Breakdown of Magister mihi consilium dat, et ego id sequi volo.
ego
I
et
and
magister
the teacher
dare
to give
velle
to want
mihi
me
id
it
sequi
to follow
consilium
advice
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Questions & Answers about Magister mihi consilium dat, et ego id sequi volo.
Why is mihi used instead of me?
Because mihi is the dative case, used for the indirect object with verbs like dare (to give). In Magister mihi consilium dat, mihi means to me / for me (the person receiving something). me would be accusative and would not fit this verb pattern here.
What case is magister, and how can I tell it is the subject?
Magister is nominative singular, and it functions as the subject of dat. A common clue is the verb ending: dat is 3rd person singular, so its subject is a singular “he/she/it” noun—here magister.
What case is consilium, and why?
Consilium is accusative singular, the direct object of dat (the thing being given). With dare, Latin typically uses:
- accusative for the thing given (consilium)
- dative for the person receiving it (mihi)
Why does Latin put mihi before consilium? Is that required?
It’s not required. Latin word order is flexible because cases show grammatical roles. Magister mihi consilium dat is very natural, often placing the indirect object early, but Magister consilium mihi dat is also correct. Different orders can shift emphasis slightly.
Why does the second clause say et ego? Isn’t ego usually omitted?
Yes, ego is often omitted because volo already shows I. Including ego usually adds emphasis/contrast, like “and I (for my part) want to follow it.”
What does id refer to, and why is it id specifically?
Id is a pronoun meaning it, referring back to consilium. It is neuter singular because consilium is neuter. If the noun were masculine, you might see eum; feminine eam; neuter id.
What case is id, and what is its job in the sentence?
Id is accusative singular neuter, and it is the direct object of sequi (the thing being followed). So in id sequi, it literally means to follow it.
Why is sequi in the infinitive, and how does it relate to volo?
Volo commonly takes an infinitive to express what someone wants to do. So:
- volo = I want
- sequi = to follow Together: I want to follow.
I thought sequi looks passive—why does it mean to follow?
Because sequor, sequi is a deponent verb: it has passive forms but an active meaning. So sequi (infinitive) looks passive in form, but it translates actively as to follow.
Could Latin repeat consilium instead of using id? Which is more natural?
It could repeat it, but using id is very common and often more natural, especially in connected sentences. Repeating consilium might feel heavier or more emphatic, like “and I want to follow that advice.”
Is the comma before et necessary in Latin?
Not strictly. Ancient Latin punctuation was not standardized like modern English. In modern printed Latin, a comma before et may be used to separate two independent clauses for clarity, but you may also see it without the comma.