# maiora premunt



## Lauren415

Potreste aiutarmi con la frase "maiora premunt? Ecco il contesto:

Abbiamo sentito la tua mancanza e siamo rimaste un po’ deluse. Ma si sa, ... maiora premunt.



Grazie!
Lauren


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## Jana337

Hi Lauren,

It means "greater things are pressing", "more urgent issues need to be dealt with". 

Jana


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## Whodunit

"*maior*" is the comparative form of "magnus" (great). It can be declined like a neuter noun, if it is one. The ending "-a" is a typical plural ending for neuter nouns in the nominative, as you may know from "fora" (forum) or "bacteria" (bacterium).

"*premere*" means "to press", and "premunt" is the 3rd plural present tense of the verb.

So, Jana's translation is correct.


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## Lauren415

Thank you!


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## Brazilian dude

> It can be declined like a neuter noun, if it is one


What do you mean, it can be declined like a neuter noun, if it is one? Maior is an imparisyllabic adjective declined according to the third declension, since its genitive ends in -is. It doesn't have identical forms for all genders, though. There is a set for masculine/feminine and another for neuter nouns.

Brazilian dude


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## Whodunit

Brazilian dude said:
			
		

> What do you mean, it can be declined like a neuter noun, if it is one? Maior is an imparisyllabic adjective declined according to the third declension, since its genitive ends in -is. It doesn't have identical forms for all genders, though. There is a set for masculine/feminine and another for neuter nouns.
> 
> Brazilian dude


 
In Jana's translation (greater things are pressing), the word "maiora" means "greater things", which is not an adjective, but a noun, right?


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## Brazilian dude

Oh, yes, but then _it can be declined like a noun, if it is one_ isn't the best of explanations.  It *is* declined like a noun, whether or not it is one.

Brazilian dude


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## Whodunit

Brazilian dude said:
			
		

> Oh, yes, but then _it can be declined like a noun, if it is one_ isn't the best of explanations. It *is* declined like a noun, whether or not it is one.
> 
> Brazilian dude


 
If it is not a noun, it is declined like an adjective. 

Of course, the declension systems would be the same, but I couldn't have explained a declension of a noun by mentioning the declination of the equivalent adjective.


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## Brazilian dude

If you allow me, you just got yourself into an unnecessary mess, since all the other person asked was for a translation.  In case you wanted to provide an explanation, you might as well have been more precise, but that's just me.

Brazilian dude


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## Whodunit

Brazilian dude said:
			
		

> If you allow me, you just got yourself into an unnecessary mess, since all the other person asked was for a translation. In case you wanted to provide an explanation, you might as well have been more precise, but that's just me.
> 
> Brazilian dude


 
No. I think your Italian is much better than mine, so you will understand what he means by "Potreste aiutarmi con la frase "maiora premunt"". He's not asking for a translation, but he wants help with the sentence (which does not exclude an explanation).


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## Brazilian dude

Okay then, as you like it.

Brazilian dude


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## kamome

...Signori, prego!... I will now give you some little italian to mumble about ...: 

_"*CERCARE IL PELO NELL'UOVO*"......_MAIORA PREMUNT, gentlemen!!! 
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