Formula iusiurandum continet.

Because formula is in the nominative singular, which is the case normally used for the subject of a sentence.

Here, continet means contains, so we need something that contains something else. Formula is the thing doing the action, so it is the subject: the formula.

Also, continet is third-person singular, so it matches a singular subject.

Here iusiurandum is the direct object of continet: it is the thing being contained.

A useful point for learners: iusiurandum is a neuter noun, and in Latin neuter nominative and accusative singular are identical. So the form iusiurandum could be either nominative or accusative depending on context.

In this sentence, context makes it accusative:

• formula is the subject
• continet needs an object
• so iusiurandum is the object

Continet is:

• present tense
• active voice
• indicative mood
• third person singular

Its dictionary form is contineo, continere, meaning to contain, hold, or keep together.

So continet means he/she/it contains.
In this sentence, it means it contains, referring to formula.

Latin has no articles. There is no separate word for the, a, or an.

So formula can mean:

• a formula
• the formula

and iusiurandum can mean:

• an oath
• the oath

Which one sounds best in English depends on context. Latin leaves that to the reader or listener.

Yes. Formula iusiurandum continet follows a very common Latin order:

subject + object + verb

That is a very normal prose pattern in Latin, especially with the verb at the end.

Latin word order is more flexible than English because the case endings show the grammatical roles. So other orders are possible, but this one is perfectly standard.

Yes, often they could.

Because Latin marks grammatical function with endings, these would still have the same basic meaning:

• Iusiurandum formula continet
• Continet formula iusiurandum

However, the emphasis or style may change. The original order, with the verb last, is the most straightforward and typical.

Yes. English formula comes directly from Latin formula.

In Latin, formula can mean things like:

• a form
• a rule
• a set expression
• a legal or fixed wording

So in a sentence like this, it may suggest not just any formula in the modern mathematical sense, but a set form of words or an established wording.

Yes, it can be written as one word: iusiurandum.

You may also see the expression written as ius iurandum in Latin texts. For a learner, the important thing is that here it functions as a noun meaning oath.

So in this sentence, you should understand iusiurandum as a single lexical item meaning oath.

You would typically look them up as:

• formula, -ae, f. — formula, form, set wording
• iusiurandum, -i, n. — oath
• contineo, continere, continui, contentum — contain, hold together

This is useful because Latin dictionaries usually list:

• nouns by nominative + genitive + gender
• verbs by their principal parts

Yes, -a in a first-declension noun can be either:

• nominative singular, or
• ablative singular

But here it must be nominative singular, because it is the subject of continet.

So although formula could be ablative in some other sentence, in this one it is nominative. Context tells you which case it is.