Learn Hardcore Latin: Domi tacemus, ut aviam audire possimus. - At home we are silent, so that we can hear grandmother.

Domi tacemus, ut aviam audire possimus.

At home we are silent, so that we can hear grandmother.

Breakdown of Domi tacemus, ut aviam audire possimus.

Questions & Answers about Domi tacemus, ut aviam audire possimus.

What does domi mean, and why isn’t it in domo?

Domi means at home. It’s the locative form of domus (home/house) and is a standard Latin way to express location at home without a preposition.
You can say in domo, but that more literally means in the house (more physical/inside-the-building), while domi is the idiomatic “at home.”

What form is tacemus, and who is doing the action?

Tacemus is 1st person plural, present, indicative, active of tacēre (to be silent).
The subject we is built into the verb ending -mus, so Latin doesn’t need an explicit pronoun here.

Why is there a comma before ut?

Because ut aviam audire possimus is a subordinate clause (a purpose clause) introduced by ut. Latin often separates such clauses with a comma, especially in modern edited texts, to make the structure clearer.

What does ut mean here, and how do I know it’s purpose?

Here ut means so that / in order that and introduces a .A big clue is that the verb in the -clause is (). Purpose clauses are typically (or for negative purpose).