Voluptas brevis est.

The subject is voluptas.

You can tell because this sentence uses the linking verb est (is), and voluptas is in the nominative singular, the case normally used for the subject. The adjective brevis is describing the subject, and est links them:

voluptas = subject
brevis = predicate adjective
est = is

So the structure is basically subject + adjective + is.

Voluptas is a third-declension noun.

Its dictionary form is:

voluptas, voluptatis f.

That genitive singular voluptatis shows you the stem voluptat-, which is typical of many third-declension nouns.

So even though -as may look unusual at first, voluptas is simply the nominative singular form of a third-declension noun.

Because Latin noun endings depend on declension, not just on whether a noun is singular or plural.

A native English speaker may notice -as and think of something plural-looking, but here it is just the normal nominative singular form of this third-declension noun: voluptas.

Its other forms make this clearer:

• nominative singular: voluptas
• genitive singular: voluptatis

So the -as ending here does not mean plural.

Because brevis must agree with voluptas in gender, number, and case.

The adjective is from the dictionary form:

brevis, breve

This is a third-declension adjective with:

• brevis for masculine nominative singular
• brevis for feminine nominative singular
• breve for neuter nominative singular

Since voluptas is feminine singular nominative, the correct form is brevis.

Yes.

Even though brevis is not the subject, it is a predicate adjective, and with forms of sum such as est, predicate adjectives normally agree with the subject in:

• case
• number
• gender

So because voluptas is nominative singular feminine, brevis is also nominative singular feminine.

Because Latin word order is much more flexible than English word order.

In English, is usually has to stay in the middle: Pleasure is brief.
In Latin, est can appear in different positions, including at the end.

So all of these are possible, though they may differ slightly in emphasis:

• Voluptas brevis est
• Voluptas est brevis
• Brevis est voluptas

The version you have is a very normal Latin arrangement.

Sometimes, yes.

Latin often omits forms of sum (to be) in poetry, sayings, headings, and other compressed styles when the meaning is obvious from context. So Voluptas brevis could be understood as Pleasure is brief.

But in ordinary full prose, Voluptas brevis est is the complete and straightforward sentence.

Because Classical Latin has no definite or indefinite article.

So voluptas could mean:

• pleasure
• the pleasure
• a pleasure

Which one is best in English depends on context. Latin often leaves that distinction unstated.

Est is the third person singular present indicative of sum, esse.

So grammatically it means:

• he/she/it is
• or simply is

In this sentence it matches the singular subject voluptas.

Dictionary form: sum, esse, fui

They are:

• voluptas, voluptatis f. = pleasure
• brevis, breve = short, brief
• sum, esse, fui = to be

Knowing the dictionary forms helps you understand why the words look the way they do in the sentence.

For example:

• voluptas comes from voluptas, voluptatis
• brevis comes from brevis, breve
• est comes from sum, esse

In reconstructed Classical Latin, a common pronunciation would be roughly:

woh-LOOP-tahs BREH-wis est

A few helpful points:

• v is pronounced like English w in Classical Latin
• the stress in voluptas falls on -lup-
• the stress in brevis falls on bre-

A more technical Classical pronunciation is approximately:

woh-LOOP-tahs BREH-wis est