Discipula a magistra laudari vult, quia diligenter laborat.

Because discipula is the subject of the main verb vult (wants).

So the basic structure is:

• Discipula ... vult = The schoolgirl wants ...

Even though laudari is passive (to be praised), the person who wants something is still the subject of vult, so Latin uses the nominative discipula.

Because laudari is a passive infinitive (to be praised), and Latin often marks the personal agent of a passive verb with a/ab + ablative.

So:

• a magistra = by the teacher

This is the same pattern you see with normal passive verbs:

• Discipula a magistra laudatur = The schoolgirl is praised by the teacher

Here, the same idea appears inside an infinitive phrase:

• a magistra laudari = to be praised by the teacher

Because laudari is the present passive infinitive, while laudare is the present active infinitive.

• laudare = to praise
• laudari = to be praised

Since the meaning is that the schoolgirl wants to be praised, Latin uses the passive infinitive laudari.

Compare:

• Discipula magistram laudare vult = The schoolgirl wants to praise the teacher
• Discipula a magistra laudari vult = The schoolgirl wants to be praised by the teacher

Vult means she wants, and it can take an infinitive to express wants to ...

So:

• vult laudari = wants to be praised

This is very similar to English:

• She wants to be praised

In Latin, this is a very common construction:

• a finite verb of wanting, being able, beginning, etc.
• plus an infinitive

The grammar tells you.

• discipula is the one who wants
• laudari is passive, so the subject of the main clause is understood as the one being praised
• a magistra gives the agent, the person doing the praising

So:

• the teacher does the praising
• the schoolgirl receives the praising

That is why the sentence means:

• The schoolgirl wants to be praised by the teacher...

Because after a/ab meaning by with a passive verb, Latin uses the ablative case.

So:

• magistra by itself could be nominative or ablative depending on context
• here, because it follows a, it is clearly ablative: a magistra = by the teacher

This is the normal way Latin expresses a personal agent with a passive.

Both a and ab mean from or by, and both can be used before the ablative.

A simple rule learners are often given is:

• ab before vowels or sometimes for clarity/emphasis
• a often before consonants

Since magistra begins with a consonant sound, a magistra is the expected form.

Quia means because and introduces a reason.

So the sentence has two parts:

• Discipula a magistra laudari vult
• quia diligenter laborat

Together:

• The schoolgirl wants to be praised by the teacher, because she works diligently.

The quia clause explains why she wants or deserves praise.

The subject is understood to be the same person, the schoolgirl.

• laborat = she works

Latin often leaves subject pronouns unstated because the verb ending already shows the person and number.

Here laborat is third person singular, so it means:

• he/she/it works

From the context, it clearly refers to discipula.

Diligenter means diligently or carefully, and it is an adverb.

It modifies laborat:

• laborat = works
• diligenter laborat = works diligently

A common pattern in Latin is that many adverbs end in -ter, though not all do.

Latin word order is much freer than English word order because the endings show grammatical relationships.

A more English-like arrangement might be:

• Discipula vult a magistra laudari, quia diligenter laborat.

But Latin can also say:

• Discipula a magistra laudari vult, quia diligenter laborat.

Both are natural. The infinitive laudari is often placed near vult, but other orders are possible too.

In Latin, you should rely more on:

• case endings
• verb forms
• prepositions

than on word order alone.

Yes, but it would mean something different.

This sentence says:

• Discipula a magistra laudari vult = The schoolgirl wants to be praised by the teacher

If you changed it to an active infinitive, you would get:

• Discipula magistram laudare vult = The schoolgirl wants to praise the teacher

So the passive is essential here, because the schoolgirl is the one receiving the praise, not giving it.

Because Latin verb endings already include the subject information.

• vult = he/she/it wants
• laborat = he/she/it works

Since discipula is already present, Latin does not need to add ea (she). In fact, adding the pronoun would often be unnecessary unless there were special emphasis or contrast.

So Latin naturally says:

• Discipula ... vult
• not usually Discipula ea ... vult

Not exactly. In Latin, the present infinitive usually shows aspect more than strict time. With vult, laudari means to be praised, without necessarily emphasizing whether the action is happening at this exact moment.

So vult laudari means:

• she wants to be praised
• or she wants the teacher to praise her

It is the normal infinitive form to use here.