Cum magistra in schola docet, discipuli tacent.

When the (female) teacher teaches in the school, the students are silent.

Breakdown of Cum magistra in schola docet, discipuli tacent.

• in: in
• discipulus: the student
• magistra: the female teacher
• schola: the school

Questions & Answers about Cum magistra in schola docet, discipuli tacent.

I learned that cum means with. Why does it mean when here?

Latin cum has two main uses:

1. Preposition (with):

   • Followed by a noun in the ablative case
   • Example: cum magistra = with the teacher

2. Conjunction (when / whenever / while / since):

   • Followed by a verb, introducing a clause
   • Example: cum magistra in schola docet = when the teacher teaches in the school

In your sentence, cum is followed by a full clause with a verb (docet), so it is a conjunction meaning when/whenever, not the preposition with.

How can I tell that magistra is the subject and not something like an object?

Clues that magistra is the subject:

1. Position in the clause: It appears right after cum and before the verb docet, which is a very typical place for a subject.
2. Ending: magistra is nominative singular feminine, the normal form for a subject of a verb.
3. Sense: The idea “the teacher teaches” makes natural sense; “(someone) teaches the teacher” would need magistram (accusative) for “teacher” as an object.

So magistra = the (female) teacher, subject of ().