Soror fratri persuadet ut veritatem sine timore dicat.

Because soror is the subject of the main verb persuadet. In Latin, the subject of a finite verb is normally in the nominative case.

• soror = the sister
• persuadet = persuades

So soror persuadet means the sister persuades.

Because the verb persuadeo, persuadere normally takes the person persuaded in the dative.

So:

• frater = brother
• fratri = to the brother / the brother (as the indirect object)

This is one of the important things to memorize with persuadeo:

• aliquī persuadēre = to persuade someone
• but literally in Latin it works more like to bring persuasion to someone

So soror fratri persuadet = the sister persuades the brother.

After persuadeo, Latin commonly uses ut plus a subjunctive verb to express what someone is being persuaded to do.

So:

• persuadet ut dicat = persuades him to say

This is different from English, which usually uses an infinitive:

• English: she persuades him to speak
• Latin: ei persuadet ut dicat

So ut introduces a purpose/content clause after persuadet.

Because after persuadeo, the action being urged or persuaded is normally put in an ut-clause with the subjunctive.

That means dicat is not a main statement like he says. Instead, it is part of the clause showing what the brother is being persuaded to do.

Compare:

• dicit = he says (indicative, plain statement)
• dicat = that he say / to say in this construction (subjunctive)

So the subjunctive is required by the grammar of persuadet ut ...

The understood subject of dicat is frater, the brother.

So the sentence means that the sister persuades the brother to say the truth without fear.

Latin often leaves the subject of a subordinate verb unstated when it is clear from context. Here it is clear that the person being persuaded, fratri, is also the one who is supposed to do the speaking.

Because veritatem is the direct object of dicat.

• veritas = truth
• veritatem = the truth as the thing being spoken

The verb dico can take a direct object, so:

• veritatem dicere = to speak the truth / to tell the truth

That is why veritatem is accusative.

The preposition sine takes the ablative case, so timore is ablative.

• sine = without
• timor, timoris = fear
• timore = ablative singular

So:

• sine timore = without fear

This phrase modifies dicat, telling us how the brother is supposed to speak.

Because the verb is persuadeo, persuadere, a 2nd-conjugation verb.

Its present tense forms include:

• persuadeo = I persuade
• persuades = you persuade
• persuadet = he/she persuades

So persuadet is the correct 3rd person singular present active form.

Because dicat here is the present subjunctive of dico, not the future indicative.

• dicit = he says
• dicet = he will say
• dicat = he may say / that he say, depending on context

In this sentence, dicat is required because it is inside an ut clause after persuadet.

The main verb persuadet is present tense, and the subordinate verb dicat is present subjunctive. This is normal sequence after a present main verb.

It suggests that the persuasion is happening now, and the speaking is intended as an action that is contemporary with or subsequent to that persuasion.

In simple learner-friendly terms:

• she persuades him now
• so that he may speak / to speak

Because Latin often prefers ut + subjunctive after verbs like persuadeo.

English says:

• She persuades her brother to tell the truth.

Latin more naturally says:

• Soror fratri persuadet ut veritatem dicat.

So this is a place where Latin and English structure the idea differently. A native English speaker often expects an infinitive, but Latin uses a subordinate clause instead.

The basic relationships are shown mainly by the case endings, not just by word order.

So in this sentence:

• soror is nominative, so it is the subject
• fratri is dative, so it is the person persuaded
• veritatem is accusative, so it is the object of dicat
• timore is ablative after sine

That means Latin has more freedom in word order than English. The given order is natural and clear, but other orders are possible for emphasis.

For example, veritatem could be moved earlier for emphasis on the truth.

In a very literal sense, it can feel like so that, but in this construction it is often best understood in English as part of persuade someone to do something.

So:

• ut veritatem dicat literally: that he may speak the truth
• natural English: to speak the truth

So although ut often means so that, here it is functioning in the standard construction after persuadet and is best translated idiomatically.

Sometimes Latin can omit words that are understood from context, but with persuadeo, the person persuaded is usually important and is normally expressed if needed for clarity.

In this sentence, fratri is useful because it clearly tells you whom the sister is persuading, and it also helps you understand who the implied subject of dicat is.

So while Latin can omit many things, here fratri plays an important grammatical and semantic role.