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Domina servum vocat, et servus statim venit.

Domina servum vocat, et servus statim venit.
The mistress calls the servant, and the servant comes at once.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Latin

Breakdown of Domina servum vocat, et servus statim venit.

et
and
vocare
to call
venire
to come
servus
servant
domina
mistress
statim
at once
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Questions & Answers about Domina servum vocat, et servus statim venit.

Why does domina mean the mistress/lady here—how do I know it’s the subject?

Because domina is in the nominative singular, which is the normal case for the subject of the verb. The verb vocat is 3rd person singular (she calls), so a singular subject like domina fits perfectly.

Why is servum spelled with -um? What does that ending do?

Servum is accusative singular of servus (slave). The accusative is commonly used for the direct object—the person or thing being acted upon. So domina servum vocat = the mistress calls the slave (the slave is receiving the action of calling).

If servum is the object in the first clause, why is it servus in the second clause?

Because the slave has a different grammatical role in the second clause.

  • In domina servum vocat, the slave is the object → accusative (servum).
  • In servus statim venit, the slave is the subject → nominative (servus).

Latin marks roles mainly by case endings, not by word order.

What form is vocat, and how do I translate it?

Vocat is present tense, 3rd person singular, active indicative of vocāre (to call). It translates as he/she/it calls. Here it’s she calls, because domina is feminine.

Does vocat mean “calls (to someone)” or “summons”? Why is there no word for “to” or “for”?

Vocāre can mean to call, to summon, or to call (someone). In this sentence it works like an English transitive verb: call + direct object. Latin doesn’t need a separate word like to here because servum already shows it’s the direct object by being accusative.

What is et doing—does it always mean “and”?

Yes, et is the common Latin word for and. Here it simply links two clauses:
Domina servum vocat, et servus statim venit = The mistress calls the slave, and the slave immediately comes.

Is the comma required in Latin, and does it change anything?

Classical Latin manuscripts didn’t use punctuation the way modern printed texts do. The comma here is a modern editorial aid to show a pause between clauses. It doesn’t change the grammar.

What does statim mean, and where can it go in the sentence?

Statim means immediately / at once. It’s an adverb, and Latin adverbs are relatively flexible in placement. Servus statim venit is normal, but you could also see statim servus venit or servus venit statim depending on emphasis and style.

What form is venit, and why does it look like it could mean “he came”?

Venit is from venīre (to come). It can be:

  • present: he/she/it comes
  • perfect: he/she/it came / has come

In this sentence, statim plus the simple narrative flow strongly suggests the present meaning: (he) comes immediately.

Why doesn’t Latin use a separate word for “he” (like is) here?

Because the verb ending already tells you the person and number: venit = he/she/it comes. Latin often omits subject pronouns unless it needs emphasis or contrast. Since servus is stated, no pronoun is needed anyway.

Could the word order be different, like Servum domina vocat? Would it still mean the same thing?

Yes, it would still basically mean “The mistress calls the slave” because domina is nominative and servum is accusative. Word order in Latin is more flexible, but changes often affect emphasis (what feels highlighted) rather than the core meaning.

How do I know domina is feminine and servus is masculine—does it matter?

Their dictionary genders are:

  • domina, -ae (f.) = feminine
  • servus, -ī (m.) = masculine

It matters for things like adjectives and pronouns that agree in gender, number, and case. Here, it mostly helps you choose a natural English pronoun (she for domina, he for servus) if you want one.

What are the dictionary forms (principal parts) I should learn from these words?

Commonly learned as:

  • domina, dominae (f.) = mistress/lady
  • servus, servī (m.) = slave
  • vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum = call
  • veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum = come
  • statim = immediately
  • et = and