Veteranus tironem docet.

Latin usually shows each noun’s job by its case ending, not mainly by word order.

• veteranus ends in -us, which here is nominative singular: the form typically used for the subject
• tironem ends in -em, which here is accusative singular: the form typically used for the direct object

So veteranus is the one doing the teaching, and tironem is the one being taught.

• veteranus is nominative singular
• tironem is accusative singular

In this sentence, the nominative marks the subject, and the accusative marks the direct object.

Because tironem is the accusative singular form, used for a direct object.

The basic dictionary form is tiro, meaning recruit or new soldier. But when that noun is the object of the verb, its form changes:

• tiro = nominative singular
• tironem = accusative singular

So if the recruit is being taught, Latin uses tironem.

docet is:

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

It comes from doceo, docēre, meaning teach.

So docet means he teaches, she teaches, or it teaches, depending on the subject. Here, with veteranus, it means the veteran teaches.

Classical Latin does not have definite or indefinite articles like English the and a/an.

So:

• veteranus can mean the veteran or a veteran
• tironem can mean the recruit or a recruit

You choose the best English wording from the context.

It can be either, depending on context.

As an adjective, veteranus can mean something like veteran or experienced.
As a noun, it means veteran, especially an experienced soldier.

In Veteranus tironem docet, it is being used as a noun: the veteran.

Yes, often they can.

Because the case endings already show who is subject and who is object, Latin word order is more flexible than English. For example, these could still mean basically the same thing:

• Veteranus tironem docet
• Tironem veteranus docet
• Docet veteranus tironem

The difference is usually one of emphasis or style, not basic meaning.

Because the verb ending already tells you the subject is third person singular.

In docet, the ending -t means he/she/it. So Latin does not need a separate subject pronoun unless the speaker wants extra emphasis or contrast.

Still, the noun veteranus is included here to tell you exactly who is teaching.

• veteranus is a second-declension masculine noun
• tiro is a third-declension noun

That is why their case endings look different:

• second declension: nominative singular often -us
• third declension accusative singular often -em

So veteranus and tironem belong to different noun patterns.

doceo, docēre belongs to the second conjugation.

Its present tense forms include:

• doceo = I teach
• doces = you teach
• docet = he/she/it teaches
• docemus = we teach
• docetis = you all teach
• docent = they teach

So docet fits the subject veteranus perfectly.

Yes.

Because Latin has no articles, the sentence could be translated in several natural ways, depending on context:

• The veteran teaches the recruit
• A veteran teaches the recruit
• The veteran teaches a recruit
• A veteran teaches a recruit

If the meaning has already been supplied in your lesson, that chosen translation is probably the one the lesson wants you to use.

A common classroom pronunciation would be roughly:

weh-teh-RAH-noos tee-ROH-nem DOH-ket

More carefully:

• Veteranus = weh-teh-RAH-noos
• tironem = tee-ROH-nem
• docet = DOH-ket

In restored Classical pronunciation, c is always hard, like k, so docet sounds like doh-ket, not like English doe-set.

No. Doceo can mean teach, instruct, or train more generally.

So in this sentence, Veteranus tironem docet could suggest not just classroom teaching, but also practical instruction, such as a veteran soldier training a new recruit.

Putting the verb at the end is very common in Latin, especially in simple textbook sentences and in much formal prose.

So Veteranus tironem docet has a very normal Latin feel:

• subject: veteranus
• object: tironem
• verb: docet

But Latin is flexible, so the verb does not always have to come last.