Log inSign up

Magistra dicit disciplinam in schola utilem esse.

Magistra dicit disciplinam in schola utilem esse.
The teacher says that discipline is useful in the school.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Latin grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Latin now

Questions & Answers about Magistra dicit disciplinam in schola utilem esse.

Why is disciplinam in the accusative instead of the nominative?

Because dicit often introduces an indirect statement in Latin. In an indirect statement, Latin typically uses accusative + infinitive:

  • disciplinam = the subject of the indirect statement, put in the accusative
  • esse = the infinitive verb that carries the statement
    So instead of saying disciplina ... est (a direct statement), Latin says dicit disciplinam ... esse (he/she says that discipline is ...).
What exactly is the construction dicit ... esse called?

It’s the accusative-and-infinitive construction (often abbreviated AcI). It’s Latin’s most common way to report what someone says/thinks/knows/perceives:

  • direct: Disciplina utilis est.
  • reported: Magistra dicit disciplinam utilem esse.
Why is it esse and not est?

Because in an indirect statement Latin uses an infinitive where English uses that + a finite verb. So:

  • English: The teacher says that discipline is useful.
  • Latin: Magistra dicit disciplinam ... utilem esse.
    Using est would normally make it a separate direct statement, not embedded under dicit.
Why is utilem accusative, and why does it look like it “matches” disciplinam?

utilem is a predicate adjective describing disciplinam inside the indirect statement. In Latin, predicate adjectives agree with the noun they describe in case, number, and gender:

  • disciplinam = accusative singular feminine
  • utilem = accusative singular (same form for masculine/feminine in this adjective)
    So utilem agrees with disciplinam.
How do I know what the “subject” is in disciplinam ... esse if it’s not nominative?

In an AcI, the logical subject of the infinitive is put in the accusative. Here:

  • disciplinam is the subject of esse
  • magistra is the subject of dicit
    A helpful way to parse it is: Magistra dicit [disciplinam ... esse].
What case is in schola, and why?

schola is ablative singular because in + ablative commonly means location where:

  • in schola = in school (where something is true)
    If in took the accusative (in scholam), it would usually mean motion into: into the school.
Does in schola describe disciplinam or utilem (the usefulness)?

Grammatically, it can be understood as part of the embedded statement and most naturally answers “useful where?”:

  • “discipline to be useful in school”
    But Latin word order is flexible, and context can affect emphasis. Here, in schola most naturally frames the situation in which discipline is useful.
Can the word order be changed without changing the basic meaning?

Yes. Latin word order is flexible because endings show grammatical roles. For example, these can still mean essentially the same thing:

  • Magistra dicit disciplinam utilem esse in schola.
  • Magistra disciplinam in schola utilem esse dicit.
    Changes mainly affect emphasis and style, not the core grammar.
What tense is esse here—does it mean “to be” in the present?

Yes. The present infinitive (esse) in indirect statement usually represents an action/state contemporary with the main verb (dicit). So it reports what she says is true at the same time:

  • dicit ... esse = “says ... is ...”
    (Other infinitive tenses exist for “was”/“will be” in reported speech.)
Why is magistra in the nominative, and what does it tell me?
magistra is nominative singular, so it’s the subject of dicit. It also indicates the subject is female (contrast magister for a male teacher).