Si timidus es, studere potes in urbe, sed si fortis es, potes dormire in horto.

(If you are timid, you can study in the city, but if you are brave, you can sleep in the garden.)

Breakdown of Si timidus es, studere potes in urbe, sed si fortis es, potes dormire in horto.

• esse: to be
• in: in
• hortus: the garden
• sed: but
• urbs: the city
• si: if
• fortis: brave
• timidus: timid
• posse: to be able
• studere: to study
• dormire: to sleep

Questions & Answers about Si timidus es, studere potes in urbe, sed si fortis es, potes dormire in horto.

Why is timidus in the nominative case?

Because it describes the subject "you" (the person being addressed). In Latin, an adjective that describes the subject must appear in the nominative case, matching the subject’s number and gender.

Why do we say es rather than est?

Es is the second-person singular form of the verb esse (to be) in the present tense (“you are”), while est is the third-person singular ("he/she/it is"). Because the sentence is addressing “you,” it uses es.

What is the role of studere in studere potes?

Studere is an infinitive that completes the meaning of potes (from possum, “to be able”). In Latin, when you say “you can study,” you use potes plus the infinitive studere.

Why is it in urbe and in horto?

Both urbe and horto are in the ablative case, which is required after the preposition in when indicating location (“in the city,” “in the garden”). In Latin, in + ablative often means “in” or “on.”

What does sed mean, and why is it used here?

Sed means “but.” It connects the two contrasting conditions: “If you are timid… you can do one thing, but if you are brave… you can do another.”