Usages of dicere
Multi dicunt nomen meum altum esse, sed ego sum discipulus laetus.
(Many say my name is lofty, but I am a happy student.)
Imperator dicit: “Miles fortis erit, sed bellum manebit.”
(The emperor says: “The soldier will be brave, but war will remain.”)
Nuntius dicit: “Mox dea ad urbem ambulabit et templum laetum erit.”
(The messenger says: “Soon the goddess will walk to the city and the temple will be happy.”)
Soror imperatoris dicit: “Miles timidus non studet paci!”
(The emperor’s sister says: “The timid soldier does not study peace!”)
Magister dicit: “Discipuli multum student, et eorum mentes manent fortes.”
(The teacher says: “The students study a lot, and their minds remain strong.”)
Discipulus dicit: "Caelum specto, nam interdum est pulchrum."
The student says: "I look at the sky, for sometimes it is beautiful."
Magistra dicit: “Sine libris bonis bene vivere non possumus.”
The teacher says: “Without good books we cannot live well.”
Mater respondet patri et dicit: "Puer foris currit."
Mother answers father and says: "The boy is running outside."
Mater aures pueri videt et dicit: "Aures tuae purae sunt."
Mother sees the boy's ears and says: "Your ears are clean."
Magistra dicit: "Nolite clamare, sed tacete et silentium amate!"
The (female) teacher says: "Do not shout, but be silent and love the silence!"
Mater filiam vocat et dicit: "Veni huc, quaeso, et mihi veritatem dic."
Mother calls her daughter and says: "Come here, please, and tell me the truth."
Mater addit: "Noli mendacium dicere, sed veritatem iterum dic."
Mother adds: "Do not tell a lie, but tell the truth again."
Pater dicit filio: "Aperi ianuam, quaeso, et deinde in lecto sede."
Father says to his son: "Open the door, please, and then sit on the bed."
Mater autem dicit: "Noli ianuam claudere, quia hospes intus manet."
Mother, however, says: "Do not close the door, because the guest is staying inside."
In silentio noctis filia in mente sua dicit: "Veritas matrem laetam facit, mendacium autem matrem tristem facit; iterum veritatem dicam."
In the silence of the night the daughter says in her mind: "Truth makes mother happy, but a lie makes mother sad; again I will tell the truth."
Nunc medicus dicit infantem sanum esse et mater gaudet.
Now the male doctor says that the baby is healthy and mother rejoices.
Postea dominus numerum pecuniae spectat et dicit pretium tunicae veteris esse nimium.
Afterwards the master looks at the amount of money and says that the price of the old tunic is too much.
Mater dicit ludum esse bonum, sed clamorem puerorum nimium esse, quia pueri diu non tacent.
Mother says the game is good, but that the noise of the boys is too much, because the boys do not keep quiet for a long time.
Magistra dicit: "Hic liber facilis est, ille liber difficilis; tamen vos potestis multum discere."
The (female) teacher says: "This book is easy, that book is difficult; nevertheless you can learn a lot."
Mater filiae dicit: "Nunc sororem tuam iuvare debes."
Mother says to her daughter: "Now you must help your sister."
Puer dicit: "Ego quoque aviam iuvare debeo, quamquam iam fessa est."
The boy says: "I also ought to help grandmother, although she is already tired."
Puer dicit: "Hic hortus parvus est, ille autem hortus prope flumen magnus et pulcher est."
The boy says: "This garden is small, but that garden near the river is large and beautiful."
Soror dicit matrem eos cras ad forum venire velle.
The sister says that mother wants them to come to the forum tomorrow.
Servus dicit se opus novum hodie incipere.
The servant says that he is beginning a new task today.
Discipuli credunt magistram verum dixisse, et eam libenter audiunt.
The students believe that the teacher has spoken the truth, and they gladly listen to her.
Discipula dicit se hoc consilium accipere causa bonae disciplinae.
The female student says that she accepts this advice for the sake of good discipline.
Subito nuntius venit et dicit certum esse hostes prope urbem manere.
Suddenly a messenger comes and says that it is certain that enemies are staying near the city.
Non sum certus discipulos paratos esse, sed magistra dicit eos paratos esse.
I am not sure that the students are ready, but the teacher says that they are ready.
Magistra dicit discipulas paratas esse et pacem servare velle, quamquam opus grave est.
The teacher says that the female students are ready and want to preserve peace, although the task is serious.
Nuntius dicit se verum dixisse.
The messenger says that he told the truth.
Magistra dicit disciplinam in schola utilem esse.
The teacher says that discipline is useful in the school.
Ego certus sum te veritatem dixisse.
I am sure that you told the truth.
Magister dicit nuntium verum esse.
The teacher says that the message is true.
Post spectaculum mater dicit: “Ite mecum ad thermas; corpus lavare oportet.”
After the show mother says: “Go with me to the baths; it is necessary to wash the body.”
Femina testis dicit se mercatorem in taberna vidisse.
A woman witness says that she saw the merchant in the shop.
Teste audito, iudex dicit mercatorem pecuniam reddere oportere.
After the witness has been heard, the judge says that the merchant must return the money.
Discipula aperte dicit se mendacio non credere et testem audire velle.
The female student openly says that she does not believe a lie and wants to hear the witness.
Mercator autem se defendere vult et dicit se veritatem semper dicere.
The merchant, however, wants to defend himself and says that he always tells the truth.
Discipulus dicit se librum veterem in bibliotheca relinquere velle.
The student says that he wants to leave an old book in the library.
Civis dicit: “Nummos non multos habeo; potesne mihi pretium minuere?”
A citizen says: “I do not have many coins; can you lower the price for me?”
Puer dicit se sororem laedere non velle, sed tantum ludere.
The boy says that he does not want to harm his sister, but only to play.
Medica dicit hoc medicamentum morbum levare posse.
The (female) doctor says that this medicine can relieve the illness.
Medicus dicit puerum mox sanari posse.
The doctor says that the boy can soon be healed.
Puer dicit se sitim sentire et lac bibere velle.
The boy says that he feels thirst and wants to drink milk.
Hospes rogat cur amphora tam cito vacua facta sit, et caupo dicit vinum hodie deesse.
The guest asks why the jar became empty so quickly, and the innkeeper says that wine is lacking today.
Puer quoque se audacem esse dicit, sed mater ridet.
The boy also says that he is bold, but mother laughs.
Mater dicit ventum mox desiturum esse, et nos in horto exspectamus.
Mother says the wind will soon stop, and we wait in the garden.
Puer in carru sedet, et mater dicit se ad villam aviae ire.
The boy sits in the cart, and mother says that she is going to grandmother’s villa.
Puer dicit ventum desiturum esse, sed mater id non credit.
The boy says that the wind is going to stop, but mother does not believe it.
Iudex mercatori dicit: “Noli mendacium dicere; veritatem dic.”
The judge says to the merchant: “Do not tell a lie; tell the truth.”
Maritus dicit se annulum uxori tradere velle.
The husband says that he wants to hand the ring to his wife.
Magister dicit discipulos non semper intellegere, sed conari debere.
The teacher says that the students do not always understand, but ought to try.
Magistra dicit bonos discipulos magistris parere oportere.
The teacher says that good students ought to obey their teachers.
Uxor dicit aliquem ante portam stare; maritus autem dicit neminem intrare posse.
The wife says that someone is standing before the gate; the husband, however, says that no one can enter.
Serva sportam in officina ponit et dicit se postea donum capere velle.
The female servant puts a basket in the workshop and says that she wants to take the gift later.
Puer dicit se famem sentire et matrem rogare ut sibi panem det.
The boy says that he feels hunger and asks his mother to give him bread.
Avus dicit ver sibi semper gaudium dare, quia sol clarior est.
Grandfather says that spring always gives him joy, because the sun is brighter.
Avus puero dicit: “Si chartam et stilum habes, epistulam hodie scribe et cras ad me redi.”
Grandfather says to the boy: “If you have paper and a stylus, write a letter today and return to me tomorrow.”
Mater dicit pluviam mox desituram esse, et pueri foris ludere poterunt.
Mother says that the rain will soon stop, and the boys will be able to play outside.
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