Hodie unum carmen breve recitandum est.

to be

Breakdown of Hodie unum carmen breve recitandum est.

• hodie: today
• brevis: short
• unus: one

Questions & Answers about Hodie unum carmen breve recitandum est.

Why is hodie at the beginning of the sentence?

Hodie means today, and it is an adverb, so it does not change its form.

Putting it first gives it a little emphasis, like As for today... or Today, ... in English. Latin word order is flexible, so hodie could appear elsewhere, but the beginning is a very natural place for a time word.

What exactly does recitandum est mean?

Recitandum est is the gerundive of obligation with est. This construction is often called the passive periphrastic.

It means something like:

• must be recited
• has to be recited
• is to be recited

So the sentence is not just saying that a recitation is happening; it expresses necessity or obligation.

What form is recitandum, and where does that ending come from?