Pater non filiae tantum, sed etiam filio panem dat.

Pater is the subject of the sentence, so it is in the nominative singular.

• pater = father
• nominative singular is the form used for the person doing the action

Here, the father is the one who gives, so pater is nominative.

Also, this is a good reminder that Latin often has no word for the or a/an. So pater can mean the father or a father, depending on context.

They are both in the dative singular, but they belong to different noun declensions, so their endings are different.

• filia = daughter → dative singular filiae
• filius = son → dative singular filio

The dative case is used here for the person receiving something.

So:

• filiae = to the daughter
• filio = to the son

Even though the endings are different, they do the same job in the sentence.

Because the verb dat means gives, and with give Latin normally uses:

• nominative for the giver
• accusative for the thing given
• dative for the person receiving it

So in this sentence:

• pater = the giver
• panem = the thing given
• filiae and filio = the receivers

That is why filiae and filio are dative.

Because panem is the direct object: it is the thing being given.

• dictionary form: panis = bread, loaf
• accusative singular: panem

With dat (gives), the thing given is usually in the accusative.

So:

• panem dat = gives bread

It means not only ... but also ...

So:

• non filiae tantum = not only to the daughter
• sed etiam filio = but also to the son

This is a very common Latin pattern.

A closely related and also very common version is:

• non solum ... sed etiam ...

Both mean not only ... but also ...

Because the idea is not only to the daughter.

Latin often places non in front of the part being negated. Here it works with tantum (only) to deny exclusiveness:

• non ... tantum = not only ...

So the father does give bread to the daughter, but the daughter is not the only recipient.

Here tantum means only.

It is being used adverbially, so the sense is:

• filiae tantum = to the daughter only

Then non changes that to:

• non filiae tantum = not only to the daughter

This use can feel a little unusual to English speakers because tantum has other meanings in other contexts, but here it simply helps express only.

Etiam can mean also, even, or still, depending on context. Here it means also.

So:

• sed etiam filio = but also to the son

In this sentence, etiam adds the son as an additional recipient.

Latin word order is much freer than English word order because the endings show the grammatical roles.

Putting the verb at the end is very common in Latin, especially in straightforward prose. So:

• Pater ... panem dat

is a very normal Latin order.

English usually needs a more fixed order:

• The father gives bread ...

Latin can move words around more easily for emphasis or style.

Yes, often they could.

Because the endings show who is doing what, Latin can rearrange words without completely changing the basic meaning. For example, forms like these would still be understandable:

• Pater panem non filiae tantum, sed etiam filio dat.
• Panem pater non filiae tantum, sed etiam filio dat.

However, different word orders can slightly change the emphasis.

The given sentence is natural and highlights the contrast between filiae and filio.

Yes, taken by itself, filiae is ambiguous. It could be, depending on context:

• genitive singular = of the daughter
• dative singular = to/for the daughter
• nominative plural = daughters
• vocative plural = daughters!

But in this sentence, it clearly means dative singular because:

• it matches the function of filio
• the verb dat calls for a recipient in the dative
• the meaning not only to the daughter, but also to the son fits perfectly

So context tells you which meaning is right.

Because Latin often expresses meanings like to or for with the dative case ending, instead of with a separate word.

English says:

• to the daughter
• to the son

Latin says:

• filiae
• filio

The case ending itself carries the idea of to/for.

Either can work, depending on context.

The noun panis, panem can mean:

• bread
• a loaf of bread

In many beginner translations, bread is enough. But in a real context, it might refer to a specific loaf.

Latin itself does not force exactly the same distinction that English sometimes does.

Because Classical Latin has no articles like English the or a/an.

So:

• pater can mean the father or a father
• filiae can mean to the daughter or to a daughter
• panem can mean bread or the bread or a loaf of bread

Context decides what sounds best in English.

Yes. That would be very common and perfectly good Latin.

For example:

• Pater non solum filiae, sed etiam filio panem dat.

This means the same basic thing:

• The father gives bread not only to the daughter, but also to the son.

So non ... tantum, sed etiam ... and non solum ... sed etiam ... are closely related patterns.

The structure is:

• Pater = subject
• non filiae tantum, sed etiam filio = indirect object phrase with contrast
• panem = direct object
• dat = verb

So the sentence works like this:

• The father gives bread
• not only to the daughter
• but also to the son

This is a good example of how Latin uses case endings and contrast words to organize meaning.