Learn Hardcore Latin: Puer timidus numquam iam sine matre dormit, sed semper matrem vocat. - The timid boy no longer ever sleeps without his mother, but he always calls his mother.

puer = boy
- nominative singular, masculine (the subject of the sentence)
timidus = fearful / timid / shy
- nominative singular, masculine, agreeing with puer

In Latin, adjectives must agree with the nouns they describe in:

gender (masculine here),
number (singular),
case (nominative, because it’s the subject).

So puer timidus literally means the boy, (who is) timid → the timid boy.

Why is the adjective after the noun (puer timidus) instead of before it, like in English (timid boy)?

Latin word order is flexible. The most common pattern is noun + adjective, so puer timidus is perfectly normal Latin.

You can say timidus puer, and it’s still grammatical. Often:

puer timidus = neutral description, just “a timid boy”
timidus puer can sound a bit more emphatic or poetic, putting a little stress on timid.

But the difference is subtle; for a learner, treat them as equivalent unless the context clearly suggests emphasis.

What is the function of numquam and iam, and why are both used together?

numquam = never
iam = usually now, already, or any longer / anymore, depending on context

Together, numquam iam is best felt as:

never anymore / no longer ever

So numquam iam sine matre dormit =
he never sleeps without his mother anymore (he used to, but not now).

If you used only:

numquam: “he never sleeps without his mother” (could sound like it was always that way),
iam with a negative: iam non: “he no longer sleeps without his mother.”

Numquam iam combines “never” with the idea of a changed situation (not anymore).

What case is matre in sine matre, and why is that form used?

Matre is ablative singular of mater (mother).

The key rule: sine (without) always takes the ablative case.

mater = nominative (subject form)
matrem = accusative (direct object)
matre = ablative (used with many prepositions, like sine, cum, etc.)

So:

sine matre = without (his) mother (ablative after sine).

Why is it matrem after semper, not matre again?

Here the grammar changes because the role of mater in the sentence changes:

In sine matre, mater is the object of the preposition sine, so it must be ablative → matre.
In semper matrem vocat, mater is now the direct object of the verb vocat (“he calls”), so it must be accusative → matrem.

So:

sine matre = without (his) mother (ablative after preposition)
matrem vocat = he calls (his) mother (accusative direct object).

What tense are dormit and vocat, and how should I translate them into English?

Both dormit and vocat are:

3rd person singular
present tense
active voice

Latin present tense can usually be translated into English in two ways:

he sleeps / he calls (simple present), or
he is sleeping / he is calling (present continuous), depending on context.

Here:

puer ... dormit → the boy sleeps / is sleeping
puer ... vocat → the boy calls / is calling

In a basic sentence like this, most textbooks would use “sleeps” and “calls”.

Why is the verb at the end: ... sine matre dormit, sed semper matrem vocat?

Latin’s default sentence order is often described as SOV (Subject–Object–Verb):

puer timidus (subject)
numquam iam sine matre (adverbial phrase)
dormit (verb)

and

(puer timidus still the subject, understood)
semper matrem (adverb + object)
vocat (verb)

Ending with the verb is very natural in Latin. Other orders are possible, but verb last is extremely common, especially in simple sentences.

What does sed semper do in the sentence?

sed = but
semper = always

So the structure is:

First clause: he never (anymore) sleeps without his mother
sed semper introduces a contrast: but (on the other hand) he always calls (for) his mother

Sed connects the two clauses and highlights the contrast:
not this (sleeping alone), but that (always calling his mother).

Why is there no word for “the” or “a” before puer or mater?

Classical Latin has no separate words for English “the” or “a/an.”

puer can mean a boy or the boy
mater / matrem / matre can mean a mother or the mother / his mother

You choose “a” vs “the” in English based on:

context,
whether someone has been mentioned before,
or what makes the most natural English.

Here, the timid boy and his mother sound natural in English, but grammatically Latin just says puer timidus ... matrem.

Could iam be left out? How would puer timidus numquam sine matre dormit differ?

If you remove iam, you get:

puer timidus numquam sine matre dormit
→ the timid boy never sleeps without his mother.

This sounds timeless: he simply never does this, as a general rule.

With iam:

numquam iam hints that something has changed:
- he never sleeps without his mother anymore / any longer (he perhaps used to, but now doesn’t).

So iam adds the nuance of “from now on / any longer” to the negation.

Where can numquam go in the sentence? Does its position matter?

Numquam is an adverb, and Latin adverbs are quite flexible in position. You might see:

puer timidus numquam iam sine matre dormit (as given)
puer timidus sine matre numquam iam dormit
numquam iam puer timidus sine matre dormit

All are grammatical. The basic meaning (“he never anymore sleeps without his mother”) stays the same.

Putting numquam (and iam) closer to dormit can give a bit more focus to the never sleeps idea, and putting it earlier can make the “never anymore” jump out first. But for a beginner, treat the difference as mostly stylistic/emphatic, not a change in core meaning.

Why is matrem repeated instead of a pronoun like eam (“her”)?

Latin can use a pronoun:

sed semper eam vocat = but he always calls her

However, repeating the noun is very common and can:

keep the sentence clear (no ambiguity about whom he calls),
slightly emphasize “his mother” rather than just “her.”

In a short example sentence meant for learners, repeating matrem helps you see clearly:

matre (ablative, with sine) and
matrem (accusative, object of vocat).

How would I literally break down and gloss the whole sentence?

Puer timidus numquam iam sine matre dormit, sed semper matrem vocat.

Word-by-word:

puer – boy (nom. sg., subject)
timidus – timid / fearful (agreeing with puer)
numquam – never
iam – now / anymore
sine – without (takes ablative)
matre – mother (abl. sg., with sine)
dormit – sleeps / is sleeping (3rd sg. pres.)
sed – but
semper – always
matrem – mother (acc. sg., object)
vocat – calls / is calling (3rd sg. pres.)

Natural English:
The timid boy never sleeps without his mother anymore, but he always calls for his mother.