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Prandium breve domi sumimus, deinde ad theatrum festinamus.

Prandium breve domi sumimus, deinde ad theatrum festinamus.
We have a short lunch at home, then we hurry to the theater.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Latin

Breakdown of Prandium breve domi sumimus, deinde ad theatrum festinamus.

festinare
to hurry
ad
to
sumere
to take
brevis
short
deinde
then
prandium
the lunch
domi
at home
theatrum
the theater
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More from this lesson

prandiumdomiDomi tacemus, ut aviam audire possimus.theatrumturbaapertusIanua aperta est, et hospes intrat.Turba ante theatrum exspectat; portis apertis, omnes laeti intrant.

Questions & Answers about Prandium breve domi sumimus, deinde ad theatrum festinamus.

Why is breve (not brevis) used with prandium?

Because prandium is a neuter noun (2nd declension), so the adjective must agree with it in gender, number, and case.

  • prandium = neuter nominative singular
  • breve = neuter nominative singular of brevis, breve
    So prandium breve = a short lunch.
What case is prandium breve, and how do we know it’s the subject?

Prandium breve is nominative singular, functioning as the direct object? Actually here it’s the direct object of sumimus, so it’s accusative in meaning—but its form is the same as nominative because neuter nominative = neuter accusative in Latin.
So grammatically, it’s accusative singular, even though it looks like nominative:

  • neuter -um ending: prandium can be nom. or acc.
    You identify it as the object because sumimus (we take/consume) needs something that is taken/consumed.
What does sumimus literally mean, and why is that verb used for eating?

Sumimus is 1st person plural present of sumere (to take). Latin often uses sumere for having a meal or taking food/drink, similar to English have lunch.
So prandium sumimus is a normal Latin way to say we eat/have lunch (more literally, we take lunch).

Why is there no word for we (like nos) in the sentence?

Because the verb ending already shows the subject:

  • sumimus = we take/have
  • festinamus = we hurry
    Latin typically omits the subject pronoun unless it’s needed for emphasis or contrast (e.g., nos vs. vos).
What is domi, and why isn’t it in domo?

domi means at home and is an old locative form (the locative case) used with certain words for places, especially domus (home/house) and names of towns/cities/small islands.

  • domi = at home (locative)
  • in domo = in the house (more physical/inside emphasis)
    So domi sumimus naturally means we have (it) at home.
What does deinde do in the sentence? Is it just then?

Yes: deinde means then / next / after that, marking the sequence of actions. It’s a linking adverb that sets up the second clause:
Prandium… sumimus, deinde… festinamus = We have lunch…, then we hurry…

Why is it ad theatrum and not in theatro?

Because ad + accusative expresses motion toward a place:

  • ad theatrum = to/toward the theater (destination)
    If you wanted to say in/at the theater (location, not motion), you’d typically use in + ablative:
  • in theatro = in/at the theater.
What case is theatrum in ad theatrum, and how can I tell?

theatrum is accusative singular because it follows ad, which takes the accusative for motion toward.
Like prandium, it’s neuter -um, so the form looks like nominative too; the preposition ad tells you it’s accusative.

Why can Latin put domi between breve and sumimus? Does word order matter?

Latin word order is flexible because meaning is mostly carried by endings, not position. The placement often reflects emphasis and style rather than strict grammar rules.
Here, domi is tucked in early to set the scene: (At home) we have a short lunch.
A more “straight” order could be Prandium breve sumimus domi, but the given order is perfectly natural.

What tense are sumimus and festinamus, and why is the present used?

Both are present indicative active, 1st person plural:

  • sumimus = we take/have
  • festinamus = we hurry
    Latin often uses the present to narrate habitual actions (we usually do this) or vivid sequence (we do X, then we do Y). Context decides whether it’s habitual or a “story present.”