Orator in contione dicit, et multi cives eum audiunt.

Because orator is in the nominative singular, the case normally used for the subject of a verb in Latin.

• orator = speaker / orator
• dicit = speaks / says

So orator dicit means the speaker speaks or the orator speaks.

Also, orator is a third-declension noun.

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

• in + ablative = in / on a place where someone is already located
• in + accusative = into / onto a place, showing motion toward it

Here there is no movement into the assembly; the speaker is speaking in the assembly. So Latin uses the ablative:

• in contione = in the assembly

So contione is ablative singular.

Contio means a public assembly, meeting, or gathering of citizens, especially one where speaking takes place.

So in contione dicit suggests that the orator is speaking before a public gathering or in an assembly.

It is not the most basic everyday word for a physical place; it refers more to the public gathering itself.

Dicit is the third person singular present active indicative of dicere.

That tells you:

• third person singular = he/she/it says / speaks
• present tense = is saying / says / speaks
• active = the subject is doing the action
• indicative = it is a normal statement

Since the subject is orator, dicit means the orator speaks or the orator is speaking.

Because multi is an adjective meaning many, and it agrees with cives in:

• case: nominative
• number: plural
• gender: masculine here

So:

• multi = many
• cives = citizens

Together they form the subject of audiunt:

• multi cives audiunt = many citizens listen

Because cives is the subject of audiunt.

The verb audiunt means they hear / they listen to, so we ask: who is doing the hearing? The answer is many citizens.

That is why cives is nominative plural.

A learner should also notice that civis is a third-declension noun:

• singular: civis
• plural: cives

Because eum is the accusative singular masculine form of the pronoun is, ea, id.

Here it is the direct object of audiunt:

• multi cives eum audiunt = many citizens hear him or listen to him

The form is would be nominative singular masculine, so it would mean he as a subject. But here we need him as an object, so Latin uses eum.

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

So in:

• multi cives eum audiunt

you can tell that:

• multi cives is the subject
• eum is the object
• audiunt is the verb

Even if the order changes, the meaning usually stays the same. For example, Latin could also say:

• multi eum cives audiunt
• eum multi cives audiunt

The version in your sentence is a very natural one.

Because its subject, multi cives, is plural.

Audiunt is the third person plural present active indicative of audire:

• audio = I hear
• audit = he/she hears
• audiunt = they hear

Since many citizens are doing the action, the verb must be plural.

Yes. The basic meaning of audire is to hear, but in many contexts it can also mean to listen to someone, especially when the object is a person speaking.

So:

• eum audiunt can mean they hear him
• and in natural English, often they listen to him

Both fit the sentence well.

Et simply means and. It joins the two clauses:

• Orator in contione dicit
• multi cives eum audiunt

So the full sentence has two coordinated parts:

• The orator speaks in the assembly, and many citizens listen to him.

It is important for style and emphasis, but less important for basic grammar than in English.

Latin often places words in an order that sounds balanced or emphasizes certain ideas. Here the sentence is straightforward:

• subject first: orator
• place phrase next: in contione
• verb last in the first clause: dicit

Then in the second clause:

• et
• subject: multi cives
• object: eum
• verb: audiunt

This is a clear, beginner-friendly Latin order, but other orders would still be possible.

With macrons, the sentence is usually written:

Orātor in contiōne dīcit, et multī cīvēs eum audiunt.

That shows the long vowels in:

• Orātor
• contiōne
• dīcit
• multī
• cīvēs

Macrons are often omitted in ordinary texts, but they are very helpful for learners because they show vowel length, which matters for pronunciation and sometimes for verse.