INTRODUCTION
Latin is defined as a dead language because it is no longer spoken (except in some Christian rituals), but it survives through the vast body of literature and inscriptions that have been preserved.
Therefore, students of Latin are mostly required to read Latin, rather than write in Latin. For this reason, all Latin vocabulary is organized here in alphabetical order, with the English translation beside each word. The following nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs have been selected according to these criteria:
- They represent a good (if not exhaustive) sample of very common vocabulary items found in the most frequently read Latin literature.
- Most of the words listed have derivatives in the English language.
A note to students: Many Latin words have more than one meaning in English. We have provided only one translation that corresponds to the most frequent or general use of the word. If in doubt, please consult a more comprehensive dictionary.
Note: Every noun is followed by the ending of the genitive singular. In parentheses, thegender of each noun is indicated: (m) for masculine, (f) for feminine and (n) for neuter.
GREETINGS
gratia | thanks |
ingentes gratiae | many thanks |
magnae gratiae | many thanks |
salutem dico (also S.D.) | greetings (in letters) |
salve! salvete! (plural) | hail! (a greeting) |
si libet | please |
sis (for si vis) | please |
tibi gratious ago | I thank you |
ut lubet | please |
vale, valete! (plural) | farewell! |
vale in pace! | go in peace! |
CARDINALS
nihil | zero/nothing |
unus, -a, -um | one |
duo, duae, duo | two |
tres, tres, tria | three |
quattuor | four |
quinque | five |
sex | six |
septem | seven |
octo | eight |
novem | nine |
decem | ten |
undecim | eleven |
duodecim | twelve |
tredecim | thirteen |
quattuordecim | fourteen |
quindecim | fifteen |
sedecim | sixteen |
septemdecim | seventeen |
duodeviginti | eighteen |
undeviginti | nineteen |
viginti | twenty |
viginti unus, -a, -um | twenty-one |
viginti duo, duae, duo | twenty-two |
triginta | thirty |
triginta unus, -a, -um | thirty-one |
quadraginta | forty |
quinquaginta | fifty |
sextaginta | sixty |
septuaginta | seventy |
octoginta | eighty |
nonaginta | ninety |
centum | one hundred |
ducenti, -ae, -a | two hundred |
trecenti, -ae, -a | three hundred |
quadrigenti, -ae, -a | four hundred |
mille | one thousand |
duo mila | two thousand |
decies centena milia | one million |
viginti centena milia | two million |
ORDINALS
primus, -a, -um | first |
secundus, -a, -um | second |
tertius, -a, -um | third |
quartus, -a, -um | fourth |
quintus, -a, -um | fifth |
sextus, -a, -um | sixth |
septimus, -a, -um | seventh |
octavus, -a, -um | eighth |
nonus, -a, -um | ninth |
decimus, -a, -um | tenth |
undecimus, -a, -um | eleventh |
vicesimus, -a, -um | twentieth |
tricesimus, -a, -um | thirtieth |
centesimus, -a, -um | one hundredth |
COLORS
albus, -a, -um | white |
ater, -tra, -trum | black |
caeruleus, -a, -um | blue |
glaucus, -a, -um | gray |
flavus, -a, -um | yellow |
fulvus, -a, -um | brown |
purpureus, -a, -um | purple |
ruber, -bra, -brum | red |
viridis, -e | green |
THE MONTHS(ALL MONTHS ARE ADJECTIVES)
Ianuarius, -a, -um | January |
Februarius, -a, -um | February |
Martius, -a, -um | March |
Aprilis, -e | April |
Maius, -a, -um | May |
Iunius, -a, -um | June |
Quintilis*, -e | July |
Sextilis**, -e | August |
September, -bris, -bre | September |
October, -bris, -bre | October |
November, -bris, -bre | November |
December, -bris, -bre | December |
*(in 44 BCE, Quintilis was renamedIulius in honor of Julius Caesar)
**(in 8 BCE, Sextilis was renamedAugustus in honor of the emperor)
SEASONS
ver, veris (n) | spring |
hiems, -emis (f) | winter |
aestas, -atis (f) | summer |
autumnus, -i (m) | fall |
EXPRESSIONS OF TIME
ad extremum | at last |
ad infinitum | forever |
ante meridiem | morning |
cras | tomorrow |
crastinus dies | tomorrow |
dudum | long ago |
heri | yesterday |
heri vesperi | yesterday evening |
hodie | today |
mane | early morning |
modo | |