Breakdown of Discipuli veritatem audire cupiunt, sed clamor in via magnus est.
esse
to be
in
in
discipulus
the student
sed
but
via
the street
clamor
the noise
magnus
loud
audire
to hear
cupere
to want
veritas
truth
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Questions & Answers about Discipuli veritatem audire cupiunt, sed clamor in via magnus est.
Why does discipuli mean the students—what case is it in?
Discipuli is nominative plural, so it’s the subject of the sentence: the students (i.e., “the students want…”). The singular would be discipulus.
What is the form cupiunt, and how do I know who is doing the wanting?
Cupiunt is 3rd person plural present active indicative of cupere (to desire/want). The -unt ending tells you the subject is they, matching discipuli.
Why is veritatem in a different form from discipuli?
Veritatem is accusative singular of veritas (truth). It’s the direct object of audire (to hear): they want to hear the truth.
Why is audire in the infinitive (to hear) instead of a normal verb form like audiunt?
Latin commonly uses cupere + infinitive to mean to want to do something. So cupiunt audire = they want to hear. If you used audiunt, that would instead state a separate action: they hear.
Does Latin have an actual word for to (as in to hear)?
Not here. The idea of English to is built into the infinitive form audire. Latin doesn’t need a separate word in this construction.
What does sed do in the sentence?
Sed is the coordinating conjunction but. It links two main clauses:
- Discipuli veritatem audire cupiunt
- sed clamor in via magnus est
What case is clamor, and why does it mean noise/shouting?
Clamor is nominative singular, the subject of est. It means a shout, uproar, noise depending on context. Here it’s the thing being described: the noise is great.
Why is it in via and not something like in viam?
Because in takes different cases:
- in + ablative = in/on (location): in via = in the street
- in + accusative = into/onto (motion toward): in viam = into the street This sentence is about where the noise is happening (location), so ablative via is used.
What is the form via, and why does it mean in the street/road?
Via is a 1st-declension noun meaning road/way/street. In in via, it’s ablative singular because in is governing the ablative for location.
Why does Latin say magnus est instead of just est magnus, and does word order matter?
Both magnus est and est magnus are possible. Latin word order is flexible because endings show grammar. Often, placing magnus before est gives a slightly more direct emphasis on the description: the noise is great/loud.
What exactly is magnus, and why does it end in -us?
Magnus is a 1st/2nd-declension adjective meaning great/large/loud (in effect). It ends in -us because it agrees with clamor, which is masculine nominative singular. Agreement in gender, number, and case is required.
Is est present tense, and could this sentence be translated as “there is”?
Est is 3rd person singular present of esse (to be): is. Depending on English style, clamor in via magnus est can be rendered as the noise in the street is great or more loosely there is a great noise in the street. The Latin is literally the noise … is great.