Familia est magna.

to be

Breakdown of Familia est magna.

• familia: the family
• magnus: large

Questions & Answers about Familia est magna.

Why is familia in the nominative case?

familia is functioning as the subject of the sentence. In Latin, the subject of a verb takes the nominative case, so familia is nominative singular here.

What role does est play in the sentence?

est is the third-person singular of the verb esse (to be). It links the subject (familia) with the adjective (magna) to form a simple statement of being.

Why is magna in the feminine form?

In Latin, an adjective must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case. familia is feminine, so magna also appears in the feminine nominative singular form.

Could familia mean more than just the immediate family?

Yes. familia can refer not only to immediate blood relatives but also to the entire household, including extended family members and even household servants in ancient Roman contexts. The exact nuance can vary with context.