Discipula verba nova recte interpretatur.

Because discipula is a first-declension feminine noun in the nominative singular.

In this sentence, it is the subject, so Latin uses the nominative case:

• discipula = the female student / schoolgirl

The ending -a here tells you it is:

• singular
• feminine
• nominative

So discipula is the one doing the action.

There are two main clues:

1. Case ending

   • discipula is nominative singular, which is the normal case for the subject.

2. Verb agreement

   • interpretatur is third person singular
   • so it matches a singular subject: discipula

So the sentence means that the student is doing the interpreting.

Because verba is a neuter plural form.

It comes from verbum meaning word.
This is a second-declension neuter noun, and neuter nouns have a special pattern:

• singular: verbum
• plural: verba

A very important rule in Latin is:

• neuter nominative plural ends in -a
• neuter accusative plural also ends in -a

So even though -a often looks singular and feminine to English-speaking beginners, here it is actually plural neuter.

Verba nova is accusative plural neuter.

It is in the accusative because it is the direct object of the verb interpretatur:

• the student interprets what?
• verba nova = new words

Since verba is neuter plural, the adjective nova must also be neuter plural accusative to agree with it.

Because nova is agreeing with verba, not with discipula.

In Latin, adjectives must agree with the nouns they describe in:

• gender
• number
• case

Here:

• verba = neuter plural accusative
• so nova must also be neuter plural accusative

That gives:

• verba nova = new words

Even though nova could also be feminine singular in another sentence, here its partner is verba, so its function is clear.

Recte is an adverb, and it modifies the verb interpretatur.

It tells you how the student interprets:

• recte = correctly / rightly

So it describes the manner of the action, not a noun.

A useful comparison:

• rectus, recta, rectum = correct/right as an adjective
• recte = correctly as an adverb

Because interpretatur is a deponent verb.

Deponent verbs:

• have passive forms
• but active meanings

So:

• interpretatur looks like is interpreted
• but actually means interprets

This is one of the most important things to learn about deponent verbs in Latin.

So in this sentence:

• discipula verba nova recte interpretatur
• means the student correctly interprets the new words

not the student is correctly interpreted...

Interpretatur is:

• present tense
• indicative mood
• third person singular
• deponent

So it means:

• she interprets
• or the student interprets

Because the subject is discipula, the natural English translation uses she or the student.

Because Classical Latin has no articles.

English distinguishes:

• a student
• the student

Latin usually does not. So discipula can mean:

• a student
• the student

The exact choice depends on context.

The same is true for verba nova:

• new words
• the new words

Latin leaves that to the reader or the surrounding context.

It is important stylistically, but not as rigidly as in English.

Latin relies much more on endings than on word order to show grammatical function. So:

• discipula is the subject because of its case
• verba nova is the object because of its case
• interpretatur is the verb

That means the sentence could be rearranged in other ways without changing the basic meaning, for example:

• Discipula nova verba recte interpretatur
• Verba nova discipula recte interpretatur

However, the given order is natural and clear:

• subject → object → adverb → verb

Also, Latin often likes to place the verb at the end.

Yes. A deponent verb can still take a direct object if its meaning is active and transitive.

That is exactly what happens here:

• interpretatur = interprets
• verba nova = the thing being interpreted

So even though the form is passive-looking, the syntax is active:

• subject: discipula
• object: verba nova

Because the verb ending already includes that information.

In interpretatur, the ending tells you it is third person singular, so Latin does not need to add a separate subject pronoun.

Latin often omits pronouns like:

• he
• she
• they

unless they are needed for emphasis or contrast.

So:

• interpretatur by itself can mean she interprets, he interprets, or it interprets
• discipula interpretatur makes the subject explicit: the female student interprets

A simple classroom pronunciation would be something like:

• dis-KI-pu-la
• WER-ba
• NO-wa
• REK-te
• in-ter-PRAY-ta-toor

A few helpful notes:

• c is always hard, like k
• v is often pronounced like English w in restored Classical pronunciation
• ae would sound like ai, though this sentence does not contain it
• the stress in interpretatur falls on ta

So one possible Classical-style pronunciation is:

dis-KI-pu-la WER-ba NO-wa REK-te in-ter-pre-TA-toor

Not for a special grammatical reason; it is simply a normal Latin adjective position.

Latin adjectives can appear:

• before the noun
• after the noun
• sometimes separated from it

Here:

• verba nova = new words

This is a very common and straightforward arrangement. Because the endings match, the reader knows that nova belongs with verba.

This sentence is useful because it shows several important Latin features at once:

1. Case endings matter

   • discipula = subject
   • verba nova = object

2. Neuter plural in -a

   • verba is plural, not singular

3. Adjective agreement

   • nova matches verba

4. Adverb formation

   • recte modifies the verb

5. Deponent verb

   • interpretatur looks passive but means active

If you can spot those five things, you are reading the sentence correctly.