Breakdown of Si qua pars obscura est, magistra eam clare explicat.
esse
to be
magistra
the female teacher
si
if
clare
clearly
Questions & Answers about Si qua pars obscura est, magistra eam clare explicat.
What is the basic structure of this sentence?
It has two parts:
- Si qua pars obscura est = the if-clause
- magistra eam clare explicat = the main clause
So the sentence is a simple present condition:
- if some part is unclear,
- the teacher explains it clearly.
Latin often puts the if-clause first, just as English often does.
What does si mean here?
Si means if.
It introduces a condition. In this sentence, it sets up the situation under which the main action happens:
- Si ... est = If ... is
- magistra ... explicat = the teacher explains ...
Because both verbs are in the present indicative (est, explicat), this is a straightforward, real condition: if a part is unclear, the teacher explains it.
Why is it qua pars and not aliqua pars?
This is a very common point of confusion.
After words like si (if), nisi (unless), num, and ne, Latin often uses quis/quid or qui, qua, quod in an sense where English would often say , , or .