Breakdown of Mater et filia post laborem ad balneum lavatum eunt.
et
and
mater
the mother
filia
the daughter
ad
to
Questions & Answers about Mater et filia post laborem ad balneum lavatum eunt.
How do we know mater et filia is the subject?
Because both words are in the nominative case, which is the case normally used for the subject of a sentence.
- mater = mother (nominative singular)
- filia = daughter (nominative singular)
They are joined by et = and, so together they form a compound subject: mother and daughter.
The verb also helps confirm this, because eunt is plural: they go.
Why is the verb eunt plural?
Because the subject has two people: mater et filia.
In English, we say the mother and daughter go, not goes. Latin works the same way here:
- it = he/she/it goes
- eunt = they go
Since there are two subjects joined by and, Latin uses the plural verb eunt.
Why is laborem not labor?
Because post is a preposition that takes the accusative case.
So:
- labor = nominative form
- laborem = accusative singular
After post, Latin uses the accusative, so means or .