Breakdown of Mater dicit ventum mox desiturum esse, et nos in horto exspectamus.
esse
to be
in
in
et
and
hortus
the garden
mater
the mother
nos
we
mox
soon
dicere
to say
exspectare
to wait
ventus
the wind
desiturus
about to stop
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Questions & Answers about Mater dicit ventum mox desiturum esse, et nos in horto exspectamus.
Why is ventum in the accusative (-um) instead of nominative ventus?
Because ventum is the subject of an indirect statement after dicit. Latin typically reports what someone says/thinks with accusative + infinitive (often called ACI). So Mater dicit [ventum … esse] = Mother says [that the wind …].
What exactly is the construction ventum … desiturum esse?
It’s an indirect statement (ACI) where:
- ventum = accusative “subject” of the reported clause
- desiturum esse = infinitive part of the reported clause, specifically a future infinitive
Together: [ventum mox desiturum esse] = that the wind will soon stop.
What does desiturum esse literally mean?
It’s the future active infinitive of dēsinere (to stop/cease). Literally, desiturum esse means to be going to stop / to be about to stop, which is the normal Latin way to express will stop in indirect speech.
Why is it desiturum (a participle) plus esse? Why not just an infinitive like desinere?
Because desinere is the present infinitive (“to stop / to be stopping”), not “will stop.”
To express future time in an indirect statement, Latin usually uses:
- future active participle
- esse
So desiturum esse conveys future meaning: will stop.
- esse
Does desiturum agree with ventum? If so, how?
Yes. desiturum is a future active participle agreeing with ventum in:
- case: accusative
- number: singular
- gender: masculine
So: ventum (m. acc. sg.) + desiturum (m. acc. sg.).
How do I know ventum here means wind and not something else?
ventum could, in other contexts, be the supine of venīre (ventum = “to come”), but here it’s clearly from ventus (wind) because:
- it’s paired with a participle (desiturum) that agrees with it like a noun it describes
- the meaning “the wind will stop” fits naturally with dēsinere (“cease”)
What is the role of mox in the sentence?
mox is an adverb meaning soon. It modifies the action of desiturum esse: the stopping will happen soon.
Why is there an et after the indirect statement? What does it connect?
et connects two main-clause units:
1) Mater dicit [ventum mox desiturum esse]
2) nos in horto exspectamus
So it’s basically: Mother says …, and we are waiting in the garden.
Why is nos included? Doesn’t exspectamus already mean “we wait”?
Yes, exspectamus already marks 1st person plural (“we”). nos is added for emphasis/clarity, like we in English when you stress the subject: and we are waiting….
What case is horto, and why?
horto is ablative singular because in with a place meaning where (location) takes the ablative:
- in hortō = in the garden (location)
If it were motion into the garden, it would be in hortum (accusative).
Why is exspectamus in the present tense?
The present (exspectamus) gives a straightforward, “current situation” sense: we are waiting (or we wait) in the garden. Latin present can cover both simple present and progressive-like meaning depending on context.
How would you negate the reported idea “the wind will soon stop”?
You typically put nōn inside the indirect statement, before what it negates, e.g.:
- Mater dicit ventum nōn mox desitūrum esse = Mother says the wind will not stop soon.
Or to negate the whole statement more generally: - Mater nōn dicit ventum mox desitūrum esse = Mother does not say that the wind will soon stop.
Is the word order unusual? Why does Latin place things this way?
It’s very typical Latin. Common tendencies here are:
- dicit introduces the indirect statement early
- the infinitive chunk often comes toward the end of its clause (… desiturum esse)
- other elements (ventum, mox) are placed where they read smoothly and emphasize the key information before the closing infinitive.