Reading Passage 10 – Familia Romana

---

(A Roman Family)
Theme: Social Life
Grammar Focus: Possessive Adjectives; sum, esse Revisited
Vocabulary: Family members, home, greetings

---

Latin Text

1. In domo Romana habitat familia tota.
2. Pater Marcus est; mater Cornelia est.
3. Filius Lucius et filia Julia sunt.
4. Servus bonus est Antonius; ancilla diligens est Flavia.
5. Pater in tablino scribit epistulas.
6. Mater in culina panem parat cum Flavia.
7. Filius librum legit; filia flores colligit in horto.
8. Servus aquam portat et hortum curat.
9. Omnes laeti sunt quia domus pulchra est.
10. Familia Romana amicam familiam vicinam salutat.

---

Literal English Translation

1. In a Roman house lives the whole family.
2. The father is Marcus; the mother is Cornelia.
3. The son is Lucius and the daughter is Julia.
4. The good servant is Antonius; the diligent maid is Flavia.
5. The father writes letters in the study.
6. The mother prepares bread in the kitchen with Flavia.
7. The son reads a book; the daughter gathers flowers in the garden.
8. The servant carries water and tends the garden.
9. All are happy because the house is beautiful.
10. The Roman family greets the friendly family next door.

---

Word Notes

Latin	Meaning	Grammar Note
familia, -ae	family	1st declension, f.
totus, -a, -um	whole, entire	adjective
pater, patris	father	3rd declension, m.
mater, matris	mother	3rd declension, f.
filius, -i	son	2nd declension, m.
filia, -ae	daughter	1st declension, f.
servus, -i	servant	2nd declension, m.
ancilla, -ae	maid	1st declension, f.
bonus, -a, -um	good	adjective
diligens, diligentis	diligent	adjective, 3rd declension
tablinum, -i	study, office	2nd declension, n.
scribit	writes	3rd sg. present of scribere
epistula, -ae	letter	1st declension, f.
culina, -ae	kitchen	1st declension, f.
parat	prepares	3rd sg. present of parare
cum (+ abl.)	with	preposition
legit	reads	3rd sg. present of legere
colligit	gathers	3rd sg. present of colligere
hortus, -i	garden	2nd declension, m.
curat	cares for	3rd sg. present of curare
omnes	all	plural adjective/pronoun
laetus, -a, -um	happy	adjective
quia	because	conjunction
pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum	beautiful	adjective
amicus, -a, -um	friendly	adjective
vicinus, -a, -um	neighbouring	adjective
salutat	greets	3rd sg. present of salutare

---

Grammar Focus

Possessive Adjectives

English	Latin	Example	Translation
my	meus, mea, meum	mea domus	my house
your (sing.)	tuus, tua, tuum	tuus liber	your book
his/her/its	suus, sua, suum	suus hortus	his/her own garden
our	noster, nostra, nostrum	nostra familia	our family
your (pl.)	vester, vestra, vestrum	vestra domus	your (pl.) house
their	suus, sua, suum	sua patria	their homeland

Note:
suus, -a, -um refers to the subject’s own possession.

Puer amat suam matrem – The boy loves his own mother.

sum, esse (to be) Revisited

Person	Latin	Translation
1st sg	sum	I am
2nd sg	es	you are
3rd sg	est	he/she/it is
1st pl	sumus	we are
2nd pl	estis	you (pl) are
3rd pl	sunt	they are

Examples:

• Pater est in tablino. – The father is in the study.
• Omnes laeti sunt. – All are happy.
• Domus pulchra est. – The house is beautiful.

---

Study Exercise

A. Translate into Latin:

1. The father is in the study.
2. The mother is in the kitchen.
3. The daughter gathers flowers in the garden.
4. The son reads his book.
5. The family greets its friends.

B. Translate into English:

1. Pater epistulas scribit.
2. Mater panem parat cum ancilla.
3. Filius librum legit.
4. Filia flores colligit.
5. Familia Romana laeta est.

---

Answer Key

A.

1. Pater in tablino est.
2. Mater in culina est.
3. Filia flores in horto colligit.
4. Filius suum librum legit.
5. Familia amicos suos salutat.

B.

1. The father writes letters.
2. The mother prepares bread with the maid.
3. The son reads a book.
4. The daughter gathers flowers.
5. The Roman family is happy.

---