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Mater statim ianuam claudit.

Mater statim ianuam claudit.
Mother closes the door at once.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Latin

Breakdown of Mater statim ianuam claudit.

mater
the mother
claudere
to close
ianua
the door
statim
at once
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Questions & Answers about Mater statim ianuam claudit.

Why is mater used here instead of matrem or matris?

Because mater is the nominative singular form, used for the subject of the verb. In this sentence, the mother is the one doing the action (claudit = shuts/closes), so Latin puts mater in the nominative.

How do I know that ianuam is the direct object, and why does it end in -am?

Ianuam is accusative singular, which is the case most commonly used for the direct object—the thing being acted on. The verb claudit (closes) needs an object: she closes something, and that something is the door. For a 1st-declension noun like ianua (door), the accusative singular ends in -am:

  • nominative: ianua (door)
  • accusative: ianuam (door, as object)
What tense is claudit, and how can I tell?

Claudit is present tense, 3rd person singular, active: (she) closes/shuts. You can tell by the ending -it, a common 3rd person singular present ending (especially in 3rd-conjugation verbs like claudere).
So claudit = he/she/it closes.

Does Latin need a word for she in this sentence?

No. The subject pronoun is usually not needed because the verb ending already tells you the person and number. Claudit already means she/he/it closes. Latin typically only adds a pronoun (like ea = she) for emphasis or contrast.

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

Statim is an adverb meaning immediately/at once. It modifies the verb claudit (how/when she closes). Latin adverbs are often flexible in placement. You could also see:

  • Mater ianuam statim claudit.
  • Statim mater ianuam claudit.
    The meaning stays basically the same, though placement can slightly affect emphasis.
Why is the word order Mater statim ianuam claudit instead of English order?

Latin word order is more flexible because grammatical roles are signaled by case endings, not by position. Here:

  • mater (nominative) = subject
  • ianuam (accusative) = object
    So even if you rearranged the words, the cases still show who is doing what to whom. That said, subject–adverb–object–verb is a very natural Latin arrangement, and placing claudit at the end is common.
Is ianua masculine or feminine, and does that matter here?

Ianua is feminine (1st declension). It matters mainly for agreement with adjectives or pronouns (e.g., ianua magna = the big door). In this sentence there are no adjectives, but the feminine gender is why the nominative is ianua and accusative is ianuam (typical 1st-declension feminine endings).

How would Latin say the mother closes the door—where is the word for the?

Classical Latin usually doesn’t have definite or indefinite articles (the/a). So mater can mean mother or the mother, and ianuam can mean a door or the door. Context supplies the difference.

Could claudit mean is closing as well as closes?

Yes. Latin present tense can cover what English splits into simple present (closes) and present progressive (is closing), depending on context. So mater ... claudit can be understood as she closes or she is closing.

What dictionary form would I look up for claudit and ianuam?

You would look up:

  • claudit under claudō, claudere, clausī, clausum (to close/shut)
  • ianuam under ianua, -ae (door)
    Latin dictionaries usually list nouns in the nominative singular plus genitive singular ending (or full genitive) to show the declension.