Mula tardior est quam equus, sed raedam bene trahit.

Tardior is the comparative form of tardus, tarda, tardum, meaning slower or more slow.

So:

• tarda = slow
• tardior = slower

Because the sentence compares the mule to the horse, Latin uses the comparative adjective.

In Latin, many comparative adjectives are formed by adding -ior for masculine/feminine and -ius for neuter.

So from tardus:

• masculine/feminine comparative: tardior
• neuter comparative: tardius

Here, mula is feminine singular, so tardior is the correct form.

Quam means than in comparisons.

So:

• tardior quam equus = slower than a horse

This is a very common Latin pattern:

• comparative adjective + quam
  • noun

Examples:

• maior quam puer = bigger than the boy
• celerior quam ventus = faster than the wind

Because with quam, Latin usually puts the thing being compared in the same case as the first item.

Here:

• mula is nominative
• so equus is also nominative

That gives:

• Mula tardior est quam equus

There is another Latin way to compare things, using the ablative without quam, but this sentence uses the simpler quam + same case pattern.

Est means is, and it links mula with tardior:

• Mula tardior est = The mule is slower

Latin sometimes does leave out forms of to be, especially in poetry or very compact prose, but in ordinary textbook-style sentences it is often included for clarity.

Raedam is the accusative singular of raeda, meaning carriage or wagon.

It is accusative because it is the direct object of trahit:

• trahit = pulls
• what does it pull? raedam

So:

• raeda = carriage/wagon
• raedam = carriage/wagon as the object

Bene is an adverb, meaning well.

It modifies the verb trahit:

• bene trahit = pulls well

This is like English well in she sings well.

A useful comparison:

• bonus = good (adjective)
• bene = well (adverb)

Latin usually uses bene, not an adjective, to describe how an action is done.

Trahit is:

• 3rd person singular
• present tense
• active voice
• from trahere = to pull, drag

So trahit means:

• he pulls
• she pulls
• it pulls

Here it refers to mula, so it means the mule pulls.

Latin often does not repeat the subject if it is already clear.

In this sentence, mula is the subject of both verbs:

• Mula tardior est
• (Mula) raedam bene trahit

English often repeats the subject less than beginners expect too, but Latin is especially comfortable leaving it out when the meaning is obvious.

Sed means but.

It connects two ideas:

• the mule is slower than a horse
• but it pulls a carriage well

So sed shows contrast: being slower does not stop the mule from doing useful work well.

Yes, the word order is normal and natural.

Latin word order is more flexible than English because endings show each word’s job in the sentence. So these words could often be rearranged without changing the basic meaning.

In raedam bene trahit:

• raedam = object
• bene = adverb
• trahit = verb

Putting trahit at the end is especially common in Latin.
Putting bene before the verb is also very natural.

Not in this exact structure.

If Latin uses quam, then the comparison is expressed as:

• tardior quam equus

If Latin leaves out quam, then it usually uses the ablative of comparison instead:

• Mula equō tardior est

That also means The mule is slower than a horse.

So:

• tardior quam equus
• equō tardior

Both are correct, but they are different constructions.

A simple classroom pronunciation would be something like:

MOO-lah TAR-dee-or est kwahm EH-kwoos, sed RYE-dam BEH-neh TRAH-hit

A few helpful points:

• c is always hard, like k
• ae is often pronounced like eye in many classroom systems
• qu sounds like kw
• h is light
• trahit has two syllables after tra-: tra-hit

Pronunciation can vary depending on whether you are using a classical or ecclesiastical system, but the grammar stays the same.