Here are two sentences with adjectives. Can you spot the difference in each sentence?

1)      Porta est alta = The gate is high. (Porta = gate. Alta = high.)

2)      Portae sunt altae = The gates are high. 

In the first sentence, porta and alta are in the singular, but in the second sentence, they are in the plural. The second sentence reflects a change in porta and alta to portae and altae. This is because adjectives have to reflect the same number and case as the noun. In this example, alta (the adjective) has to change, in order to agree with the nominative plural noun portae.

Now try translating these sentences. This time, translate the English back into Latin :

1)      Rīpa est longa. (Rīpa = riverbank. Longa = long.)

2)      Via est longa et lāta. (Via = road. Lāta = broad.)

3)      Rīpae portaeque sunt altae et lātae.

4)      Et prōvinciae et stēllae sunt parvae. (Prōvincia = province. Stēlla = star)

5)      Lūna nōn est māgna . (Lūna = moon. Māgna = great, large)

Here are the answers :

1)      The riverbank is long

2)      The road is long and broad.

3)      The riverbanks and gates are tall and broad.

4)      Both the provinces and the stars are small.

5)      The moon is not large/great.