Ego laboro.

I

Breakdown of Ego laboro.

• laborare: to work

Questions & Answers about Ego laboro.

Why do we use Ego if the verb laboro already shows the subject?

Ego is the Latin pronoun for I, and Latin verbs already include the subject within their endings. Using Ego can add emphasis or clarity, much like when we might say I myself am working rather than simply I am working. In everyday Latin, however, people often omit the pronoun since the verb ending indicates who is performing the action.

Can we omit Ego and just say laboro?

Yes, absolutely. In fact, most of the time, Latin speakers would simply say laboro, which already means I am working. The pronoun is only added for emphasis, contrast, or clarity (for example, if several people are talking about who is doing what).

Is there a fixed word order in Latin for subject and verb?

Latin is highly inflected, which means word endings show grammatical function. As a result, word order is flexible. You often see Subject–Object–Verb (SOV), but variations are common, especially for emphasis or style. Ego laboro could just as easily appear as laboro ego without changing its basic meaning.

What is the full present tense conjugation of laboro?

The present active indicative forms of laboro (to work) are: • laboro (I work)
• laboras (you work)
• laborat (he/she/it works)
• laboramus (we work)
• laboratis (you all work)
• laborant (they work)

How is laboro typically translated into English?

laboro usually translates as I work, I am working, or I do work. Latin doesn’t always distinguish between these different English present-tense forms, so any of those translations can be correct depending on context.