi

Latin

Old Latin had a working way to show location. But in Classical Latin, this changed. The locative case was mostly used for names of cities, small islands, and a few other words.

Greek

In Ancient Greek, the way to show location mixed with another case. This mix is called the dative.

Germanic languages

The way to show location mixed with another case in early Germanic languages. This mix is still used today.

Sanskrit

In Sanskrit, the locative case is called the "seventh case." It is used to show "in," "on," "at," and other locations.

Slavic languages

In Slavic languages, the locative case is often used with certain words to show location. It can also show how something is done, when it happens, or what something is about.

Old Slavic

In Old Church Slavonic, the locative case was used with words to show time or how something was done.

Czech

The Czech language uses the locative case to show location, like "in the Czech Republic." It is also used with words to talk about topics.

Slovak

The Slovak language uses the locative case to show location, like "in Slovakia." It is also used with words to talk about topics.

Polish

The Polish language has different ways to show the locative case, depending on the ending of the word.

Russian

In Russian, the locative case is mostly used after certain words to show location. Some words still keep a special form for this case.

Ukrainian

The Ukrainian language uses the locative case to show location, like "on a book." It is used to talk about where things are or what people are thinking about.

Armenian

In the Armenian language, non-animate objects use a special ending to show location. People do not use this special ending.

For example:

• համալսարանը (the university) → համալսարանում (in/at the university)
• ճաշարան (a restaurant) → ճաշարանում (in/at a restaurant)

Turkic languages

The Proto-Turkic language had a special way to show location, and most Turkic languages still use this today.

Turkish

In Turkish, there is a special ending called the locative case. For example, okul means "the school," and okulda means "in the school." This ending changes a little depending on the sounds before it, creating four different forms:

• -ta, as in kitapta, "in the book".
• -te, as in kentte, "in the city".
• -da, as in odada, "in the room".
• -de, as in evde, "in the house".

Azerbaijani

Azerbaijani also uses a locative case. It has two main endings:

• -da, as in kitabda, "in the book".
• -də, as in şəhərdə, "in the city".

Kazakh

In Kazakh, the locative case works similarly. It has four main endings:

• -та, as in кітапта, kitapta, "in the book".
• -те, as in сөздікте, sözdikte, "in the dictionary".
• -да, as in қалада, qalada, "in the city".
• -де, as in бөлмеде, bölmede, "in the room".

Kazakh nouns can also show ownership. When this happens, the locative endings change to:

• -нда, as in Ерболдың қаласында, Erboldıñ qalasında, "in Erbol's city".
• -нде, as in Ерболдың сөздігінде, Erboldıñ sözdiginde, "in Erbol's dictionary".

Uyghur

Uyghur uses the locative case like Turkish, with four endings:

• -دا‎ -da, as in مەيداندا meydanda, "in the square".
• -دە‎ -de, as in ئۆيدە öyde, "in the house".
• -تا‎ -ta, as in ئاپتاپتا aptapta, "in the sunshine".
• -تە‎ -te, as in دەرستە derste, "in the lesson".

Uzbek

The locative case is also used in Uzbek. For example, shahar means "city," and shaharda means "in the city," using the -da ending.

Uralic languages

Proto-Uralic used a special way to show location, ending in *-na_ or *-nä_, matching vowel sounds. Many languages from this family added more ways to show location by mixing these endings with others.

In Inari Sami, the word ending for location is -st, like in kielâst meaning "in the language" or kieđast meaning "in the hand".

The Hungarian language has nine special word endings, but the true "locative case" is only used in a few place names and some local words. For example, town names like Győrött and Pécsett use this form.

In Finnic languages, an old way to show location changed into a different form, but we still see it in some fixed phrases like the Finnish kotona, meaning "at home". Two new ways to show location were made: one for being inside something and another for being on or at something. These endings are still used in Finnish but simplified in Estonian.

Finnic languages, similar to some others, don’t use a verb like "have" to show ownership. Instead, they use a special case and the verb "to be". For example, in Estonian, "I have a house" is said as Mul on maja, which literally means "At me is a house".

Etruscan

The Etruscan language uses a special ending to show location, like adding "-thi" to the end of a word. For example, the word velsnalthi means "at Velznani" and refers to the place Volsinii.

Algonquian languages

Algonquian languages use a special way to show where something is located. This is called the locative case.

Cree

In Cree, they add a special ending called -ihk to show location. For example:

• misâskwatômin (Saskatoon berry) becomes misâskwatôminihk (at the Saskatoon berry) = "[in] Saskatoon, SK"
• misâskwatôminiskâ- (be many Saskatoon berries) becomes misâskwatôminiskâhk (at the place of many Saskatoon berries) = "[in] Saskatoon, SK"
• mînis (berry) becomes mînisihk (at the berry) = "[in] Saskatoon, SK"

Innu-aimun

In Innu-aimun, they add the ending -(i)t to show location. For example:

• shipu (river) becomes shipit (at the river)
• katshishkutamatsheutshuap (school) becomes katshishkutamatsheutshuapit (at school)
• nuitsheuakan (my friend) becomes nuitsheuakanit (at my friend's house)
• nipi (water) becomes nipit (in the water)
• utenau (town) becomes utenat (in town)