How can you tell the difference? Just look at the 1st-person form of the verb! Remember how some 3rd-conjugation verbs have -o for the 1st person, but some have -io...? That's how you can tell which 3rd-person plural ending to use: the -o verbs have -unt for the ending, and the -io verbs have -iunt for the ending.
So, for example, here are today's verbs, and they all have -o endings in the 1st person (dictionary) form:
And here are today's proverbs:
1. Alii serunt, alii metunt.
Some sow, others reap.
A-lii serunt, A-lii metunt.
The word alii is the plural of alius, "other." So, literally, the saying says "Others sow, others reap." But in English, we use a different idiom: alii...alii... is "some... others..."
- sero ~ serunt. "sow"
- meto ~ metunt. "reap"
- scabo ~ scabunt. "scratch"
- erubesco ~ erubescunt. "turn red, blush"
- induco ~ inducunt. "induce, bring on"
- cado ~ cadunt. "fall"
1. Alii serunt, alii metunt.
Some sow, others reap.
A-lii serunt, A-lii metunt.
The word alii is the plural of alius, "other." So, literally, the saying says "Others sow, others reap." But in English, we use a different idiom: alii...alii... is "some... others..."
The verb serunt is the plural form of serit, "sows," while metunt is the plural of metit, "reaps."
The idea is that some people do all the work ("sowing"), while others get all the profit ("reaping").
2. Mutuum muli scabunt.
Mules scratch one-another.
MU-tuum muli scabunt.
This is a variation on a saying that saw before with a singular subject: Mulus mulum scabit, "Mule scratches mule."
The word muli is the plural of mulus, while scabunt is the plural of scabit.
The word mutuum is an adverb: "mutually, one another." You can see this Latin root in English "mutual."
Compare the English saying, "You scratch my back; I'll scratch yours." The difference is that mules were not held in high regard in ancient Rome, so the Latin saying refers more to how one low-life helps another low-life.
3. Litterae non erubescunt.
Letters don't blush.
LIT-terae non eru-BES-cunt.
You've already seen a version of this saying before: Epistola non erubescit, "A letter does not blush."
The word litterae is the plural of littera, while erubescunt is the plural of erubescit. In the plural, litterae can mean "letters" but it can also mean "a letter" (singular), so you could also translate this saying as "A letter does not blush," just as if it were Epistola non erubescit.
3. Litterae non erubescunt.
Letters don't blush.
LIT-terae non eru-BES-cunt.
You've already seen a version of this saying before: Epistola non erubescit, "A letter does not blush."
The word litterae is the plural of littera, while erubescunt is the plural of erubescit. In the plural, litterae can mean "letters" but it can also mean "a letter" (singular), so you could also translate this saying as "A letter does not blush," just as if it were Epistola non erubescit.
The idea is that people might say things in writing that they would never say out loud, a phenomenon that has taken on new relevance in the digital world.
4. Curae canitiem inducunt.
Worries bring-on white-hair.
curae ca-NI-tiem in-DU-cunt.
The word curae is the plural of cura, and inducunt is the plural of inducit = in+ducit, "on-lead, lead on, induce, bring on."
The word canitiem is the accusative form of canities, and it is the object of the verb.
4. Curae canitiem inducunt.
Worries bring-on white-hair.
curae ca-NI-tiem in-DU-cunt.
The word curae is the plural of cura, and inducunt is the plural of inducit = in+ducit, "on-lead, lead on, induce, bring on."
The word canitiem is the accusative form of canities, and it is the object of the verb.
The idea is that someone with lots of worries gets grey hair early, bringing on old age prematurely.
5. Semper bene cadunt Iovis tesserae.
Jupiter's dice always fall nicely.
semper bene cadunt Iovis TES-serae.
The word tesserae, "dice," is the plural of tessera. This is a Greek word that the Romans borrowed, meaning "four," which can also refer to dice (cubes), making it a synonym of Latin alea.
5. Semper bene cadunt Iovis tesserae.
Jupiter's dice always fall nicely.
semper bene cadunt Iovis TES-serae.
The word tesserae, "dice," is the plural of tessera. This is a Greek word that the Romans borrowed, meaning "four," which can also refer to dice (cubes), making it a synonym of Latin alea.
The word Iovis is the genitive of Iuppiter, so this is a saying about Jupiter's dice.
The verb cadunt is the plural of cadit.
Both semper and bene are both adverbs, so the idea is that Jupiter's dice always, semper, fall nicely, bene cadunt. In other words: the king of the gods is always lucky... unlike mere mortals.
Here's a recap:
Plus the LOLCats!
Here's a recap:
- Alii serunt, alii metunt.
- Mutuum muli scabunt.
- Litterae non erubescunt.
- Curae canitiem inducunt.
- Semper bene cadunt Iovis tesserae.
Plus the LOLCats!
