Senex saepe in horto orat et pacem sperat.

The old man often prays in the garden and hopes for peace.

Breakdown of Senex saepe in horto orat et pacem sperat.

• in: in
• et: and
• hortus: the garden
• senex: the old man
• saepe: often
• pax: the peace
• sperare: to hope for
• orare: to pray

Questions & Answers about Senex saepe in horto orat et pacem sperat.

Why is Senex in the nominative case?

Senex is the subject of the sentence. In Latin, the subject typically appears in the nominative case, indicating who or what performs the action of the verb.

Why does horto appear in the ablative case?

Horto is in the ablative case because it answers the question "Where?"—showing location. When indicating a place "in which" something happens (here, "in the garden"), Latin regularly uses the ablative case with the preposition in.

What is the difference between orat and sperat?

Orat (from orare) means "he prays" or "he begs," focusing on the act of addressing or petitioning (often a deity). Sperat (from sperare) means "he hopes," focusing on a desire or expectation for something in the future.

Why is pacem in the accusative case?

Pacem is the direct object of sperat. Verbs that express what someone hopes for, sees, does, etc., typically take the accusative case for their object, so "he hopes for peace" makes pacem accusative.

What is the function of et in this sentence?

Et is a coordinating conjunction meaning "and." It connects two verbs—orat and sperat—to show that the old man performs both actions (praying and hoping for peace).