Timidus puer in horto sedet, quia ignem non amat.

(The timid boy sits in the garden, because he does not love fire.)

Breakdown of Timidus puer in horto sedet, quia ignem non amat.

• in: in
• hortus: the garden
• non: not
• amare: to love
• sedere: to sit
• ignis: the fire
• timidus puer: the timid boy
• quia: because

Questions & Answers about Timidus puer in horto sedet, quia ignem non amat.

Why does timidus come before puer when it describes puer?

In Latin, adjectives (like timidus) can come either before or after the noun they modify (here, puer). Placement can reflect emphasis or stylistic preference. There’s no hard rule saying adjectives must always come after the noun in Latin as in some modern languages.

What case is horto and why?

Horto is in the ablative case. Its use here (with in) suggests a location, translating roughly as “in the garden.” The preposition in can take either the ablative (for location) or the accusative (for motion into a place). Because the sentence indicates the static location of the boy, the ablative is used.

What is the direct object in the sentence?

The direct object is ignem (“fire”). We know it is the direct object because it is in the accusative case (Latin’s usual case for direct objects), governed by the verb amat (“he likes” or “he loves”).

What is the function of quia in the sentence?

Quia is a conjunction meaning “because.” It introduces a subordinate clause quia ignem non amat (“because he does not like fire”) that expresses the reason why the timid boy is sitting in the garden.

Why is ignem in the accusative case?

In Latin, the accusative case generally indicates the direct object of a verb. Since ignem is the thing not liked (non amat), it must be in the accusative.