1 LATIN FOR BEGINNERS TO THE STUDENT—BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION. What is Latin? If you will look at the map of Italy on the opposite page, you will find near the middle of the peninsula and facing the west coast a district called Latium, 1 and Rome its capital. The Latin language, meaning the language of Latium, was spoken by the ancient Romans and other inhabitants of Latium, and Latin was the. Learning and using Latin names seems to intimidate a lot of people, but it really shouldn’t. In fact, you already use many Latin names: Begonia, Clematis, Crocus, Delphinium, Forsythia, Gardenia, Gerani- um (the hardy one, not Pelargonium), Ginkgo, Hibiscus, Hosta, and Iris — or ones that are really close to the scientifi c name, such as Heliotrope (Heliotropium), peony (Paeonia), or rose. Latin English Vocabulary 299331 English Latin Vocabulary 332343 INDEX 344348 194 READING MATTER INTRODUCTORY SUGGESTIONS How to Translate. You have already had considerable practice in translating simple Latin, and have learned that the guide to the meaning lies in the endings of the words. Spanish for Dummies is the perfect way to get a grasp of the language when you go to a Spanish speaking country. Learn some easy but important basics. +31 6 42248990 email protected.
To get a handle on Latin, you have to study the normal language things like verb conjugations, including those irregular verbs and verb endings. You need to pay attention to noun cases as well, and learn the basic question words and the short words that help you connect your thoughts. And, as you discover more Latin, you come to realize that its contributions to English are evident in words you use every day, so, even though there are no native Latin speakers anymore, the language lives on.
![Rosetta stone latin Rosetta stone latin](https://image.isu.pub/200706194746-4a4b13a3123fc41f1bfa472a8716e0c9/jpg/page_1.jpg)
Latin Noun Cases
In Latin, what form a noun takes depends on how it’s being used. You use different forms of a noun if it’s a subject, another if it’s an indirect object. The following table lists noun cases and uses.
Basic Noun Case | Uses |
---|---|
Nominative | subject |
Genitive | possession |
Dative | indirect object |
Accusative | direct object, place to which, extent of time |
Ablative | means, manner, place where, place from which, time when, time within which, agent, accompaniment, absolute |
Common Irregular Latin Verbs
Like any language, Latin has regular and irregular verbs. Regular verbs follow common rules when you conjugate them; irregular verbs follow their own rules. The following table shows some of the most used irregular verbs, their conjugations, and pronunciations:
Verb | Meaning |
---|---|
fero, ferre, tuli, latus (feh-ro, fehr-reh, tu-lee, lah-tus) | to bear, carry |
sum, esse, fui, futurus (sum, ehs-seh, fu-ee, fu-too-rus) | to be |
volo, velle, volui (woh-lo, woh-leh, woh-lu-ee) | to want |
nolo, nolle, nolui (no-lo, no-leh, no-lu-ee) | not to want |
malo, malle, malui (mah-lo, mah-leh, mah-lu-ee) | to prefer |
eo, ire, ii, iturus (eh-o, ee-reh, ih-ee, ih-too-rus) | to go |
Helpful Latin Verb Endings
In Latin, you don’t always need two words to form a complete sentence. The ending of a verb can provide a pronoun, so the quote attributed to Julius Caesar — “Veni, vidi, vici” — grammatically translates as “I came, I saw, I conquered.” The following table shows verb endings and the pronouns they represent:
![For For](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61yk8BbTG-L._SL500_.jpg)
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
–o, –r, –m, –i = I | –mus, –mur = we |
–s, –ris, –isti = you (s.) | –tis, –mini = you (pl.) |
–t, –tur = he, she, it | –nt, –ntur = they |
Counting On — and Pronouncing — Roman Numerals
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Actual Latin speakers — or more truthfully writers — used Roman numerals instead of the Arabic system English speakers use today. But Roman numerals are still in use, probably most notably in counting Super Bowls and in copyright dates. The following table shows you the basic numbers, the Latin, and the pronunciation:
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Roman Numeral | Latin | English |
---|---|---|
I | unus (oo-nus) | one |
II | duo (du-oh) | two |
III | tres (trays) | three |
IV | quattuor (kwuht-tu-ohr) | four |
V | quinque (kween-kweh) | five |
VI | sex (sehks) | six |
VII | septem (sehp-tehm) | seven |
VIII | octo (ohk-to) | eight |
IX | novem (noh-wehm) | nine |
X | decem (deh-kehm) | ten |
L | quinquaginta (kween-kwah-gihn-tah) | fifty |
C | centum (kehn-tum) | one hundred |
D | quingenti (kween-gehn-tee) | five hundred |
M | mille (mihl-leh) | thousand |
Useful Little Latin Words
In Latin, as in other languages, little words can mean a lot. How can you make a point without being able to say, “I see your point, but . . .?”The short Latin words in the following table provide some crucial transition words:
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
et (eht), atque (uht-kweh), ac (ahk), que (kweh) | and |
sed (sehd) | but |
autem (ow-tehm) | however |
aut (owt) | or |
sive . . . sive (see-weh, see-weh) | whether . . . or |
neque (neh-kweh), nec (nehk) | and not |
ita (ee-tuh), sic (seek), tam (tuhm) | so |
si (see) | if |
nisi (nih-sih) | if . . . not |
Latin Question Words
Being able to ask questions is an important part of learning any language. Latin question words are listed in the following table. Use them and you can sound both knowledgeable (not many people can speak Latin) and puzzled (because they are questions after all).
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
cur? (kur) | why? |
ubi? (u-bee) | where?, when? |
quis? (kwihs) | who? |
quid? (kwihd) | what? |
quantus? (kwuhn-tus) | how great? |
quot? (kwot) | how many? |
qualis? (kwuh-lihs) | what kind of? agent, accompaniment, absolute |