Latin for beginners

Post photo: Inscription from Pompeii | © Pascal OHLMANN on Pixabay 

Even if you were spared the Latinum yourself, whether small or large, you are still confronted with terms from Latin, or even just Latin words up to whole quotations. I myself had tortured myself at school up to the minor Latinum and was pissed off when I found out that you were already being awarded the major Latinum in other federal states. Or even wilder, even while studying, the small Latinum could complete in a few days.

Nevertheless, my latinum always helped me later and at some point I started to write down the words, sayings and sentences I often encountered in Latin with their respective translation into German. This has resulted in this small collection, which can serve as an aid to anyone who is interested.

I can't always remember everything myself, but I like to remember places where I can find what I'm looking for. So I keep looking at this collection myself when I need it.

I am also very happy to take your suggestions and comments into account.

A

Ab igne ignem – from fire fire (Cicero)

From the beginning - from the beginning

ab egg – from the beginning (according to Homer)

Ab ovo usque ad mala – from the egg to the apples

Accedo - I agree

Ad arma - to the weapons; today: to approach something

Ad Augusta, per Angusta – through narrowness to the sublime (Victor Hugo, Hernani, Act 4)

Tailor-made – today: in the sense of suddenly

Adlatus – to the side; today: helpers, henchmen

devil's advocate – today: spokesman for the negative side

Alias – today: Reference to a person's nickname

Alibi – elsewhere; Today: Proof of not having been at the "crime scene".

Alma Mater – honorific designation of universities and colleges

Alter Ego – the other me, “friend”

Amantes amentes - Lovers are crazy

Amicus optima vitae possessio – a friend is the best possession in life

Anima candida - a pure soul

Anima naturaliter christiana – the soul is Christian by nature (Tertullian); catholic dogma

Anno domini - in the year of the Lord

Hello everyone - in the year of salvation

Ante Christum natum – before the birth of Christ

ante diem – before a certain day, at daybreak

ante meridiem – in the morning

A posteriori – gained from experience

A priori - deriving from reason

The art of loving – the art of loving (Ovid)

Ars gratia artis – Art for Art's Sake

Ars moriendi - the art of dying

Ars resistanti – the art of saying no (Thomas More)

Ars vivendi - the art to live

Auctoritas, non veritas facit legem – Respect, not the truth makes the law

Audentes fortuna iuvat – Fortune favors the brave

Audiatur et altera pars – listen to the other side (Seneca)

auditorium max – largest lecture hall of a university

mediocre aura – the golden mean (Horace)

Aurora music amica or Aurora has aurum in ore - The early bird catches the worm.

Au Caesar au nihil – either Caesar or nothing (Cesare Borgia’s motto)

Au viam inveniam aut faciam – I will either find a way or build one.

B

Beati pauperes spiritu - Blessed are the poor in spirit

Bene valete! - farewell!

Bibamus - let us drink

Until that, qui cito that – He who gives quickly gives double

Until repetita non placent – Repetitions do not please (Horace)

Good faith - in good faith

Brevi manu – without further ado, without any fuss

C

Capta avis est melior, quam mille in gramine ruris - A sparrow in the hand is better than a dove on the roof.

Captatio benevolentiae – Chasing goodwill or today: sliming phase (Harry Rowohlt)

Carpe Diem - Carpe Diem

Case belli – reason for war

Canem Cellar – beware of the dog, also: of the “spy”

Cedo nulli – I yield to no one (Erasmus of Rotterdam)

Ceterum Censeo - by the way, I mean...

However, I think that Carthage should be destroyed – by the way, I think Carthage must be destroyed (Cato the Elder) 

Ceterum censeo Europam esse construendam – By the way, I believe that Europe must be built (Joseph Bech, March 25, 1957)

Circa - approximately

vicious cycle – Vicious circle, faulty conclusion

citius, altius, fortius – faster, higher, stronger 

C+M+B – Christ mansionem benedicat – Christ bless this house

Cogito ergo sum – I think, therefore I am (René Descartes)

communities valemus - Together we are strong

Condition sine qua non – an indispensable condition

Coram iudice et in alto mare in manu dei soli sumus – in court and on the high seas we are alone in God's hands

Coram publico - publicly, before everyone's eyes and ears

Corona muralis – Wall Crown (military award)

corpus delicti - piece of evidence

Credit – Have, see also debit

CT – cum tempore – academic quarter

Cui bono? - who for good?

Cuius regio, eius religio – whose region, whose religion or whose bread I eat, whose song I sing

Cum grain salis – with a grain of salt; today: with a bit of joke / truth

cum laude - with praise

Curriculum vitae - Curriculum vitae

D

Debit - Should; see also Credit

Deductio ad absordum - Leading to the absurd

De facto - indeed

De jure – by right

De mortuis nil / nihil nisi bene One should only say good things about the dead

Dei sub numine viget – the divine will makes them flourish

This ater – black day, day of defeat

Dixi - I have spoken

teaching discimus – through teaching we learn (Seneca, Letters to Lucilius I, 7, 8: “homines dum docent discunt”)

Dout des – I give so that you give

Dulce et decorum is pro patria mori – it is sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland (Horace, Carmina 3,2,13)

E

Edit – he published

emeritus – one who has served; retired professor

Eo ipso - because of that

And pluribus unum – one out of many (US motto)

Ergo bibamus - so let's drink

Eripuit caelo fulmen sceptrumque tyrannis He wrested the thunderbolt from heaven and the scepter from tyrants

Errare humanum is - to err is human

Erratum – errors; misprints in books

Et ab hoste doceri – You can also learn from the enemy

Et cetera - and so forth

Et si omnes ego non – if everyone is for it, I am against it

Example statuere - Punish for deterrence

Ex false quodlibet – Anything follows from wrong (ex false sequitur quodlibet, ex contradictione sequitur quodlibet)

Bookplate - from the books

Ex officio – ex officio

Explicit – originally: volume explicitum est – the book roll is unwound

Expressis bis – literally

Ex tempore - out of time

Extra walls – outside the walls; outside of your own area

F

Fabula docet – the fable teaches; the moral of the story is

Facilis descensus Avernus - The way to the hell is paved with good intentions.

Factotum - Girl for everything

Felix meritis – Blessed by virtue of one's own merits

Slow Festina - Haste makes waste

Fiat justitia et pereat mundus – Justice shall be done, even if the world perishes because of it

Fiat lux - let there be light

Fides Graeca – Greek loyalty, unreliability

Fide, sed cui, vide – trust, look who

Fit via (vi) – The path is paved with violence. (Virgil)

Fluctuat, nec mergitur – she sways, but does not sink. (motto of Paris)

Furor impius intus — frenmit horridus ore cruento – filled with evil frenzy, the terrible snorts from horrid mouth (Virgil)

Fury Principle - Megalomania

Fury Teutonicus – Teutonic terror; German monster (according to Marcus Annaeus Lucanus)

G

Gaudeamus igitur - so let's be funny

The genius of the place – the spirit of the place

Gloria in excelsis deo – Glory to God in the highest

The drop scoops out the stone - constant dripping wears away the stone

H

Habeamus papam - we have a pope

[Pro captu lectoris] Books have their – Books have their fates (Terentianus Maurus)

Here and now - here and now

Hi Rhodus, hic salta – this is Rhodes, jump here

hic sunt dracones – dragons live here (map entry)

Homo homini lupus – Man is a wolf to man (Titus Maccius Plautus)

Homo novus – Upstart, today: nouveau riche

Homo Sapiens - the wise man

honoris causa – honorary

Horrible to say - terrible to say

Horror vacuum - the fear of nothing

I

Ibidem – ibid (ibid.)

igitur - therefore

In dubio pro reo - in doubt for the accused

In flagrante – in the burning state, in the act

In hoc signo vinces – in this sign you will conquer

in matrimonium ducere – lead to motherhood, marry

In the media really – right in the middle of things

In memoriam - to memory

In nominee - in the name of

Concerning – in points; today: regarding

In-law – hoping for, in the future

Inter arma charity – Between Arms Charity (Red Cross slogan)

intimate - a very close friend

intra vires – within one’s own competence (see also ultra vires)

In variety concordia – United in diversity (motto of the European Union)

In vino veritas – in wine there is truth

In virtue robur – There is strength in virtue

Ius primae noctis - wet dreams of alpha males

L

Lapsus linquae – Speech errors, use of a wrong word

Laudatio - Eulogy

Lauds - eulogies

Lex mihi ars – Art is my law

licet - it is allowed

Loci communes – commonplaces

Lupus Est Homo Homini, Non Homo, Quom Qualis Sit Non Novit – because man is a wolf to man, not man. That applies at least as long as you don't know each other (Plautus)

Lux in tenebris – light in darkness; part of the sentence "et lux in tenebris lucet et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt" - "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it." (John 1,5:XNUMX)

M

Magna cum laude - with great praise

Magnis superbus—parvis modestus – Proud towards the big ones – modest towards the little ones (motto by Ludwig Pfau)

Malum in se - bad in itself

Malum prohibitum – bad because forbidden

Manus manum lavat - One hand washes the other

mea culpa - my fault

Media in vita in morte sumus – in the midst of life we ​​are surrounded by death

Memento died - Remember death

Men's agitation molem – the spirit moves matter (Virgil, Aeneid 6, 727)

Mens sana in corpore sano - A healthy mind resides in a healthy body

miles gloriosus – glorious warrior: today: Maulheld

Modus vivendi – Way of living, dealing with each other

Mortui vivos lecturer – The dead teach the living

Multum, non multa – a lot, but not a lot

Mundus fills decipi, ergo decipiatur – the world wants to be deceived, so be deceived

Mutatis mutandis – Modification of what is to be modified

N

Nature non facit saltus – nature makes no leaps (Carl von Linné)

Nec aspera terrent – even the difficult does not frighten us

nerve back – the nerve of things; The main thing is a driving force or paraphrase for money

Ne virtus ulla pereat! – No virtue shall be lost!

Nolens volens - inevitably

Noli equi dentes inspicere donati - You don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Noli Me Tangere - don't touch me

Noli turbare circulos meos – do not disturb my circles (Archimedes of Syracuse)

noun and omen – Name is the same omen

Don't do it, Paete – it doesn't hurt, Paetus

Non nobis solum nati sumus – We are not born alone for ourselves (Cicero)

Nothing plus ultra – unbeatable

Not to go forward is to go back – not to advance is to fall behind

We learn not for school, but for life – we learn not for school, but for life (loosely based on Seneca)

Non vitae sed scholae discimus – not for life, but for school we learn (Seneca)

Note – mind you

Novus ordo seclorum – rearrangement of time

Nuda veritas - the naked truth

Nulli secundus – unsurpassed

numerus clausus – limited admission

Nunc is bibendum – Now we have to drink (Horace) 

O

Odi profanum vulgus et arceo – I hate the illiterate crowd and keep them away from me

Omne animal post coitum triste – Every living being is sad after mating

Omne animal se ipsum diligit – every living being loves itself

My All - I have everything I own with me

Omnia tense habet - everything has it's time

Omnia vincit love – everything is conquered by love

Ora and labora - pray and work

Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano – One should pray that in a healthy body there is a healthy mind (Juvenal, Satires)

Or tempora or mores – oh times, oh customs (Cicero)

P

Pacem volo, bellum paro – I want peace, therefore I prepare for war

Pacta healthy servanda – Contracts must be observed

Panem et circenses – Bread and Circuses (Juvenal)

Pars for this – the part for the whole

Pax optima rerum – Peace is the greatest good

Pecunia not olet - Money doesn't stink

By acclamationem – by shouting or clapping

Per aspera ad astra – over rough paths to the stars

on foot - on foot

Perpetuum mobile – the constantly moving

For itself – by itself, by itself

persona grata – popular person

Persona ingrata – unloved person

Pluralis maiestaticus – majestic plural

Plus ratio quam vis - more by reason than by strength

More ultra – beyond (Spanish motto)

Post Christum Natum - A.D

posterior – later events

post et secundum 

Post meridem – in the afternoon

After death - after death

Post scriptum – to be communicated after the signature

Praesumptio innocentiae - in doubt for the accused

First among equals – the first among equals

Approved – it is proven

Pro bono public - for the good of the public

Pro captu lectoris hatt sua fata libelli – Depending on the comprehension of the reader, books have their effect (Terentianus Maurus, De litteris, de syllabis, de metris)

Pros and cons - for and against

Pro fide et patria – for honor and fatherland

Proper opus, opes et opem – because of work, money and care (the three reasons for marriage)

punctum puncti – the point of the point, the main thing

Q

Quale principium, talis est clausula – like the beginning, like the end

Qualis dominus talis est servus – as the master, so the dishes [of the servants]

Qualis pater, talis filius - Like father, like son

Quasi – as it were

Quid pro quo – this for the (consideration)

Qui non intelligit, non perfecte vivit, sed habet dimidium vitae – He who does not understand does not live fully, but has only half a life. (Thomas Aquinas)

Quis custodiaet ipsos custodes – Who will guard the Guardians themselves? (attributed to Juvenal)

Qui tacet, consentire videtur – those who remain silent seem to agree

Quidquid agis, prudent agas et respice finem! – Whatever you do, do it wisely and consider the end!

It can be shown - which was to be proved

Quod licet iovi, non licet bovi - if two do the same thing, it is far from being the same

Quo vadis? - where are you going?

R

Talk mehi legiones – give me back my legions (common quote after the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, attributed to Emperor Augustus)

Reduction ad absurdum - Reduction to the nonsensical

Relinquunt omnia servare rem publicam – They gave everything for their country

res publica – public matter

Res severa is verum gaudium – a serious matter is true joy (Seneca)

Ridentem dicere verum – Telling the truth with a smile (Horace)

RIP—requiescat in pace - he rest in peace

S

Saper hears! - Have the courage to use your own understanding.

Saxum volutum non obducitur musco – A rolling stone does not get moss

Semper et ubique - always and everywhere

Always fidelis - Forever faithful, always faithful or firmly in faithfulness

Always the same – always the same, the same

Hello – servant; today: greeting

Sic! - So!

Sic transit gloria mundi - so goes the glory of the world

Sic itur ad astra – this is how you ascend to the stars or this is how you achieve immortality

Sine cura animarum - without care for the souls (sinecure: office with subsistence without obligation)

Sine will go and studio – without anger and zeal, without prejudice

Sin time – without time (without delay)

Sis Felix – may you be happy

Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses – if you had kept silent, you would have remained a philosopher

Si vis pacem, bellum for – if you want peace, prepare for war (Plato, Renatus, etc.)

Sole fide – only by faith

Spiritus rector - driving force

status nascent – state of becoming

Status quo – the condition as usual

Status quo ante - the condition as before

stupor mundi - the wonder of the world

Suaviter in modo, fortiter in re – gentle in manner, strong in fact (thing)

Sub pink – confidential

Sui generis - unique

summa cum laude - with the highest praise

All in all - all in all

Sustine et abstine – endure and renounce

To each his own - to each his own

T

Tabula rasa – blank slate; today: make a clean sweep; Philosophy: Soul as it is at birth

Tempora labuntur tacitisque senescimus annis – times slip by and without bringing the years to our consciousness we grow older (Ovid, Fasti)

Tempora mutantur nos et mutamur in illis – Times change and we change with them

Time flies – time is running out

Tenor – the thread, the projecting

Technical term – technical term

Terra incognita – unknown country, territory

You also? - you too?

Tusculum – relaxing holiday stay, country house

U

Ubicumque dulce est, ibi est acidum invenies - Wherever there is sweet, there is also bitter. 

Ubi is autem dignitas nisi ubi honestas? – can there be dignity where honesty is absent? (Cicero, Epistulae ad Atticum, Book VII, Letter 11)

Ubi non accusator, ibi non judex - No plaintiff, no judge

Final thought – the last reason, the last resort

Ultra posse nemo obligato – no one is obliged beyond their ability

Ultra vires – outside of their own competence

Unus per multis – one for all (many)

Urbi and orbi - of the city and the world

Usque ad finem - to the bitter end

Usus tyrannus – habit is a tyrant

As above - as above

Uxoria optimae - the best woman

V

vacat – it is missing, it is empty

Vade Mecum - walk with me

Vbut by – Farewell! (Seneca)

Variatio decletat - Variety pleases

Venia legendi – Permission to read, to give lectures

Veni Vidi Vici – I came, saw and conquered (Caesar)

verb vincet – the word wins

Via Sacra – the sacred road

Vice versa – vice versa, alternately

Videant consuls – the consuls may look into this (a matter for the boss from now on)

Vigilia pretium libertatis – Vigilance is the price of freedom

united forces - with combined forces

Virtue non verbis - with virtue not with words

Vis comica - Power of comedy

Force majeure - Force majeure

Vita brevis, ars longa – life is short, art is long (Hippocrates – aphorisms)

live! - three cheers for him!

Vivere militare est - Living means fighting

Vivos voco, mortuos plango, fulgura frango – I call the living, I weep for the dead, I break the lightning (Schiller)

Vocatus atque non vocatus deus aderit – Called or not, God will be there. (Delphic Oracle)

Volenti not fit iniuria – No injustice is done to the willing

volume explicitum est – the book roll is unwound

Vox humana - the human voice

Vox populi vox dei – the voice of the people is the voice of God (Alkuin)

“Home is the place where,
when you have to go there,
they have to take you in.”

Robert Frost, The Death of the Hired Man (1914)

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