In illa basilica puella inscriptionem Graecam in marmore legit.

Because puella is in the nominative case, which is the case normally used for the subject.

Latin does not rely on word order as heavily as English does. In English, The girl reads the inscription and The inscription reads the girl mean very different things because word order tells us who is doing the action. In Latin, the endings do most of that work:

• puella = nominative singular, so it is the subject
• inscriptionem = accusative singular, so it is the direct object

So even though puella comes after in illa basilica, it is still the one doing the reading.

Because it is the direct object of legit.

The verb legit means reads or read, and the thing being read is the inscription. In Latin, direct objects usually go in the accusative:

• inscriptio = inscription
• inscriptionem = inscription, as a direct object

So puella inscriptionem legit means the girl reads the inscription.

Because Graecam is an adjective describing inscriptionem, and adjectives in Latin must agree with the nouns they describe.

That means they match in:

• gender
• number
• case

Here:

• inscriptionem = feminine, singular, accusative
• Graecam = feminine, singular, accusative

So inscriptionem Graecam means a Greek inscription or the Greek inscription.

Because it follows in in the sense of location: in the basilica.

With in, Latin often uses:

• ablative for location: in = in / inside / on
• accusative for motion into: into

So:

• in illa basilica = in that basilica / inside that basilica
• if it meant into that basilica, Latin would use the accusative instead

Here:

• illa = ablative singular feminine
• basilica = ablative singular feminine

Because the two in phrases do different jobs.

1. in illa basilica tells you where the action happens

   • in that basilica

2. in marmore tells you the material or surface/context of the inscription

   • on marble or literally in marble

So the sentence is not repetitive in a bad way. Each phrase adds different information.

Latin often uses in + ablative in ways that English translates differently.

in marmore literally looks like in marble, but in natural English it usually means something like:

• on marble
• in marble
• carved on marble

This is a normal Latin way to describe writing or carving as appearing on or in a material.

Also, marmore is the ablative singular of marmor, marmoris.

Illa is a form of the demonstrative ille, illa, illud, which usually means:

• that
• sometimes that particular
• sometimes the well-known / famous, depending on context

Here it agrees with basilica:

• illa basilica = that basilica

Because basilica is feminine singular ablative here, illa is also feminine singular ablative.

Latin word order is much more flexible than English word order because case endings show grammatical relationships.

English strongly prefers:

• Subject – Verb – Object

Latin can move words around for:

• emphasis
• style
• rhythm
• contrast

So In illa basilica puella inscriptionem Graecam in marmore legit is perfectly normal Latin.

A very plain English-like order would be something like:

• Puella legit inscriptionem Graecam in marmore in illa basilica

But Latin often places descriptive phrases earlier, especially to set the scene.

In Latin, adjectives can come before or after the noun. Both are common.

So both of these are possible:

• Graecam inscriptionem
• inscriptionem Graecam

The difference is usually stylistic or emphatic, not a basic difference in meaning.

Here, inscriptionem Graecam is a normal noun-adjective order.

By context, or by macrons if they are written.

The form legit can represent two different forms:

• legit = he/she reads (present tense)
• lēgit = he/she read (perfect tense)

Without macrons, they are spelled the same in ordinary Latin writing.

So if the sentence is from a lesson on the present tense, it means reads. If it is from a lesson on the perfect, it could mean read.

Context tells you which meaning is intended.

Because Classical Latin has no articles like English the and a/an.

So a noun like puella can mean:

• girl
• a girl
• the girl

Likewise inscriptionem Graecam can mean:

• a Greek inscription
• the Greek inscription

Which one is best depends on context and on the translation already given.

Marmore is ablative singular.

It is ablative because it follows in in the phrase in marmore. This use of in + ablative expresses location or setting, here with the sense of the material/surface in which the inscription appears.

The noun is:

• marmor, marmoris = marble

Its ablative singular form is:

• marmore

Not necessarily.

In Classical Latin, basilica originally referred to a large public building or hall, often used for business or legal matters. Later, in Christian contexts, basilica came to mean a church.

So the exact meaning depends on the historical setting of the sentence. A learner should not automatically assume the later church meaning unless the context makes that clear.