Breakdown of Magister gromaticus decempedam portat.
magister
the teacher
portare
to carry
gromaticus
relating to land surveying
decempeda
the ten-foot measuring rod
Questions & Answers about Magister gromaticus decempedam portat.
How do I know which word is the subject and which word is the object?
The subject is magister gromaticus, and the object is decempedam.
Why?
- magister is in the nominative singular, which is the case usually used for the subject.
- gromaticus matches magister in gender, number, and case, so it goes with it.
- decempedam is in the accusative singular, which is the case usually used for the direct object.
- portat means he/she/it carries, so we expect a singular subject.
So the basic structure is:
- magister gromaticus = the subject
- decempedam = the thing being carried
- portat = carries
What does portat tell me exactly?
Portat is from the verb porto, portare, meaning to carry.
This form is:
- present tense
- active voice
- indicative mood
- third person singular
So it means:
- he carries
- she carries
- it carries
In this sentence, since the subject is magister gromaticus, it means he carries.
Why is there no word for the or a in the Latin sentence?