Reading Passage 4 – In domo parva

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(In the Little House)
Theme: Everyday Life
Grammar Focus: Prepositions + Ablative
Vocabulary: Rooms, furniture, simple prepositions (in, sub, cum, sine)

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Latin Text

1. In domo parva habitat familia Romana.
2. In atrio est mensa magna et sedes duae.
3. Puer legit librum in lecto.
4. Mater in culina laborat cum ancilla.
5. Pater sub arbore sedet et aquam bibit.
6. Feles dormit sine timore in sole.
7. In muro pictura pulchra est.
8. Servus aquam portat in amphora.
9. Parva filia cum matre cantat.
10. Vita in domo parva tranquilla est.

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Literal English Translation

1. In the small house lives a Roman family.
2. In the hall there is a large table and two chairs.
3. The boy reads a book on the bed.
4. The mother works in the kitchen with the maid.
5. The father sits under a tree and drinks water.
6. The cat sleeps without fear in the sun.
7. On the wall there is a beautiful picture.
8. The servant carries water in a jar.
9. The little daughter sings with her mother.
10. Life in the small house is peaceful.

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Word Notes

Latin	Meaning	Grammar Note
domus, -us (f.)	house, home	4th declension
parvus, -a, -um	small	adjective
habitat	lives	3rd sg. present of habitare
familia, -ae	family	1st declension, f.
atrium, -i	hall, main room	2nd declension, n.
mensa, -ae	table	1st declension, f.
sella, -ae	chair	1st declension, f.
puer, pueri	boy	2nd declension, m.
legit	reads	3rd sg. present of legere
liber, libri	book	2nd declension, m.
lectus, -i	bed	2nd declension, m.
mater, matris	mother	3rd declension, f.
culina, -ae	kitchen	1st declension, f.
ancilla, -ae	maid, servant-girl	1st declension, f.
pater, patris	father	3rd declension, m.
sedet	sits	3rd sg. present of sedere
feles, felis	cat	3rd declension, f.
timor, timoris	fear	3rd declension, m.
pictura, -ae	picture	1st declension, f.
pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum	beautiful	adjective
servus, -i	servant	2nd declension, m.
amphora, -ae	jar	1st declension, f.
filia, -ae	daughter	1st declension, f.
tranquillus, -a, -um	calm, peaceful	adjective

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Grammar Focus

Prepositions with the Ablative

Prepositions show where or with whom an action happens.
They are followed by the ablative case.

Preposition	Meaning	Example	Translation
in (+ abl.)	in, on	in domo	in the house
sub (+ abl.)	under	sub arbore	under the tree
cum (+ abl.)	with	cum matre	with the mother
sine (+ abl.)	without	sine timore	without fear
de (+ abl.)	about, from	de mensa	from the table
pro (+ abl.)	for, on behalf of	pro amico	for a friend

Examples:

• Mater in culina laborat. – The mother works in the kitchen.
• Feles dormit sub mensa. – The cat sleeps under the table.
• Pater sedet cum puero. – The father sits with the boy.

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Study Exercise

A. Translate into Latin:

1. The boy sits under the tree.
2. The mother works in the kitchen.
3. The cat sleeps on the bed.
4. The father drinks water with the servant.
5. The family lives in a small house.

B. Translate into English:

1. Mater cum filia cantat.
2. Servus aquam in amphora portat.
3. Feles sub mensa dormit.
4. In muro pictura est.
5. Vita in domo parva bona est.

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Answer Key

A.

1. Puer sub arbore sedet.
2. Mater in culina laborat.
3. Feles in lecto dormit.
4. Pater aquam cum servo bibit.
5. Familia in domo parva habitat.

B.

1. The mother sings with her daughter.
2. The servant carries water in a jar.
3. The cat sleeps under the table.
4. On the wall there is a picture.
5. Life in the small house is good.

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