Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Latin grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Magister id putat verum esse.
Why is id there? What does it refer to?
Id is a neuter singular pronoun meaning this/that/it. It stands for “the thing” the teacher believes—often a whole idea or statement. Latin frequently uses id to point forward to an infinitive phrase like verum esse (“to be true”), so id ... verum esse = “that it is true.”
Why is putat used instead of putat id verum est?
Latin typically uses an indirect statement after verbs of thinking/saying/knowing. Instead of a finite clause (“that … is …”), Latin uses accusative + infinitive. So:
- id (accusative) = the “subject” of the indirect statement
- esse (infinitive) = the verb of the indirect statement
This is why you don’t get est here.
What case is id, and why?
Id is accusative singular neuter. In an indirect statement, the “subject” of the infinitive is put in the accusative, even though in English it would be the subject (“it is true”). So id is accusative because it’s the subject of esse inside the indirect statement.
Why is verum neuter? Shouldn’t it agree with magister?
Verum agrees with id, not with magister. Inside the indirect statement, id is the accusative subject of esse, and verum is a predicate adjective describing it. Since id is neuter singular, verum must be neuter singular too.
What part of speech is verum here—noun or adjective?
Here verum is an adjective used predicatively: “it to be true.” You can also meet verum as a substantive (“the truth”), but in id … verum esse it functions as an adjective agreeing with id.
Why do we have verum esse instead of just esse verum? Is word order important?
Both verum esse and esse verum are possible. Latin word order is flexible; emphasis often changes with placement. Putting verum before esse can make “true” feel slightly more prominent, but the basic grammar and meaning stay the same.
What tense is putat, and how does it affect the infinitive esse?
Putat is present tense (“he/she thinks”). The infinitive esse in indirect statement is present infinitive, which usually represents action/state at the same time as the main verb. So it implies: “The teacher thinks it is true (now).”
Could this ever mean “The teacher thought it was true”?
Not with putat as written. For “thought,” you’d normally see putābat (imperfect) or putāvit (perfect), and you’d still use an infinitive:
- Magister id verum esse putābat = “The teacher thought it was true.”
The infinitive would typically stay esse unless you need a different time relationship.
Is magister definitely “teacher,” and is it male?
Magister is grammatically masculine and often means “teacher/master.” It can refer to a male teacher, but in some contexts it can function generically. A specifically female teacher would usually be magistra.
Could you omit id and just say Magister putat verum esse?
Yes, often you can omit it if the context makes the “it/that” clear. Magister putat verum esse still reads naturally as “The teacher thinks (it) to be true.” Including id can make the reference more explicit or slightly more pointed (“that, specifically”).
Why isn’t verum in the accusative like id?
It actually is accusative in form: verum is accusative (and nominative) neuter singular. Predicate adjectives in an indirect statement agree with the accusative subject (id) in case, number, and gender, so verum matches id.
Could we replace verum esse with vērum alone?
Not in this construction. After putat, Latin expects an indirect statement with an infinitive. You could use a different structure (e.g., with fore ut in some contexts), but with putat the standard pattern is accusative + infinitive, so you need esse (or another infinitive) to complete it.