Testator testamentum scribit.

The testator writes the will.

Breakdown of Testator testamentum scribit.

• scribere: to write
• testamentum: the will
• testator: the testator; maker of a will

Questions & Answers about Testator testamentum scribit.

Why are testator and testamentum so similar?

Because they are closely related words.

• testator means testator, the person who makes a will.
• testamentum means will, the legal document.

Both come from the same Latin root area involving witnessing and testifying, so they naturally look alike. Latin often forms related nouns this way: one word for a person, another for a thing connected with the same idea.

Why does testator end in -or?

The ending -or is a very common Latin noun ending for a person who does something.

For example:

• orator = speaker
• auctor = author
• testator = the person who makes a will

So when a learner sees -or, it is often a clue that the word refers to an agent, a person performing an action.

Why does testamentum end in -um?

The ending -um is very common for a neuter noun of the second declension.

So testamentum is:

• singular
• neuter
• second declension

In this sentence, testamentum is the direct object, and for a neuter second-declension noun, the nominative singular and accusative singular are both -um. That is why the form here is testamentum.