Questions & Answers about Emptor cerasa rubra emere vult.
Why is emptor the subject of the sentence?
Because emptor is in the nominative singular, which is the normal case for the subject in Latin.
Also, the finite verb vult means he/she/it wants and is 3rd person singular, so it matches a single subject like emptor (buyer).
So:
- emptor = the buyer → subject
- vult = wants → singular verb agreeing with emptor
What case is cerasa rubra, and how do we know it is the object?
Cerasa rubra is the direct object of emere (to buy), so it is in the accusative.
A detail that often surprises English speakers is that cerasa is neuter plural, and in Latin neuter plural nominative and accusative have the same form. So:
- cerasa can be nominative plural or accusative plural
- here, it must be accusative plural because it is what the buyer wants to buy
So the structure is:
- emptor = subject
- cerasa rubra = object
- emere = infinitive depending on vult
Why is it rubra and not ?