Amici tonstrinam intrant.

Amici is nominative plural here, so it is the subject of the sentence.

We can tell this mainly from the verb intrant, which is third person plural: they enter. A plural subject is needed, and amici fits that perfectly as friends.

So:

• amici = friends (nominative plural)
• intrant = they enter

That match tells us amici is the subject.

Yes. Amici can have more than one grammatical value, depending on context:

• nominative plural = friends
• genitive singular = of the friend
• vocative plural = O friends!

But in this sentence, amici must mean friends, because the verb intrant is plural and needs a plural subject.

So the full sentence structure makes the meaning clear.

Tonstrinam is accusative singular.

It is in the accusative because it is the place being entered. With the verb intrare (to enter), Latin often uses a direct object in the accusative.

So:

• tonstrina = barber shop / barbershop
• tonstrinam = barber shop, as the thing being entered

This is a very common Latin pattern with verbs of entering.

Because Latin often does not need a preposition with intrare.

In English, we usually say enter the barbershop or go into the barbershop. In Latin, intrare already contains the idea of going in, so a direct accusative object is often enough:

• tonstrinam intrant = they enter the barbershop

So Latin expresses this more compactly than English sometimes does.

Sometimes Latin uses a preposition of motion, but with intrare the direct accusative is very normal and standard.

So tonstrinam intrant is a straightforward way to say they enter the barbershop.

For a beginner, the key point is this: after intrare, Latin commonly uses the accusative directly, without needing in.

Intrant is:

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

from the verb intrare = to enter

So intrant means they enter or they are entering, depending on context.

The ending -nt is a very important clue: it often marks third person plural in Latin verbs.

We know from the endings, not mainly from the word order.

• amici has the form that works as the subject
• tonstrinam has the accusative ending -am, which marks it as the object
• intrant is plural, matching amici

So even if the words were rearranged, the endings would still tell us their roles.

That is one of the most important features of Latin grammar.

Latin often puts the verb near the end of the sentence, although it does not have to.

So Amici tonstrinam intrant is a very natural Latin word order:

• subject
• object
• verb

But Latin word order is more flexible than English word order because the case endings already show the grammar.

For example, these would still mean the same thing:

• Amici tonstrinam intrant
• Tonstrinam amici intrant
• Intrant amici tonstrinam

The basic meaning stays the same, though the emphasis may change.

No. Classical Latin does not have articles like English the or a/an.

So amici can mean:

• friends
• the friends

and tonstrinam can mean:

• a barbershop
• the barbershop

The context tells you which is more natural in translation.

The dictionary forms are:

• amicus, amici = friend
• tonstrina, tonstrinae = barber shop / barbershop
• intrare, intro = to enter

A learner should get used to recognizing that the form seen in the sentence may not be the dictionary form:

• amici comes from amicus
• tonstrinam comes from tonstrina
• intrant comes from intrare

Amicus is a second-declension noun, masculine.

Its nominative plural is amici.

Tonstrina is a first-declension noun.

Its accusative singular is tonstrinam.

So this sentence gives you a good example of two very common noun patterns:

• second declension masculine: amicus → amici
• first declension: tonstrina → tonstrinam

A classroom-style pronunciation would be roughly:

AH-mee-kee ton-STREE-nam IN-trahnt

If using a more classical reconstruction:

• amici = ah-MEE-kee
• tonstrinam = ton-STREE-nam
• intrant = IN-trahnt

A few helpful pronunciation notes:

• c in amici is always hard, like k
• i is pronounced like ee
• a is like ah

So amici is not like English uh-MEE-see; it is ah-MEE-kee.

It specifically refers to a barber’s shop or barbershop.

It is related to the world of cutting hair and shaving. So in this sentence, the place being entered is not just any shop, but specifically a barber’s establishment.

That is useful vocabulary, because Latin often has very precise words for professions and places connected with them.