Haec epistula mihi gratior est quam illud munus.

This letter is more pleasing to me than that gift.

Breakdown of Haec epistula mihi gratior est quam illud munus.

• esse: to be
• quam: than
• mihi: me
• hic: this

Questions & Answers about Haec epistula mihi gratior est quam illud munus.

Why is it haec and not hic or hoc?

Because haec has to agree with epistula.

Epistula is:

• feminine
• singular
• nominative

So the demonstrative hic, haec, hoc must also be feminine singular nominative here, which is haec.

So:

• hic = masculine nominative singular
• haec = feminine nominative singular
• hoc = neuter nominative singular

Since epistula is feminine, Latin uses haec epistula = this letter.

Why is it illud munus?

For the same reason: agreement.

Munus is a neuter noun, so the demonstrative must be neuter too. The nominative singular neuter form of ille, illa, illud is illud.

So:

• ille = masculine nominative singular
• illa = feminine nominative singular
• illud = neuter nominative singular

Therefore:

• illud munus = that gift

A learner may expect a noun ending in -us to be masculine, but munus is different: it is a third-declension neuter noun.

What case is mihi, and why is it used here?