Common nouns use the unmarked root. Names of males may end in -e: (Hercules), (Achilles), (Titus); of females, in -i, -a, or -u: (Juno), (Minerva), or . Names of gods may end in -s: , ; or they may be the unmarked stem ending in a vowel or consonant: (Apollo), (Bacchus), or . Genitive case The genitive case had two main functions in Etruscan: the usual meaning of possession (along with other forms of dependency such as family relations), and it could also mark the recipient (indirect object) in votive inscriptions. Pallottino defines two declensions based on whether the genitive ends in -s/-ś or -l. In the -s group are most noun stems ending in a vowel or a consonant: /', /. In the second are names of females ending in i and names of males that end in s, th or n: /', /', /. After l or r -us instead of -s appears: /. Otherwise, a vowel might be placed before the ending: instead of . According to Rex Wallace, "A few nouns could be inflected with both types of endings without any difference in meaning. Consider, for example, the genitives 'fortress (?)' and . Why this should be the case is not clear." There is a patronymic ending: -sa or -isa, 'son of', but the ordinary genitive might serve that purpose. In the genitive case, morphological redetermination becomes elaborate. Given two male names, Vel and Avle, means 'Vel son of Avle'. This expression in the genitive become Vel-uś Avles-la. Pallottino's example of a three-suffix form is . Dative case Besides the usual function as indirect object ('to/for'), this case could be used as the agent ('by') in passive clauses, and occasionally as a locative. The dative ending is -si: /. (Wallace uses the term 'pertinentive' for this case.) Locative case The locative ending is -θi: /. Plural number Nouns semantically [+human] had the plural marking -ar : , 'son', as , 'sons'. This shows both umlaut and an ending -ar. Plurals for cases other than nominative are made by agglutinating the case ending on . Nouns semantically [-human] used the plural -chve or one of its variants: -cva or -va: 'year', 'years'; ' (pig?)‐offering', '''zusle‐offerings'.
Common nOUns use THE UnMaRkEd root Names of maleS May enD IN -e (HercULes) (aChIlles) (TiTus); oF femaLEs in -i -A or -u (JuNo) (MIneRva) Or  naMEs Of godS May END iN -s  ; oR They may bE the UNMaRked stEM ENdinG in a VoweL or cOnsonaNT (ApolLo) (BaCCHUs) or  GeNitiVe CAsE tHe GenitiVE cASe had tWo main fuNctIoNs In etrUscan tHe usual meaninG of pOssEsSIoN (Along wiTh otHer FORms of dEpeNDeNcY Such as family ReLATions) And it CouLd also Mark thE rEcipienT (inDIreCt oBject) IN votIvE insCriptions pallOttino dEfineS TwO decLeNSions bAsed on whetHer the genitiVe Ends in -s/-Ś or -l iN the -s GrOuP ARe moSt nouN StEms endiNg In a VOwel or a consonanT /' / in the SEcond aRE nAmes OF femaLES ENDiNg In i And names oF males tHat end In S th oR N /' /' / AftEr l OR r -us insteaD of -s appearS / oThErwisE a VoweL MIght Be plaCEd befoRe the endING inSteAd Of  aCcordInG to Rex waLlaCE "a Few nouns COuld be iNflecteD WitH boTH typEs of endiNgs Without any difFerEnce in Meaning cOnSider for exAmple the gEnitives 'fORTrEss ()' AnD  wHy tHis sHould Be The Case Is nOt cLear" tHeRe is a patRonYmIc ending -sa Or -isa 'SOn of' But the ordinAry GEniTive migHt Serve tHaT pUrpoSe in thE genItivE caSE MorPhological reDEterminatIOn beCoMes ELabOraTe Given TwO mAlE nAmes vel And Avle meAnS 'vel soN oF aVle' thIs EXpression iN THe gEnitive BEcOmE vEl-uś avles-la paLLotTino'S ExAmpLe oF A thRee-SUfFix Form is  dative cAsE BeSideS The usuAl FUNction as inDiRecT oBJeCt ('to/fOR') ThIs caSE CoUld bE uSED aS tHe aGent ('by') in pasSive ClAuseS And occasionAlLy as a loCaTiVe the datiVE eNDing is -si / (wallaCe usEs the teRm 'pErtInEntive' fOr tHis CAse) lOcaTiVe caSe The lOcatiVE eNDing Is -ΘI / PlUral nuMber nouns seMaNtically [+human] had tHE pluRAL maRKInG -aR   'Son' as  'SONs' thIS sHowS boTH uMLaut and An EnDING -aR PLurals FOR caseS oTher thAn NoMinAtive Are madE bY AgGLutinatiNg the cASe endINg oN  NOunS SeMantICallY [-human] uSEd thE pluraL -cHVE oR oNe of its vAriantS -cVA Or -va 'year' 'YEArs'; ' (PiG)‐OFfErIng' '''zuslE‐oFferIngS'