Mater novum opus in horto suscipit, quamquam tempus breve est.

Mater is the nominative singular, which is the case normally used for the subject of the sentence.

• mater = mother
• It is a third-declension feminine noun
• Here, it is the one doing the action of suscipit

So mater means the mother / mother as the subject.

Because novum has to agree with opus.

• opus is a neuter singular noun
• It is the direct object of suscipit
• The adjective novus, -a, -um must match the noun in gender, number, and case

So:

• opus = neuter singular accusative
• novum = neuter singular accusative

That is why Latin uses novum opus for a new work/task/project.

Because opus is a third-declension neuter noun, and many neuter nouns have the same form in the nominative and accusative singular.

So:

• nominative singular: opus
• accusative singular: opus

This is completely normal for neuter nouns in Latin.

A useful rule is:

• Neuter nominative = neuter accusative

Here suscipit means something like takes up, begins, or undertakes.

It comes from suscipio, suscipere, suscepi, susceptum.

In this sentence, a very natural English sense is:

• undertakes a new task/work
• takes on a new project

So even if the basic meaning of the verb is take up or take on, the context gives it the smoother meaning undertakes.

Because the sentence is describing what the mother does / is doing now, not something completed in the past or something only planned for the future.

Suscipit is:

• third person singular
• present active indicative

That means:

• third person = she
• singular = one person
• present = undertakes / is undertaking
• active = she performs the action
• indicative = it is stated as a fact

Because in can take two different cases, depending on meaning:

• in + ablative = in / on a place, showing location
• in + accusative = into / onto a place, showing motion toward

Here the meaning is in the garden, meaning location, not movement into it.

So:

• horto is ablative singular
• in horto = in the garden

If the sentence meant into the garden, then Latin would use in hortum.

Quamquam means although or even though. It introduces a concessive clause: a clause that presents a fact that might seem to go against the main action.

So the structure is:

• main idea: Mater novum opus in horto suscipit
• concession: quamquam tempus breve est

In other words:

• she undertakes a new task in the garden
• although time is short

That is exactly the kind of contrast quamquam is used for.

Because tempus is a neuter noun, so the adjective must also be neuter.

The adjective here is from brevis, breve:

• masculine/feminine nominative singular: brevis
• neuter nominative singular: breve

Since tempus is neuter, Latin uses:

• tempus breve

So breve agrees with tempus in gender, number, and case.

Yes. In the clause tempus breve est, the subject is tempus.

Breaking it down:

• tempus = time
• breve = short
• est = is

So literally it is:

• time is short

Latin often uses sum (to be) with a noun and adjective like this.

Because Latin word order is much more flexible than English word order. An adjective can come before or after its noun.

So both of these are possible in Latin:

• breve tempus
• tempus breve

The choice can depend on style, rhythm, or emphasis, not just grammar.

In this sentence, tempus breve est is perfectly natural Latin.

Because Latin relies much more on case endings than on word order.

English needs word order to show who is doing what:

• The mother undertakes a new task

Latin can move words around more freely because the forms already show their roles:

• mater = subject
• novum opus = direct object
• in horto = prepositional phrase
• suscipit = verb

So Mater novum opus in horto suscipit is normal Latin, even though English speakers may expect the verb earlier.

Yes, but it can mean several related things depending on context:

• work
• task
• project
• piece of work
• undertaking

In this sentence, novum opus suscipit most naturally suggests that the mother is taking on a new task or project in the garden.

So although opus often translates as work, it is not only the abstract idea of labor; it can also mean a specific piece of work or undertaking.