Mater rogat num servus innocens sit; iudex respondet eum mox liberandum esse, si verum dixerit.

Mother asks whether the servant is innocent; the judge answers that he must soon be freed, if he has told the truth.

Breakdown of Mater rogat num servus innocens sit; iudex respondet eum mox liberandum esse, si verum dixerit.

• esse: to be
• mater: the mother
• si: if
• mox: soon

Questions & Answers about Mater rogat num servus innocens sit; iudex respondet eum mox liberandum esse, si verum dixerit.

How is the whole sentence structured?

It has two main clauses, each with its own dependent clause:

• Mater rogat = The mother asks
  • num servus innocens sit = an indirect yes/no question: whether the slave is innocent
• iudex respondet = the judge replies
  • eum mox liberandum esse = an indirect statement: that he is to be freed soon / should soon be set free
  • si verum dixerit = a conditional clause: if he tells / has told the truth

So Latin is combining several clause types in one sentence:

• indirect question
• indirect statement
• condition

Why are there no words for the or a?

Because Latin has no articles.

So:

• mater can mean mother, a mother, or the mother
• servus can mean slave, a slave, or the slave
• iudex can mean judge, a judge, or the judge

The context tells you which English article makes sense.