Breakdown of Si timidus es, studere potes in urbe, sed si fortis es, potes dormire in horto.
Questions & Answers about Si timidus es, studere potes in urbe, sed si fortis es, potes dormire in horto.
Si means if. It introduces a condition.
So:
- Si timidus es = If you are timid
- si fortis es = if you are brave
This sentence has two parallel conditional clauses joined by sed (but).
Es is the 2nd person singular of esse, meaning to be.
So:
- timidus es = you are timid
- fortis es = you are brave
In Latin, just as in English, an adjective like timidus or fortis often needs a form of to be when it describes someone in a full statement.
Latin usually does not need to state the subject pronoun if the verb ending already shows it.
For example:
- es = you are
- potes = you can
So the you is built into the verb forms. If Latin added tu, it would usually be for emphasis: you in particular.