Which Latin case is commonly used for the subject of a sentence?

The nominative case is the primary grammatical case used to indicate the subject of a sentence in Latin. This is crucial because the subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that is performing the action of the verb. In Latin sentences, the nominative case allows for a clear understanding of who or what is acting. For example, in the sentence "Puella cantat" ("The girl sings"), "puella" is in the nominative case, identifying the subject performing the action of singing.

In contrast, the other cases serve different grammatical roles. The accusative case typically marks the direct object of a verb, which is the receiver of the action. The vocative case is used for direct address, calling someone directly. The dative case is used to indicate the indirect object, often denoting to whom or for whom something is given or done. Understanding the function of the nominative case is fundamental in Latin, as it establishes the subject that drives the narrative or action in a sentence.