In schola regula nova legitur: “Nemo sine causa sero discedat.”

Latin normally has no articles. So a noun like schola can mean school, a school, or the school, depending on context.

That means:

• in schola can mean in the school or simply at school
• regula nova can mean a new rule or the new rule

English requires articles much more often than Latin does, so this is something English-speaking learners notice right away.

Because in meaning in / on / at a place takes the ablative case.

So:

• schola here is ablative singular
• in schola = in school / at school

A useful contrast is:

• in + ablative = location: in the school
• in + accusative = motion into: into the school

So in schola answers where?, not to where?

Regula nova is nominative singular feminine, and it is the subject of legitur.

You can tell because:

• regula is a first-declension noun
• nova matches it in gender, number, and case
• legitur is singular, so it needs a singular subject

So the grammar is:

• regula nova = subject
• legitur = verb

The adjective nova agrees with regula, just as English new goes with rule.

Either order is possible in Latin. Both regula nova and nova regula are grammatically correct.

Latin word order is much more flexible than English word order, because the endings show the grammar. Writers often change the order for style, emphasis, or rhythm.

So regula nova does not mean something different just because the adjective comes after the noun. It still means new rule.

Legitur is the present passive indicative of legere.

So literally it means is read.

In a sentence like this, Latin often uses a passive where English might prefer something like:

• a new rule is read
• one reads a new rule
• there is a new rule posted / written

So the passive can sound slightly more natural in Latin than in English. The important point is that regula nova is what is being read.

Legitur breaks down like this:

• verb: legere = to read
• tense: present
• voice: passive
• mood: indicative
• person/number: third person singular

So it means it is read or is being read, with regula nova as the it.

Nemo means no one or nobody.

Grammatically, it is treated as singular, so it takes a singular verb:

• nemo ... discedat
• not nemo ... discedant

That is similar to English no one leaves, not no one leave.

The preposition sine means without, and it takes the ablative case.

So:

• sine causa = without a reason / without cause
• causa is ablative singular here

This is just something to memorize with the preposition:

• sine + ablative

No. Here sero is an adverb, meaning late.

It modifies the verb discedat, not a noun.

So the idea is:

• discedat = should leave / depart
• sero discedat = should leave late

This is different from the adjective serus, sera, serum, which means late in the sense of late, delayed and would agree with a noun.

Because discedat is a present subjunctive, and here it is being used as a jussive subjunctive.

A jussive subjunctive gives a command, instruction, or rule, especially in the third person. English often translates it with let or with should:

• discedit = he/she leaves
• discedat = let him/her leave or, in a rule, should leave

So Nemo sine causa sero discedat is the language of a rule or prohibition, not a simple statement of fact.

Because the sentence already has a negative subject: nemo = no one.

Latin can express a prohibition this way:

• Nemo ... discedat = Let no one leave ...

So the negative force is already built into nemo. A separate ne is not necessary.

It is a jussive subjunctive.

This use is very common for:

• commands in the third person
• formal rules
• instructions
• prohibitions

A school rule is exactly the sort of context where Latin likes this construction.

So the sentence is not just describing what happens; it is stating what is supposed to happen.

Latin word order is fairly flexible, because the endings do much of the grammatical work.

This order is perfectly natural, and it gives a nice progression:

• Nemo — no one
• sine causa — without reason
• sero — late
• discedat — should leave

English usually has to keep a stricter order, but Latin can move parts around for emphasis. Even so, the order here is clear and elegant for a posted rule.