Subito sonus aquae clarior fit, et omnes tacent ut eum audiant.

Because aquae means of water here.

So sonus aquae literally means the sound of water. This is a very common Latin pattern:

• sonus venti = the sound of the wind
• vox puellae = the voice of the girl
• porta urbis = the gate of the city

A native English speaker may want to read aquae as water by itself, but in this phrase it is not the main noun. The main noun is sonus (sound), and aquae tells us what kind of sound.

Clarior is the comparative form of clarus.

• clarus = clear, loud, distinct
• clarior = clearer, louder, more distinct

So sonus aquae clarior fit means the sound of the water becomes clearer/louder.

Even if English might sometimes say just gets louder, Latin often uses the comparative form naturally in this kind of situation.

Also, clarior agrees with sonus, which is masculine singular, so the form is correct for sonus.

Here fit means becomes.

So:

• clarior fit = becomes clearer/louder

This is a very common use of fio, fieri, factus sum. In many contexts, fio means become.

So you can think of the sentence as:

• Subito sonus aquae clarior fit = Suddenly the sound of the water becomes clearer

A learner may expect est, but est would mean is, while fit expresses a change.

Subito means suddenly.

It is an adverb, so it modifies the whole action:

• Subito sonus aquae clarior fit = Suddenly the sound of the water becomes clearer

Latin often puts adverbs like this near the beginning of the sentence, especially when they set the scene or change the pace of the narrative.

Here omnes means everyone or all [the people].

Literally, omnes is an adjective/pronoun meaning all. In context, Latin often uses it without a noun when the noun is obvious.

So:

• omnes tacent = everyone is silent / all fall silent

A learner might expect a noun like homines, but Latin often leaves it out when it is easy to understand.

Because the subject is omnes, which is plural.

• omnes = all / everyone
• tacent = they are silent / they keep silent

So the verb must also be plural.

This is one place where English and Latin work a little differently. English may say everyone is silent, using a singular verb, but Latin uses omnes as plural, so tacent is plural.

Ut introduces a purpose clause here.

So:

• omnes tacent ut eum audiant = everyone is silent so that they may hear him/it
• more natural English: everyone falls silent in order to hear him/it

This is a very common Latin construction:

• ut
  • subjunctive = in order that, so that

Examples:

• venit ut videat = he comes in order to see
• laborant ut vivant = they work in order to live

So in your sentence, the silence has a purpose: they become quiet so that they can hear.

Because after ut in a purpose clause, Latin uses the subjunctive, not the indicative.

So:

• audiunt = they hear (indicative: simple statement)
• audiant = that they may hear / in order to hear (subjunctive in a purpose clause)

This is one of the most important Latin patterns to learn:

• ut
  • subjunctive = purpose

So ut eum audiant does not simply mean that they hear him/it as a fact. It means so that they may hear him/it.

Eum means him or it, masculine singular accusative.

It refers to some earlier masculine noun in the surrounding context. By itself, this sentence does not tell us exactly what that noun is, but grammar tells us that it must be:

• masculine
• singular
• the direct object of audiant

So:

• ut eum audiant = so that they may hear him/it

If the thing being heard is a person, English will usually translate him. If it is a masculine noun referring to a thing, English may translate it.

The core structure is:

• sonus = subject
• clarior = predicate adjective/complement
• fit = verb

So literally:

• the sound of water becomes clearer

With the genitive included:

• sonus aquae = the sound of the water
• clarior fit = becomes clearer/louder

A useful way to read it is:

1. find the subject: sonus
2. attach the genitive: aquae
3. connect the comparative adjective and verb: clarior fit

It is normal Latin word order, even if it feels different from English.

Latin often arranges words for emphasis or style rather than keeping a fixed English-like order. In this sentence:

• Subito comes first for dramatic effect: Suddenly...
• sonus aquae stays together as a noun phrase
• clarior fit puts the change at the end of the clause
• ut eum audiant places the purpose after the main action

An English speaker might expect something like:

• Subito sonus aquae fit clarior

That would also be understandable, but clarior fit is a very natural Latin order.

It can suggest either clearer, more distinct, or louder, depending on context.

The adjective clarus has a wider range than English clear. With sounds, it can mean:

• clear
• distinct
• loud
• easy to hear

So sonus aquae clarior fit could be understood as:

• the sound of the water becomes clearer
• the sound of the water grows louder
• the sound of the water becomes more distinct

The exact nuance depends on what is happening in the story.