Breakdown of Magistra plures discipulas laudat.
magistra
the female teacher
discipula
the female student
laudare
to praise
plures
several
Questions & Answers about Magistra plures discipulas laudat.
How can I tell who is doing the action and who is receiving it?
Magistra is doing the action, and plures discipulas is receiving it.
You can tell this from the case endings:
- magistra is nominative singular, which is the usual case for the subject
- discipulas is accusative plural, which is the usual case for the direct object
- plures matches discipulas, so it goes with it
So the structure is:
magistra = subject
plures discipulas = direct object
laudat = verb
Why is laudat singular even though discipulas is plural?
Because in Latin, the verb agrees with the subject, not the object.
Here, the subject is magistra, which is singular, so the verb is also singular: laudat = she praises.
Even though discipulas is plural, it is the object, so it does not control the verb ending.
What case is discipulas, and why does it end in -as?
Discipulas is accusative plural.
It comes from discipula, a first-declension feminine noun. Its basic pattern is:
- nominative singular: