Marcus est puer (Marcus Is a Boy)

Marcus Is a Boy

Level 1

A noun after est matches the subject, so it is not an object.

How It Works

SubjectVerbNoun that says what it is
Marcusestpuer (a boy)
Romaesturbs (a city)
Iulia et Liviasuntpuellae (girls)

Both nouns are nominative, so the order is free: Puer est Marcus is also possible. A reader still takes the name as the subject, so it means Marcus is a boy.

If the subject is plural, the noun after it is plural too. An adjective after est also matches the subject, as in Marcus est bonus.

English often says It is me, with an object form after to be. Latin uses the nominative after est.

Examples (5)

  1. Marcus est puer.

    Marcus is a boy.

    Marcus and puer are both nominative.

  2. Roma est urbs.

    Rome is a city.

    Urbs is nominative, because it describes Roma.

  3. Iulia et Livia sunt amicae.

    Iulia and Livia are friends.

    The plural subject takes a plural noun, amicae.

  4. Deus caritas est.

    God is love.

    Deus and caritas are both nominative, and the order is free.

  5. Petrus est apostolus.

    Peter is an apostle.

    Apostolus is nominative, like Petrus.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative after est.

    Marcus est puerum.
    Marcus est puer.

    Est has no object. The noun after it describes the subject, so it is nominative: puer.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Marcus est puer (Marcus Is a Boy)Level 1Marcus Is a Boy

Learn This First

A noun after est has the same case as the subject, so est and the nominative come first.