← Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
12.1 Is he puer the boy est is bonus good
12.2 Ea she puella the girl in in horto the garden sedet sits
12.3 Id it templum temple magnum large est is
12.4 Video I see eum him in in via the road
12.5 Mater mother eam her vocat calls
12.6 Servus the slave id it portat carries
12.7 Ei to him librum book do I give
12.8 Pater father ei to her rosam rose dat gives
12.9 Eo by that gladio sword pugnat he fights
12.10 Eorum their villa villa magna large est is
12.11 Earum their horti gardens pulchri beautiful sunt are
12.12 Vir the man cum with eis them ambulat walks
12.13 Eius his equus horse celer swift est is
12.14 Eius her mater mother in in foro forum est is
12.15 Ab from eo him epistulam letter accipio I receive
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12.1 Is puer est bonus. That boy is good.
12.2 Ea puella in horto sedet. That girl sits in the garden.
12.3 Id templum magnum est. That temple is large.
12.4 Video eum in via. I see him in the road.
12.5 Mater eam vocat. Mother calls her.
12.6 Servus id portat. The slave carries it.
12.7 Ei librum do. I give him the book.
12.8 Pater ei rosam dat. Father gives her a rose.
12.9 Eo gladio pugnat. He fights with that sword.
12.10 Eorum villa magna est. Their villa is large.
12.11 Earum horti pulchri sunt. Their gardens are beautiful.
12.12 Vir cum eis ambulat. The man walks with them.
12.13 Eius equus celer est. His horse is swift.
12.14 Eius mater in foro est. Her mother is in the forum.
12.15 Ab eo epistulam accipio. I receive a letter from him.
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12.1 Is puer est bonus.
12.2 Ea puella in horto sedet.
12.3 Id templum magnum est.
12.4 Video eum in via.
12.5 Mater eam vocat.
12.6 Servus id portat.
12.7 Ei librum do.
12.8 Pater ei rosam dat.
12.9 Eo gladio pugnat.
12.10 Eorum villa magna est.
12.11 Earum horti pulchri sunt.
12.12 Vir cum eis ambulat.
12.13 Eius equus celer est.
12.14 Eius mater in foro est.
12.15 Ab eo epistulam accipio.
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"Is, ea, id" is the demonstrative pronoun meaning "he, she, it" or "that, that one." Its declension shows gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), number (singular, plural), and case.
Singular: -
Nominative: is (m), ea (f), id (n) -
Genitive: eius (all genders) -
Dative: ei (all genders) -
Accusative: eum (m), eam (f), id (n) -
Ablative: eo (m/n), ea (f)
Plural: -
Nominative: ei/ii (m), eae (f), ea (n) -
Genitive: eorum (m/n), earum (f) -
Dative: eis/iis (all genders) -
Accusative: eos (m), eas (f), ea (n) -
Ablative: eis/iis (all genders)
Key uses demonstrated in our examples: -
As a pronoun referring to someone/something previously mentioned -
As a demonstrative ("that one") -
In various cases showing different grammatical functions
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For English speakers, understanding "is, ea, id" requires grasping concepts that don't exist in English: -
Gender distinction in pronouns for objects -
English "it" vs. Latin's gender-specific forms -
Cultural significance of grammatical gender -
Case system usage -
How Romans viewed relationships between words -
Flexibility in word order enabled by case endings -
Historical context -
Use in Roman literature and daily life -
Evolution from Indo-European origins -
Modern relevance -
Similar systems in modern Romance languages -
Connection to formal English pronoun usage
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Part F-A (Interleaved text)
From Cicero's "De Amicitia":
Is he enim for est is amicus a friend qui who est is tamquam like alter idem another self
Is enim est amicus qui est tamquam alter idem. For he is a friend who is like another self.
Cicero uses "is" to emphasize the definition of true friendship. The demonstrative pronoun points to the ideal friend being described.
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"Is" nominative singular masculine -
Subject of main clause -
Followed by explanatory "qui" clause -
Traditional definition format
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12.16 Is he imperator emperor Romam Rome magna great cum with gloria glory rexit ruled
12.17 Ea she regina queen multas many terras lands sub under eius her imperio command tenebat held
12.18 Id that bellum war tres three annos years duravit lasted
12.19 Populus the people eum him propter because of victoriam victory laudabat praised
12.20 Senatus the Senate ei to him coronam crown auream golden dedit gave
12.21 Ab from ea her multi many reges kings auxilium help petebant sought
12.22 Eius his exercitus army fortissimus bravest in in mundo the world erat was
12.23 Eorum their virtus valor in in memoria memory populi of the people manet remains
12.24 Cum with eis them magnus great dux leader ad to bellum war ibat went
12.25 Id that proelium battle maximum greatest omnium of all temporum times erat was
12.26 Is this dies day in in fastis calendar aureis golden litteris letters scriptus written est is
12.27 Ea she civitas city numquam never antea before victa conquered erat had been
12.28 Earum their legiones legions ad to urbem city appropinquabant were approaching
12.29 Eius his consilium plan omnes all prudentissimum wisest putabant thought
12.30 In in eo that loco place monumentum monument victoriae of victory statuerunt they erected
12.16 Is imperator Romam magna cum gloria rexit. That emperor ruled Rome with great glory.
12.17 Ea regina multas terras sub eius imperio tenebat. That queen held many lands under her command.
12.18 Id bellum tres annos duravit. That war lasted three years.
12.19 Populus eum propter victoriam laudabat. The people praised him because of the victory.
12.20 Senatus ei coronam auream dedit. The Senate gave him a golden crown.
12.21 Ab ea multi reges auxilium petebant. Many kings sought help from her.
12.22 Eius exercitus fortissimus in mundo erat. His army was the bravest in the world.
12.23 Eorum virtus in memoria populi manet. Their valor remains in the memory of the people.
12.24 Cum eis magnus dux ad bellum ibat. A great leader went to war with them.
12.25 Id proelium maximum omnium temporum erat. That battle was the greatest of all times.
12.26 Is dies in fastis aureis litteris scriptus est. This day is written in golden letters in the calendar.
12.27 Ea civitas numquam antea victa erat. That city had never been conquered before.
12.28 Earum legiones ad urbem appropinquabant. Their legions were approaching the city.
12.29 Eius consilium omnes prudentissimum putabant. Everyone thought his plan was the wisest.
12.30 In eo loco monumentum victoriae statuerunt. In that place they erected a monument of victory.
12.16 Is imperator Romam magna cum gloria rexit.
12.17 Ea regina multas terras sub eius imperio tenebat.
12.18 Id bellum tres annos duravit.
12.19 Populus eum propter victoriam laudabat.
12.20 Senatus ei coronam auream dedit.
12.21 Ab ea multi reges auxilium petebant.
12.22 Eius exercitus fortissimus in mundo erat.
12.23 Eorum virtus in memoria populi manet.
12.24 Cum eis magnus dux ad bellum ibat.
12.25 Id proelium maximum omnium temporum erat.
12.26 Is dies in fastis aureis litteris scriptus est.
12.27 Ea civitas numquam antea victa erat.
12.28 Earum legiones ad urbem appropinquabant.
12.29 Eius consilium omnes prudentissimum putabant.
12.30 In eo loco monumentum victoriae statuerunt.
Let's analyze the key grammatical constructions used in our historical narrative examples: -
Case Usage of "is, ea, id" -
Nominative case (subject): -
"Is imperator" (12.16) - subject of "rexit" -
"Ea regina" (12.17) - subject of "tenebat" -
"Id bellum" (12.18) - subject of "duravit" -
Accusative case (direct object): -
"eum" (12.19) - object of "laudabat" -
"eam" (12.21) - object of preposition "ab" -
Genitive case (possession): -
"eius imperio" (12.17) - "under her command" -
"eius exercitus" (12.22) - "his army" -
"eorum virtus" (12.23) - "their valor" -
Dative case (indirect object): -
"ei coronam" (12.20) - "to him a crown" -
Ablative case (with prepositions): -
"cum eis" (12.24) - "with them" -
"in eo loco" (12.30) - "in that place" -
Verb Tenses and Aspects -
Perfect tense (completed action): -
"rexit" (12.16) - "ruled" -
"duravit" (12.18) - "lasted" -
"statuerunt" (12.30) - "erected" -
Imperfect tense (continuous past action): -
"tenebat" (12.17) - "was holding" -
"laudabat" (12.19) - "was praising" -
"petebant" (12.21) - "were seeking" -
Pluperfect tense (action completed before past): -
"victa erat" (12.27) - "had been conquered" -
Participial Constructions -
Perfect passive participle: -
"scriptus est" (12.26) - "is written" -
"victa erat" (12.27) - "had been conquered" -
Prepositions and Their Cases -
With Accusative: -
"ad urbem" (12.28) - "toward the city" -
"propter victoriam" (12.19) - "because of the victory" -
With Ablative: -
"cum gloria" (12.16) - "with glory" -
"in mundo" (12.22) - "in the world" -
"in memoria" (12.23) - "in memory" -
Adjective Agreement -
Demonstrative adjectives: -
"is dies" (m.) (12.26) -
"ea civitas" (f.) (12.27) -
"id proelium" (n.) (12.25) -
Other adjectives: -
"magna gloria" (feminine ablative) -
"coronam auream" (feminine accusative) -
"fortissimus exercitus" (masculine nominative) -
Special Constructions -
Superlative forms: -
"fortissimus" (12.22) - "bravest" -
"prudentissimum" (12.29) - "wisest" -
"maximum omnium temporum" (12.25) - "greatest of all times" -
Temporal expressions: -
"tres annos" (accusative of duration) - "for three years" -
"numquam antea" (temporal adverbs) - "never before" -
Word Order Patterns -
Normal pattern: Subject-Object-Verb -
"Populus eum laudabat" (12.19) -
Emphatic patterns: -
"Is imperator Romam magna cum gloria rexit" (12.16) -
Placing "is" first emphasizes the subject
Practice Exercises: -
Identify the case of each form of "is, ea, id" in sentences 12.16-12.20 -
Explain why different tenses are used in sentences 12.26-12.28 -
Transform sentence 12.20 from active to passive voice -
Create your own sentence using "is, ea, id" with a superlative adjective
Remember: Latin's inflected nature means word order is flexible, but certain patterns are more common in historical narrative. The demonstrative pronoun often appears early in the sentence when it's establishing a new subject or emphasizing a previously mentioned one.
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