Lucia tabellam e capsa tollit et in mensa deponit.

Because tabellam is the direct object: it is the thing Lucia takes and then puts down. A first-declension noun in the accusative singular usually ends in -am.

So:

• tabella = nominative singular
• tabellam = accusative singular

Also, tabella usually means a small tablet or writing tablet, not a modern electronic tablet.

e capsa means out of the box or from the box.

The preposition e (or ex) takes the ablative case, so capsa is in the ablative singular.

So:

• capsa = box, in the ablative here
• e capsa = out of/from the box

It is not capsam, because capsam would be accusative, and e does not take the accusative.

e and ex are the same preposition. Both mean out of or from.

A common pattern is:

• e before a consonant
• ex before a vowel or h

Since capsa begins with c, e capsa is completely normal. You may also see ex before consonants in some Latin, but e capsa is the expected form here.

Both are present indicative active, third person singular.

That means:

• tollit = she takes / she lifts
• deponit = she puts down / she sets down

The ending -t tells you the verb is third person singular: he/she/it.

Latin often does not use a separate word for she when the verb ending already shows the person and number.

In this sentence:

• tollit already means she takes
• deponit already means she puts down

Since Lucia is named, Latin does not need an extra pronoun. A separate pronoun would usually only be added for emphasis or contrast.

Because Latin often leaves out words that are easy to understand from the context.

The object tabellam belongs clearly with tollit, and it is also understood with deponit. So the sentence means:

• Lucia takes the tablet out of the box
• and puts it down on the table

Latin does not need to repeat the object if it is obvious.

This is a very common question.

Normally:

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

So yes, a learner may expect in mensam for onto the table.

But with verbs of placing, such as deponere, Latin can use in + ablative to focus on the resulting location: where the object ends up. So in mensa means on the table as the place where the tablet is set down.

In other contexts, in mensam could also be found if the movement onto the table were being stressed more strongly.

The word order is natural, but it is not rigid in the way English word order is.

Latin endings show the grammatical roles, so authors can move words around for emphasis. In this sentence, the order is clear and straightforward:

• Lucia = subject
• tabellam = object
• e capsa = from the box
• tollit = takes
• et = and
• in mensa = on the table
• deponit = puts down

A different order could still mean the same thing, as long as the forms remain clear.

Yes. When Latin gives one subject and then links another verb with et, the same subject is normally understood unless the sentence signals a change.

So here:

• Lucia ... tollit
• et ... deponit

Both verbs are understood with Lucia as the subject. The sentence does not need to say Lucia twice.