Latin grammar
Each construction is explained briefly and shown in real sentences from the texts on this site.
The ablative absoluteA short phrase in the ablative, a noun and a participle, that sets the scene for the rest of the sentence: hīs rēbus cognitīs, “when these…Cum clausesA clause beginning with cum tells you the circumstances of the main action: Quae cum ita sint, “since this is so”. It can mean “when”,…Gerunds and gerundivesLatin has two verb forms built on -nd-: the gerund, a verbal noun (docendī facultātem, “the chance of teaching”), and the gerundive, a…Indirect statementWhere English says “he says that the enemy is coming”, Latin says “he says the enemy to be coming”: the subject goes into the accusative…Purpose clausesA clause that says why something was done: Accelerat Caesar, ut proeliō intersit, “Caesar hurries on to take part in the battle.” Latin…