All nouns in the first declension end in -a and (with very few exceptions) have the same set of endings. In the table below puella girl is declined. Notice that the endings are added to the stem puell-, which is invariable.

Notes
1 Latin does not have either a definite or an indefinite article (in English the and a/ an). Puella can mean either a girl or the girl according to the context.

2 Some endings (-a, -ae, -īs) have more than one function. The context will always show which function is involved.

3 Most nouns of the first declension are feminine. The few masculines are almost always terms involving male occupations, e.g. nauta sailor, agricola farmer. Incola inhabitant can be either masculine or feminine.