Sed amica mea audet etiam sententias difficiliores statim scribere.

But my friend dares to write even more difficult sentences at once.

Breakdown of Sed amica mea audet etiam sententias difficiliores statim scribere.

• scribere: to write
• sed: but
• meus: my
• amica: the female friend

Questions & Answers about Sed amica mea audet etiam sententias difficiliores statim scribere.

Why does the sentence begin with sed?

Sed means but. It signals a contrast with something said earlier. Latin often puts conjunctions like sed, et, autem, and nam near the beginning of the clause, just as English often does.

Why is it amica mea?

Amica mea is the subject of the sentence, so both words are in the nominative singular feminine:

• amica = nominative singular of amica
• mea = nominative singular feminine of meus, mea, meum

They agree because mea is a possessive adjective modifying amica.

Why is the possessive written amica mea instead of mea amica?

Latin word order is more flexible than English word order. Both amica mea and mea amica are possible.

With possessives, Latin often places the possessive adjective after the noun, especially in simple, natural phrasing. So amica mea is a very normal way to say my friend.

The difference is usually not a big one in a sentence like this; it is mostly a matter of style and emphasis.

How does audet ... scribere work?