Puer, quamquam brassicam non amat, rapa tamen cum garo libenter edit.

Because amat takes a direct object, and in Latin the direct object is usually in the accusative.

So in brassicam non amat, brassicam means cabbage as the thing being liked or not liked.
The pattern is:

• puer brassicam amat = the boy likes cabbage
• puer brassicam non amat = the boy does not like cabbage

The dictionary form is brassica, but the accusative singular is brassicam.

Because rapa here is very likely a neuter plural form.

A common learner expectation is that a direct object should look like -am, but that is only true for many first-declension feminine singular nouns. Latin has different endings for different declensions and genders.

Here:

• rapum = a turnip or turnip in the singular
• rapa = turnips in the neuter plural nominative/accusative

Since edit needs a direct object, rapa is functioning as the accusative plural: turnips.

This is a useful reminder that -a does not always mean feminine singular in Latin; it can also be neuter plural.

Quamquam means although or even though. It introduces a concessive clause: a clause that gives a fact that contrasts with what follows.

So:

• quamquam brassicam non amat = although he does not like cabbage

A learner should notice that quamquam is followed here by a normal finite verb, amat, in the indicative. That is a very common construction.

Because Latin often likes the pair quamquam ... tamen, which corresponds to English although ... nevertheless/still.

So the structure is:

• quamquam ... tamen ...
• although ... nevertheless ...

In English, we do not always need both words, but in Latin this pairing is very natural and adds emphasis to the contrast.

Here the idea is:

• Although he does not like cabbage, he nevertheless gladly eats turnips with garum.

So tamen is not redundant; it strengthens the contrast.

Edit is third person singular present active indicative of edo, meaning eat.

So edit means:

• he eats
• she eats
• it eats

In this sentence, because the subject is puer, it means he eats.

A native English speaker may hesitate because edit looks like the English word edit, but here it is a Latin verb form from edo = to eat.

We know because puer is in the nominative singular, which is the normal case for the subject.

Also, the verbs amat and edit are both third person singular, which match puer = the boy.

So:

• puer = subject
• amat = loves/likes
• edit = eats

Even though Latin word order is flexible, the case ending helps us identify the grammatical role.

Because Latin verbs usually already contain the subject information.

Amat by itself means he/she/it loves/likes, so Latin does not need to add a separate pronoun unless it wants emphasis or contrast.

That means:

• brassicam non amat = he does not like cabbage

The subject is understood from the verb ending -t, which marks third person singular.

This is very common in Latin and is called a dropped or understood subject pronoun.

Cum means with here, and when cum means with, it takes the ablative case.

So:

• garum = dictionary form
• garo = ablative singular
• cum garo = with garum

This is a basic prepositional pattern:

• cum + ablative

So the phrase tells us what accompanies the turnips when he eats them.

Libenter is an adverb, and it modifies the verb edit.

It means gladly, willingly, or with pleasure.

So:

• rapa tamen cum garo libenter edit = he nevertheless gladly eats turnips with garum

A learner may expect the adverb to stand right next to the verb, but Latin word order is flexible. Libenter clearly belongs with edit by sense.

Yes. Latin word order is much more flexible than English word order because the case endings do a lot of the grammatical work.

This sentence begins with puer, then inserts the concessive clause quamquam brassicam non amat, and then returns to the main statement rapa tamen cum garo libenter edit.

The order helps highlight the contrast:

• first, the boy is introduced
• then, we hear the surprising fact that he does not like cabbage
• then, with tamen, we get the contrasting main point that he still gladly eats turnips with garum

A different order could still be grammatical, but this order is natural and rhetorically clear.

Because non normally negates the word or phrase that follows, and very often it is placed directly before the verb.

So:

• non amat = does not like

That is the standard way to negate the verb in a simple clause.

Yes: they differ in both number and form.

• brassicam is singular accusative
• rapa is plural accusative neuter

So the sentence is not saying that he dislikes and eats the same thing. It contrasts two different foods:

• he does not like cabbage
• he does gladly eat turnips

That difference is easy to miss if you focus only on the English meaning and not on the Latin endings.