Word
Infans canem placidum tangit.
Meaning
The baby touches the calm dog.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Questions & Answers about Infans canem placidum tangit.
Why is infans the subject of the sentence?
Because infans is in the nominative singular, the case normally used for the subject.
In Infans canem placidum tangit, infans is the one doing the action, and tangit is a singular verb, so they fit together: the child touches.
Why is it canem and not canis?
Because canem is the accusative singular form of canis.
Latin uses the accusative case for the direct object, the person or thing directly affected by the verb. Since the dog is what the child is touching, Latin puts canis into the accusative: canem.
So:
- canis = a dog, the dog, as subject
- canem = a dog, the dog, as direct object
Why is placidum in that form?