The ablative case is used with a range of prepositions which can refer to either a [i] physical / literal or [ii] non-physical idea i.e. you may come across the terms “figurative” or “transferred” meaning, for example:
[i] “John went out
of the house” i.e. that is what he literally / physically did
[ii] “Get that
idea out of your head” i.e. it
has a transferred meaning equivalent to “forget that idea”
Latin prepositions
can also serve those two functions. These are not all of them, but the ones
most commonly found.
ā / ab: away from
cōram: face to
face; in the presence of
mihi vērō ipsī ¦ cōram
generō meō, propinquō tuō ¦ quae dīcere ausus es?
(Cicero) │ But what was it that you dared to say to me myself, ¦ in the
presence of my son-in-law, your own relation?
cum: (together)
with
dē: (away / down)
from
ē / ex: out of
in: in / on
prae: before; in
front of
prō: before; in
front of
sine: without
sub: under; up to;
close to
The mnemonic
SIDSPACE (the ablative astronaut 😊) is often used as a reminder of the most
common prepositions that take the ablative case:
Sub – In – Dē – Sine – Prō
– Ab / ā – Cum – Ex/ ē
