Deinde mater dicit: “Massam diu subigito, ne panis nimis durus fiat.”

Deinde means then, next, or afterward.

It is an adverb, and Latin often puts time words like this near the beginning of the sentence to help show the sequence of events. But Latin word order is flexible, so deinde does not have to come first.

Dicit is present tense: the mother says.

Latin often uses the present when introducing direct speech, especially in vivid narrative. English can do something similar: Then mother says... Even if English might more naturally use said in some contexts, Latin is perfectly happy with dicit here.

Because massam is the direct object of subigito.

The verb subigere here means to knead or work the dough, so the thing being kneaded is put in the accusative case.

• nominative: massa = dough
• accusative: massam = the dough

So massam subigito means knead the dough.

Subigito is the future imperative, second person singular, of subigere.

That may sound strange at first, because English does not really have a special future imperative form. In Latin, though, the future imperative is often used in:

• instructions
• recipes
• laws
• formal directions

So subigito is still a command, and in English we usually translate it just like an ordinary imperative:

• subige = knead
• subigito = knead / you are to knead

Here the future imperative gives the sentence a slightly instructional or recipe-like tone.

Diu means for a long time.

It is an adverb, and it modifies subigito. So it tells you how long the dough should be kneaded:

massam diu subigito = knead the dough for a long time

Here ne introduces a negative purpose clause.

That means it gives the purpose of the command:

• Massam diu subigito = knead the dough for a long time
• ne panis nimis durus fiat = so that the bread may not become too hard

So ne here means something like:

• so that ... not
• lest

By contrast, non is ordinary negation. It simply says not, but it does not by itself introduce this kind of purpose clause.

Because after ne in a purpose clause, Latin normally uses the subjunctive.

So fiat is not just a random verb form; it is exactly the form we expect after ne when the sentence means so that ... not.

The structure is:

• command in the main clause: Massam diu subigito
• negative purpose clause: ne ... fiat

So the grammar is: Do this, so that that may not happen.

Fiat is from fio, fieri.

In this sentence it means become:

• panis ... fiat = the bread becomes / may become

More exactly, fiat is the present subjunctive, third person singular.

A learner may also notice that fio is often connected with facio. In some contexts fio can function like the passive of facio; in others, as here, it has the sense become.

So ne panis nimis durus fiat means so that the bread does not become too hard.

Because panis is the subject of fiat.

In the clause ne panis nimis durus fiat, the bread is the thing that becomes too hard. That makes it the subject, so Latin puts it in the nominative:

• panis = bread, nominative singular

Even though English speakers may focus on the bread as the thing affected, grammatically it is still the subject of become.

Durus is a predicate adjective agreeing with panis.

Since panis is:

• masculine
• singular
• nominative

the adjective also appears as:

• masculine
• singular
• nominative

So:

• panis durus = the bread hard
• more naturally: the bread becomes hard

Because durus goes with panis, it must match its case, number, and gender.

Nimis means too, excessively, or overly.

It modifies durus, so:

• durus = hard
• nimis durus = too hard

Thus ne panis nimis durus fiat means so that the bread does not become too hard.