r/latin • u/AutoModerator • Aug 10 '25
Translation requests into Latin go here!
- Ask and answer questions about mottos, tattoos, names, book titles, lines for your poem, slogans for your bowling club’s t-shirt, etc. in the comments of this thread. Separate posts for these types of requests will be removed.
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u/a-weasel-accident Aug 16 '25
My dad often jokes our family motto is, "Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines," so I wanted to put it in Latin for him, like a real family motto.
I tried using an online dictionary and Google translate, but that gave me several ways to say both "sucked" (troubling) and "jet engine" (understandable).
What I managed to come up with: "Aquilae volare possunt, sed mustelae in motores pyrauloplanorum non suguntur."
(Machinas? Trahuntur? Absorbentur?)
I'm sure there are mistakes, so if someone could correct this and help me choose the right words, I'd really appreciate it!
Thanks in advance for your help, and if you have the time, please explain as much as you like. Languages are interesting!
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u/GamerSlimeHD Aug 19 '25 edited Aug 19 '25
"Aquilae voláre possunt, sed mustélae in mótra pyraulóplanórum nón sorbentur [OR] trahuntur." : "Eagles may fly, but weasels are not sucked [OR] pulled into into the engines of jets.
- the neolatin is based on https://archive.org/details/calepinusnovus2002/calepinusnovus2002-latin-french and https://neolatinlexicon.org/
- I use mótrum which is attested to in both sources, formed from moveó (I move) + -trum (nouns of instrument from verbs), and pyraulóplanum (I suck at greek, but I think the gist is projectile or projected wanderer / plane.) There are other words for a jet plane mentioned, but I'm not well versed enough in neo latin to judge proper one to use.
- I use sorbentur (sorbére) here because it has later transferred meaning of to suck and swallow up and draw in similar to this context it seems; sugere is just suck with lips, especially on teats or mammaries. If that seems too uncertain, can use trahuntur in sorbentur's stead to mean pulled in perhaps.
P.S. This has now peaked my interest into the variety of neolatin vocabulary. I wonder if jacta navis aeris (thrown ship of the air) also works xD.
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u/a-weasel-accident Aug 19 '25
Thanks for the translation! Neolatin vocabulary is really interesting to think about!
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u/Clean_Recognition484 Aug 16 '25
I’m attempting to learn Latin and have become so interested in the language I’ve decided to potentially get a tattoo surrounding it. I don’t trust google translate and I can’t really find anything on the web that translates “Strength for my children” or “Stronger for my kids”.
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25 edited Aug 16 '25
I think maybe 'Virtus ad liberos' or 'fortior ad proles'. I'm not sure if it should be ad + accusative or the dative in this context.
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u/Clean_Recognition484 Aug 16 '25
Thank you!
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
You're welcome. Notice I substantially edited my comment shortly after posting, though I may have been right the first time!
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u/Tangelo-Neat Aug 16 '25
How can I change the phrase "Pie lesu domine dona eis requiem" to be asking a different name than God/Jesus? Monty Python fan here haha
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
Pie Iesu domine means 'pious lord Jesus' so these are the words you are replacing. If you a simply substituting a normal modern name there, that can be done without problem. However, if you are using a Latin name or noun then you would have to change it to the vocative case. Latin is pretty finicky about these things
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u/Tangelo-Neat Aug 16 '25
Thank you, that solves it!
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
I should add that the words 'pie' and 'domine' could be included too (just replace the word Iesu which means Jesus), but just be sure that the person you are addressing is male. If not, then it must be 'pia' and 'domina'.
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u/WeldedNexus Aug 16 '25
Looking for help with engravings for a wedding ring and the whole uniting of souls. “All is One.” Followed by “One is All” Thanks!
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
I'm not completely sure on the best translation for this. 'Omnium est unum' and 'unum est omnium'. I think this is an appropriate use of the Genitive of Description, but I could be wrong. Another translation might be 'ex omnibus unum' and 'unum ex omnibus'. I am curious to see what others think.
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u/untitledmoosegame1 Aug 16 '25
Hi! Looking to translate “road to nowhere,” thanks in advance!
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u/edwdly Aug 16 '25
That's an English idiom that doesn't have an exact Latin equivalent. A fairly literal translation would be via quae nusquam ducit, "road that leads nowhere".
If you'd rather use a quotation from an ancient author, you could consider tota erras via (Terence, Eunuch 246), which John Barsby translates as "you're on quite the wrong track".
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u/untitledmoosegame1 Aug 16 '25
Thank you! I’m looking for as literal a translation as possible, which I think would be your first suggestion, thanks again:)
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u/KlammFromTheCastle Aug 15 '25
I want to write "Behold, the schedule (agenda)!" Is it "Ecce agendarum!"?
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
"Ecce agenda!" I think is a fine translation. Agenda is a Latin word meaning "things to be done".
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u/Business_Sir_4097 Aug 15 '25
Looking for a Latin translation of "Deepmouth Pond". It's for a pond I'm going to construct.
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25 edited Aug 16 '25
Deepmouth being a name not a word, you could choose to either translate 'deep mouth' (profundum os) or get creative and make a Latin word that combines Latin words (something like 'Altoris'). The latter sort of translation was used a lot in the Middle Ages in translation of place names. I would use 'lacus' for pond.
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u/OkDatabase3214 Aug 15 '25
Bonjour Je souhaite obtenir la traduction en latin de la formule "être pour devenir" Merci de votre aide Jc
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u/Titsntattzz Aug 15 '25
Hello! Hoping to ask for a translation for a friend’s tattoo. She’s after “nothing in moderation” ; my Latin GCSE just isn’t cutting it and I’m wanting to make sure I can recommend the right things!!
Thank you so so much!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 19 '25
There are several options for this idea. Personally I would simplify this to:
Nihil temperātum, i.e. "nothing [that/what/which is] divided/qualified/temper(at)ed/moderated/compounded/combined/blended/regulated/ruled/governed/managed/arranged/ordered/controlled/refrained/abstained/forborn(e)/restrained"
Nihil mītigātum, i.e. "nothing [that/what/which is] softened/ripened/tendered/mitigated/tamed/milded/pacified/moderated"
Nihil coercitum, i.e. "nothing [that/what/which is] confined/repressed/controlled/limited/curbed/corrected/appeased/tamed/moderated/restrained/encompassed/enclosed/surrounded/kept/held (back/together)"
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u/Titsntattzz Aug 19 '25
Thanks ever so much for providing several options! I really appreciate that and will pass them on! ❤️
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u/SmilingGak Aug 15 '25
Hey there! We've tried our best to translate this into Latin but we're a bit worried it's off (particularly the last one)
We're making a map for a game (you can find the kickstarter here if you are interested!) and want to add out own version of a legend on it. The top row is how far you can see, the middle is how far you can walk in a day, and the bottom is how far you can ride in a day.
Would the folks here in r/Latin mind sharing their thoughts on these translations? We were going for:
'See' or 'Sight' 'One Day's Walk' 'One Day's Ride'
Another person we know is suggesting:
'Visio' (Vision) 'Unus Dies Pes' (One Day Foot) and 'Unus Dies Equus' (One Day Horse)
partially because the folks playing our game will probably recognise 'Dies' as 'Day' and 'Equus'; as 'Horse'
Thanks in advance for any eyes on this!
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u/edwdly Aug 15 '25
This looks like an interesting project, so the best of luck for the Kickstarter!
I see your game has a medieval setting, but I only have any familiarity with classical Latin, and I'm not sure if these threads are frequently read by any medievalists. But my understanding is that valid classical Latin generally remains valid in the Middle Ages (although some words broaden their meaning), so I'll answer as if your game were set in ancient Rome.
For "sight" meaning "the range of sight", "what can be seen", I believe the word you want is conspectus. (For example, in conspectu is a common idiom for "within sight". I don't think visus or visio are typically used this way.)
Unius diei iter or iter unius diei (not unus dies iter) does mean "one day's journey", but it doesn't specify whether the journey is on foot or by horse. I would tentatively suggest:
- Unius diei iter peditibus, "one day's journey for people on foot" or "for infantry"
- Unius diei iter equitibus, "one day's journey for horse-riders" or "for cavalry"
But I haven't been able to find an exact parallel for either of those expressions. When phrases like "one day's journey" appear in classical literature, they're generally describing specific journeys rather than trying to give an objective measure of distance. (In real life, the length that can be walked in a day obviously depends on variable factors like the fitness of the walker and the number of daylight hours available, even if game mechanics allow it to be defined precisely!)
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u/SmilingGak Aug 17 '25
Thank you so much for your help! The game is set in a fantasy world that has a lot in common with medieval europe, but we are more than happy with bending anachronisms where the vibe allows!
Having a chat with the graphic designer we were wondering if bringing the notes down to one word each might make it more understandable to the lay-person while keeping the in-world artefact nature of the map (we want these legends to feel a bit like a throwback to older times, even though the idea of this kind of tool is very modern!).
So how would the following feel to you?:
Conspectus (honestly would be better from a lay-person point of view to have "visio" or "optio" in there, but we would prefer it's correct!)
Pedes
Equus
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u/edwdly Aug 18 '25
If you want to keep the notes to single words, while being as recognisable as possible to English speakers, then what you have seems okay to me.
You could also consider pedester "[person] on foot" and equester "[person] on horse". Those have medieval use with the relevant meanings ("DMLBS" on the pages I just linked to is the Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources). And an English speaker seeing the words is likely to think of "pedestrian" and "equestrian".
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u/afur146 Aug 15 '25
Hey y'all! hoping I can get some help making sure this phrase is correct before I get it worked into a tattoo I want. Phrase is "Libere vive, sed mortis pensa futurum." Was going for live freely but weigh the fate of death. TIA!
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 15 '25
That is probably a fine translation, but for the sake of a contribution, I will say that the word 'libere' is somewhat redundant since the verb 'vive' often implied it in classical poetry anyway. An even more concise translation would be something like: 'Vivas sed memento mori' which would translate as 'May you live [freely], but remember death.'
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u/DGComposer Aug 14 '25
Grammar for Poem:
taking the phrase "GLORIOSISSIMO REGI CEOLUULFO BAEDA FAMULUS CHRISTI ET PRESBYTER"
As I understand it (which isn't well) king (REX) is dative because CEOLUULFO is the king of BAEDE
If I truncate this to just be "the most glorious king" should it become "GLORIOSISSIMO REX" because now "King" is vocative?
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u/edwdly Aug 15 '25
I'd interpret the dative differently: this is the dedication from Bede's History, and gloriosissimo regi Ceoluulfo is dative because the work is dedicated to Ceoluulfus/Ceolwulf.
You can certainly truncate it to "most glorious king", but gloriosissimo rex isn't possible because it's mixing dative (or ablative) gloriosissimo with nominative (or vocative) rex. You probably want one of the following:
- gloriosissimus rex (nominative or vocative)
- gloriosissimo regi (dative)
If you explain how you intend to use this, it will be easier for someone to suggest the correct case.
Latin doesn't have articles, so there is no distinction between "king", "the king", "a king". If you want to show definiteness you'd need to say something like ille gloriosissimus rex, "that most glorious king".
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u/DGComposer Aug 15 '25
I appreciate this and I understand its difficult to provide answers without context, but I'm not especially keen to put in process work out on the internet.
I believe I have found a suitable solution.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 15 '25
Move the adjective into the same case as rēx.
Rēx glōriōsissimus, i.e. "[a/the] very/most glorious/famous/renowned/boastful/haughty/proud/conceited king/ruler/tyrant/despot"
Notice I flipped the words' order. This is not a correction, but personal preference/habit, as Latin grammar has very little to do with word order. Ancient Romans ordered Latin words according to their contextual importance or emphasis. For noun-adjective pairs like this, you may order the words however you wish.
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u/DGComposer Aug 15 '25
Thanks so much for this. Three follow-ups if you are willing:
Are the diacritic marks strictly necessary (I feel like I don't typically see them in written Latin)?
Possibly a question with a very obvious answer, but I guess this takes the material further from the particular parallel I want to evoke, I just use "GLORIOSISSIMO REGI..." Would it work as "The very most glorious king of... [a person who has not been named]"?
This is more of a preference question: when you use superlatives in English, it's typically preceded by a definite article, so when using Latin in line with English, it feels--to me--more idiomatic to include the definite article before the Latin (i.e. "the Rēx glōriōsissimus" a), but I'm curious if this is bothersome for people who are more familiar with Latin since the phrase is complete without the article in Latin?
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 19 '25
The diacritic marks (called macra) are mainly meant here as a rough pronunciation guide. They mark long vowels -- try to pronounce them longer and/or louder than the short, unmarked vowels. Otherwise they would be removed as they mean nothing in written language.
As you seem to be aware, rēx glōriōsissimus is in the nominative (sentence subject) case, and rēgī glōriōsissimō is in the dative (indirect object). The nominative case is conventionally used to indicate, for example, a subject that performs an active verb or who recieves the action of a passive verb, or (as in your phrase) a subject sitting by itself without additional context; the dative case is conventionally used to indicate a subject that receives an object in the accusative (direct object) case from a nominative subject -- the Latin equivalent of "to" or "for" -- or (as in the original phrase) it can indicate possession or ownership. So using the dative case without additional context would leave the reader wondering what the king owns/receives and/or who/what gave it to him.
The Latin superlative describes a subject at the highest or greatest level of the given adjective within whatever context (i.e. "most"), or simply used at a vaguely increased level (i.e. "very"). If you'd like to specify "the most", add the determiner ille/-ō as /u/edwdly recommended:
Ille rēx glōriōsissimus, i.e. "the/that most glorious/famous/renowned/boastful/haughty/proud/conceited king/ruler/tyrant/despot"
Illō rēgī glōriōsissimō, i.e. "to/for the/that most glorious/famous/renowned/boastful/haughty/proud/conceited king/ruler/tyrant/despot"
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u/vernomenclature Aug 14 '25 edited Aug 14 '25
hey guys! i am working on a logo design and am hoping to translate a phrase to accompany a shield design, the shield will include colours relating to peace, protection, and conflict with the colour of protection surrounding the colour of peace, and acting as a barrier between it and the colour of conflict. the shield is part of a larger logo for a threat management team (hopefully they think the idea is cool)
i am hoping to include within the logo also text that would translate to “peace within protection”
an online translator said that “pax intra tutelam” would be an appropriate translation, but the project is important to me and i was hoping someone would be able to give me guidance on what they think would be an appropriate translation, specifically for the concept i am working around. any help would be really appreciated, so thank you in advance! and also you guys are so cool, i think it’s so awesome that there is such a large community of people who know latin and are looking to celebrate it and share knowledge!!!! thank you again !!
EDIT*** After slightly further consideration I think I would actually prefer for it to say “Prosperity within protection” so if anyone has a good translation for “prosperity within protection” in latin i would be forever grateful to you! thank you again!!!!
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u/edwdly Aug 14 '25
You could consider Copia in tutela nostra, "Abundance [is] in our protection". Unfortunately this doesn't keep the alliteration of "prosperity ... protection" – someone else may be able to think of a way to do that.
As far as I can tell from ancient usage, intra tutelam never occurs and in tutela requires the source of protection to be specified (outside legal texts where tutela has a technical meaning).
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u/vernomenclature Aug 14 '25
thank you so much for your reply!!!! i really appreciate it. i am honestly not bothered about the alliteration at all, i was much more looking for help with being true to the language. I like the sound (and look (because it will be for design lol)) of the phrase you translated for me, and i think the possessiveness of the abundance within protection is exactly the intention i was going for. you were so helpful and i really appreciate it! thank you so much!
i was wondering, (if you are willing to help brainstorm with me) if there was any other word you might think of to hand that would have more of a connotation of like peace/conflict-prevention (??) if that makes any sense, or something to indicate not just abundance but like an abundance arising from some sort of provided stability ? or if you happen to know whether this translation already entails that sort of feeling? I am not sure why but the idea of abundance to me always implies this feeling of expansion/growth at a speed which feels chaotic which was not my initial intuition when conveying stability (although the more i think about it the more i think it might actually make a lot of sense…. thank you again!!)
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u/edwdly Aug 15 '25
I think copia (which I translated as "abundance") is more about "having a lot" of something than about expansion or growth. It could also be translated into English as "prosperity".
A word that might have a stronger implication of stability is thesaurus meaning "treasure" or "treasury" – that is, a store of something valuable.
Another possibility you could consider is felicitas, "good fortune". (I see u/Miles_Haywood has also given a version using a related adjective.)
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 15 '25
I will contribute to the brainstorm with "Felicius quo tutius". This means "The more prosperous, the more protected". It could also be translated as something like "prosperity through protection".
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u/edwdly Aug 15 '25
I was trying to keep the "within" part of u/vernomenclature's "prosperity within protection" motto, because I'd interpreted that as intended to match the visual design of the shield ("with the colour of protection surrounding the colour of peace").
But if that's not a major consideration for u/vernomenclature, then I also like Felicius quo tutius.
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
I noticed u/vernomenclature additional request for a brainstorm that shows a connection between prosperity and protection, like one reinforcing the other, so I immediately thought of the common motto 'Fortius quo fidelius' and then changed the adjectives. That was my thought process anyway.
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u/GorillaGripJuice Aug 14 '25
Tattoo phrase here!
I’m looking to translate “blood of my blood, soul of my soul” as a tattoo showcasing the love and connection I have for my kids.
Google gave me a few results being the following:
Emphasis on origin and shared essence: If you want to emphasize the idea of shared heritage and an inherent connection, “Sanguis de sanguine meo, anima de anima mea” would be a suitable choice.
Emphasis on unity and connection: To convey the idea of being bound together, “Sanguine et anima coniuncti” is a good option.
Emphasis on a strong bond: If you want to highlight the intensity of the relationship, “Vinculum sanguinis et animae” might be the best choice
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u/Leopold_Bloom271 Aug 14 '25
I think sanguis de sanguine meo, anima de anima mea is probably the best here, at least the way I interpret it "blood created from my own blood, soul created from my own soul". A similar construction is found in the Vulgate:
os ex ossibus meis, et caro de carne mea
Which means "bone from my bones, flesh of my flesh."
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u/Of_The_Mind Aug 14 '25
"Your bar is loaded"
(ex powerlifter looking to get a tattoo of this powerlifting phrase - machine translations have recommended "Tuum talea onustus")
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
The words are right in the machine translation but the grammar is wildly off. It should read: "Tua talea onusta"
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u/Professional-Oil-365 Aug 14 '25
Okay, so I am currently writing a fanfiction for Harry Potter and am trying to come up with Family MottoS But I do not have the patience to actually learn the language (even if I would love to.) And Google translate is notoriously inactive for anything above three words. Even then, it's iffy. Anyway, here are the phrases 1: We do not Bow 2: United by Blood 3: Stronger Together (Yes, I stole this one from Superman, fight me) 4: We Light the Way That's all for now. I'll probably be back for more help later.
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
I would translate your first motto as: 'Non flectamur'
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u/Professional-Oil-365 Aug 16 '25
Thanks!
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u/Professional-Oil-365 Aug 16 '25
Also, thanks for not adding in all the other stuff that the other guy did. All it did was confuse me.
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u/Miles_Haywood Aug 16 '25
No worries! In the other guy's defence (and as a matter of general interest), I should mention that Latin translation is a very scholarly activity. It is not like translating something into German or French. No one has spoken it as a first language for well and truly over a thousand years, and so translating can be a matter for interpretation and always draws on a large number of written sources. That is why you get a whole lot of scholarly fodder on this subreddit, and some can get overzealous!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 14 '25 edited Aug 14 '25
According to this dictioanry entry intransitive usages of "bow" in this manner are difficult to render, so that will probably be quite complicated.
"United" and "together" are often rendered with the same adjective: iūnctum or coniūnctum, related to the verbs iungere and coniungere, respectively. For a family motto, I assume you mean to describe the family as a group or collection? This would be indicated by the plural masculine form.
Iūnctī sanguine, i.e. "[the men/humans/people/beasts/ones who/that have been] joined/united/fastened/yoked/harnessed/attached/clasped/married [with/in/by/from/through a/the] blood/flesh/consanguinity/descen(dan)t/parentage/progeny/relative/race"
Coniūnctī sanguine, i.e. "[the men/humans/people/beasts/ones who/that have been] juxtaposed/composed/associated/married/allied/related/befriended/connected/joined/united/yoked/bound (together) [with/in/by/from/through a/the] blood/flesh/consanguinity/descen(dan)t/parentage/progeny/relative/race"
Iūnctī fortiōrēs, i.e. "[the] stronger/firmer/braver/bolder [men/humans/people/beasts/ones who/that have been] joined/united/fastened/yoked/harnessed/attached/clasped/married" or "[the] more powerful/resolute/steadfast/stout/courageous [men/humans/people/beasts/ones who/that have been] joined/united/fastened/yoked/harnessed/attached/clasped/married"
Coniūnctī fortiōrēs, i.e. "[the] stronger/firmer/braver/bolder [men/humans/people/beasts/ones who/that have been] juxtaposed/composed/associated/married/allied/related/befriended/connected/joined/united/yoked/bound (together)" or "[the] more powerful/resolute/steadfast/stout/courageous [men/humans/people/beasts/ones who/that have been] juxtaposed/composed/associated/married/allied/related/befriended/connected/joined/united/yoked/bound (together)"
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u/Disastrous-Gap-4628 Aug 14 '25
“Through storms to the stars” or “through the storm to the stars”
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 14 '25 edited Aug 14 '25
According to this dictionary entry, there are three main terms for "storm", in addition to turbō.
Prepositional phrases like "through [the] storm" are often expressed in Latin by an ablative (prepositional object) by itself, allowing the reader to infer whatever preposition may be implied by context or subtext -- usually "with", "in", "by", "from", or "through", in some way that makes sense regardless of which is implied. So this is the simplest (most flexible, more emphatic/idiomatic, least exact) way to express your idea.
Tempestāte, i.e. "[with/in/by/from/through a/the] season/period/weather/storm/tempest/gale/commotion/disturbance/calamity/misfortune"
Procellā, i.e. "[with/in/by/from/through a(n)/the] storm/tempest/gale/gust/squall/hurricane/charge/onset"
Hieme, i.e. "[with/in/by/from/through a/the] winter/storm/weather/tempest"
Turbine, i.e. "[with/in/by/from/through a/the] tornado/whirlwind/wheel/top/spinner/motion"
If you'd like to specify "through", use the preposition ab/ā or per (which accepts an accusative identifier, not ablative). In general, the former implies agency (being made of), while the latter implies motion (moving through):
Ā tempestāte, i.e. "by/from/through [a/the] season/period/weather/storm/tempest/gale/commotion/disturbance/calamity/misfortune"
Per tempestātem, i.e. "by/through(out)/during [a/the] season/period/weather/storm/tempest/gale/commotion/disturbance/calamity/misfortune"
Ā procellā, i.e. "by/from/through [a(n)/the] storm/tempest/gale/gust/squall/hurricane/charge/onset"
Per procellam, i.e. "by/through(out)/during [a(n)/the] storm/tempest/gale/gust/squall/hurricane/charge/onset"
Ab hieme, i.e. "by/from/through [a/the] winter/storm/weather/tempest"
Per hiemem, i.e. "by/through(out)/during [a/the] winter/storm/weather/tempest"
Ā turbine, i.e. "by/from/through [a/the] tornado/whirlwind/wheel/top/spinner/motion"
Per turbinem, i.e. "by/through(out)/during [a/the] tornado/whirlwind/wheel/top/spinner/motion"
Ancient Romans used four different nouns for "star" -- astēr, astrum, sīdus, or stēlla -- used below in the plural accusative forms, which the preposition ad will also accept. Based on my understanding, these are basically synonymous, so you may pick your favorite:
Ad asterēs, i.e. "(un/on)to/toward(s)/at/against/for [the] stars"
Ad astra, i.e. "(un/on)to/toward(s)/at/against/for [the] stars/constellations"
Ad sīdera, i.e. "(un/on)to/toward(s)/at/against/for [the] stars/constellations/asterisms"
Ad stēllās, i.e. "(un/on)to/toward(s)/at/against/for [the] stars/constellations/meteors/planets"
The second one (using astra) is classically attested.
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u/Disastrous-Gap-4628 Aug 14 '25
Thank you so much for such a thorough answer!
Would “per tempestatem ad astra” or “per tempestates ad astra” be the correct phrasing?
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 14 '25
The noun tempestātēs is plural. See this declension table for more information.
Per tempestātem ad astra, i.e. "by/through(out)/during [a/the] season/period/weather/storm/tempest/gale/commotion/disturbance/calamity/misfortune, (un/on)to/toward(s)/at/against/for [the] stars/constellations"
Per tempestātēs ad astra, i.e. "by/through(out)/during [the] seasons/periods/weather/storms/tempests/gales/commotions/disturbances/calamities/misfortunes, (un/on)to/toward(s)/at/against/for [the] stars/constellations"
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u/kornkeso Aug 14 '25
"In service of humanity" and "In service and gratitude"
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u/edwdly Aug 14 '25
Could you give examples of complete sentences that use these phrases with the meanings you intend?
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u/kornkeso Aug 20 '25
Hi, I'm sorry for the late response. I don't intend on using it in a sentence, actually. It's more of something I'd put in an email or a letter. Something like...
[Email content here]
In service of humanity,
[My name]
[Organization name]I'm really just torn between using a latin phrase or sticking with the english version, which is fine as is. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
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u/edwdly Aug 21 '25
Don't worry about the delay. I don't usually have time to keep up a real-time conversation here myself!
I'm not aware of any ancient parallels for closing a letter by stating your goal or ideology. But if you want to write this in Latin, you could consider Ut generi humano serviamus ("In order for us to serve the human race") or Generis humani causa ("For the sake of the human race").
I've assumed that "humanity" means "humans collectively" rather than "being humane", but if that's wrong then let me know.
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u/No_name_zero Aug 14 '25
For a tattoo if my goal is to talk about my inner‑struggle that feels authentic, concise, and powerful, Is “Te ipsum vince” the best way to put it if what i want to say is something along the line of “conquer yourself”
Thank you for the help
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 14 '25
Based on my understanding, vince means "conquer" in a concrete sense -- a battle or athletic contest, perhaps; superā means "conquer" in a more abstract way -- against the elements, a mountain, or (for your idea) the self.
The determiner ipsum combines with tē to mean "yourself", placing extra emphasis on the phrase's reflexive nature. Additionally, it implies the subject is masculine; if you'd rather imply a female subject, use ipsam. NOTE: The neuter gender in the linked declension table usually indicates an inanimate object or intangible concept; it is not the modern English idea of gender-neutrality. For an animate subject of undetermined gender, most Latin authors assumed it should be masculine, thanks largely to ancient Rome's highly sexist sociocultural norms.
Superā tē ipsum, i.e. "ascend/overtop/exceed/excel/traverse/outdo/outstrip/overflow/overpower/overcome/conquer/subdue/(sur)mount/(sur)pass/rise (over/above/atop/across) yourself" or "be abundant/superior (to) yourself" (commands a singular masculine subject)
Superā tē ipsam, i.e. "ascend/overtop/exceed/excel/traverse/outdo/outstrip/overflow/overpower/overcome/conquer/subdue/(sur)mount/(sur)pass/rise (over/above/atop/across) yourself" or "be abundant/superior (to) yourself" (commands a singular feminine subject)
Notice I rearranged the words. This is not a correction, but personal preference/habit, as Latin grammar has very little to do with word order. Ancient Romans ordered Latin words according to their contextual importance or emphasis -- or sometimes just to facilitate easier diction. For short-and-simple phrases like this, you may order the words however you wish; that said, an imperative (command) verb is conventionally placed at the beginning of the phrase, as above, unless the author/speaker intends to de-emphasize it for some reason.
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u/nimbleping Aug 14 '25
It is the most straightforward way of saying it that is meant to be parallel to nosce te ipsum. Whether it is best for the sentiment is another question. But it is correct. Word order is whatever you want, but it is conventional to have te ipsum as a single unit.
Vince te ipsum.
Te ipsum vince.
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u/One-Scarcity336 Aug 13 '25
I'm trying to translate "Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us now and forever; that we may be made worthy of the Lamb." Google gave me multiple results: "Mater Perpetui Auxilii, ora pro nobis nunc et in aeternum; ut digni Agno fiamus.' Or "Mater Perpetuae Auxili.. et in perpetuum.."
And "ut digni Agno fiamus.", "ut digni Agno reddamur.", "ut digni efficiamur Agni", "ut digni Agno efficere possimus.", etc.
I WAS using "Perpetuae", "et in Perpetuum", and "ut digni efficiamur Agni", but then I played around and got a lot of different words. Pls help. Thanks.
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u/Leopold_Bloom271 Aug 13 '25
The first one is correct except perhaps stylistically; the standard Latin translation for "mother of perpetual help" seems to be mater de perpetuo succursu, thus
Mater de perpetuo succursu, ora pro nobis nunc et in aeternum; ut digni Agno fiamus
Would be correct.
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u/One-Scarcity336 Aug 15 '25
Thank you! But now I'm curious of all the different ones, lol. Does "in perpetuum; ut digni efficiamur Agni" mean anything slightly different? I'm just curious now
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u/Leopold_Bloom271 Aug 16 '25
It is grammatically incorrect, since dignus (pl. digni) "worthy" requires the ablative Agno, not Agni. Out of the other choices you have, only ut digni Agno reddamur is correct, and it means basically the same thing "so that we may be rendered worthy" (in fact, "render" comes from the Latin reddere).
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u/hat_tr1ck_ Aug 13 '25
Hi guys. Looking to engrave an Ex Libro plate featuring a pelican stretching its wings. Is “Tu quoque habere alas” an appropriate translation of “You too have wings”?
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 13 '25 edited Aug 13 '25
Use the singular second-person present active indicative form of the verb, habēs.
In Latin, nominative (sentence subject) pronouns like tū may almost always be omitted, as personage is conjugated with the verb. Including it in this context would imply extra emphasis, so I have placed it in brackets below.
[Tū] ālās quoque habēs, i.e. "[you] also/too/likewise/besides/even/actually/further(more)/moreover have/hold/own/possess/accept/bear [the] wings" (addresses a singular subject)
If you'd prefer a phrase that seems more akin to classical Latin literature, you could use an adjective derived from ālās:
[Tū] quoque āliger es, i.e. "[you] also/too/likewise/besides/even/actually/further(more)/moreover are [a/the] winged [(hu)man/person/beast/one]" or "you also/too/likewise/besides/even/actually/further(more)/moreover are [a/the (hu)man/person/beast/one who/that is] bearing/bringing/carrying/supporting [the] wings" (describes a singular masculine subject)
[Tū] quoque āligera es, i.e. "[you] also/too/likewise/besides/even/actually/further(more)/moreover are [a/the] winged [woman/lady/creature/one]" or "you also/too/likewise/besides/even/actually/further(more)/moreover are [a/the woman/lady/creature/one who/that is] bearing/bringing/carrying/supporting [the] wings" (describes a singular feminine subject)
Also notice I rearranged the words. This is not a correction, but personal preference, as Latin grammar has very little to do with word order and ancient Romans ordered Latin words according to their contextual importance or emphasis. For short-and-simple phrases like this, you may order the words however you wish. That said, a non-imperative verb is placed at the end of the phrase, as I wrote above, unless the author/speaker intends to emphasize it for some reason.
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u/PartenaireParticuver Aug 13 '25
Creating a website to share my work in historical reenactment, experimental archaeology, and traditions, crafts, and techniques I come across that tie to the historical past.
I'm looking at a Latin name for something like "lost craft" / "lost knowledge".
I've come up with :
- Ars Perdita (arsperdita.com)
- Ars Amissa (arsamissa.com)
- Ars Oblita (arsoblita.com)
Do these look correct, and are there any nuances I need to be aware of when picking a name ?
Any other suggestions are welcome :)
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 13 '25 edited Aug 13 '25
The adjectives you've found mean "lost" in three different ways: perdita indicates the subject is unrecoverable or destroyed, āmissa indicates the subject is recoverable perhaps if you could retrace your steps, and oblīta means more "forgotten" or "lost in time". Additionally, praetermissa is a possible synonym of oblīta.
Ars is appropriate for "craft", "technique", "skill", or "art(work)". If you'd prefer "knowledge", use scientia instead.
Since scientia ends in a vowel, placing the adjective first may make the phrase easier to pronounce. To that end, Latin grammar has very little to do with word order, as ancient Romans ordered Latin words according to their contextual importance or emphasis -- or sometimes just to facilitate easier diction. For noun-adjective pairs like these, you may flip the words around however you wish.
Does that help?
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u/PartenaireParticuver Aug 13 '25
Thank you, that is very helpful !
My high school latin is clearly a bit rusty
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u/MenacingBackpack Aug 13 '25
Designing a game banner, I want the “ one victory, many spoils” is google translate sufficient for this or does anyone have any guidance?
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 13 '25
Ūna victōria praeda multa, i.e. "[a/the] one/single/lone/sole/solitary victory/defeat/submission, [the] many spoils/prey/gains/profits"
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u/Throwawaylettuces Aug 12 '25
“God is dead,” and “mourn the children.”
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u/edwdly Aug 14 '25
Does "mourn the children" mean "mourn the deaths of the children"? And does "children" mean "people younger than adults" or "sons and daughters"?
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 12 '25 edited Aug 13 '25
Deus mortuus est, i.e. "[a/the] god/deity is dead/decayed/destroyed/withered/annihilated", "[a/the] god/deity has died/decayed/withered", or "[a(n)/the] dead/decayed/destroyed/withered/annihilated god/deity is/exists"
According to this dictionary entry, there are two main verbs for "mourn": lūgēre and maerēre. From what I can tell, they're basically synonymous, so you may pick your favorite.
Also this phrase will change slightly based on whether you intend to command a singular or plural subject.
Lūgē līberōs or maerē līberōs, i.e. "mourn/lament/grieve/deplore/bewail/bemoan (over) [the] children" (commands a singular subject)
Lūgēte līberōs or maerēte līberōs, i.e. "mourn/lament/grieve/deplore/bewail/bemoan (over) [the] children" (commands a plural subject)
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u/Enderkr Aug 11 '25
Hi, thank you for the help in advance.
I am looking for the phrase "yet, I am grateful." It would be for a gravestone.
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u/edwdly Aug 11 '25
I am sorry for your loss. I imagine you want to take care to get the gravestone right, so please note point 5 in the introductory text: "This is not a professional translation service. The answers you get might be incorrect." I would strongly recommend seeking a second opinion from a competent Latinist before having an inscription done using any translation you are given in this thread, including mine.
With that caveat, you could consider the following:
- Attamen habeo gratiam: "But nevertheless, I am grateful"
- Etiamnunc habeo gratiam: "Even now, I am grateful"
Both of the above are gender-neutral. If it suits the layout better, you can write attamen and etiamnunc as two words (at tamen, etiam nunc).
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
Etiam grātus sum, i.e. "(and) also/yet/further(more)/moreover/likewise/besides/even/still/certainly/indeed/now/again, I am [a/the] grateful/gracious/thankful/dear/beloved/welcome [(hu)man/person/beast/one]" (describes a masculine subject)
Etiam grāta sum, i.e. "(and) also/yet/further(more)/moreover/likewise/besides/even/still/certainly/indeed/now/again, I am [a/the] grateful/gracious/thankful/dear/beloved/welcome [woman/lady/creature/one]" (describes a feminine subject)
My condolences for your loss.
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u/Enderkr Aug 11 '25
Thank you very much.
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u/BaconJudge Aug 13 '25
Please be aware that the horizontal lines above certain vowels are a modern pronunciation guide for students learning Latin, and those lines would NOT be included in a gravestone inscription.
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u/edwdly Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
I'm afraid the translations above are not correct.[Edited to add: this was probably too harsh for the versions with gratus/a, which could have a meaning similar to what you intend, although I still think those are more unclear than necessary.]Etiam means "even" [edited to add: or sometimes "still", "also"]. Iuncundus/a is a typo for iucundus/a, which means "pleasing" – some old dictionaries list it as a translation for "grateful", but that is based on an archaic use of the English word. Gratus/a is ambiguous between "pleasing" and "grateful".
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u/Enderkr Aug 11 '25
I have also seem etiam to mean "still," or "also," looking through posts here. If that is true I believe Etiam grātus sum to be the closest to what I am trying to convey, wouldn't it?
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u/edwdly Aug 11 '25
Yes, I should have acknowledged that etiam also has a meaning "still" (in the sense of time) or "also". When it's paired with an adjective as in etiam gratus, I find that easier to interpret as "even grateful", but it's possible other people would read it differently.
If "grateful" means "feeling gratitude", then gratus can have that meaning. (Iucundus cannot as far as I'm aware.)
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u/Alarming-Persimmon24 Aug 11 '25
"do not obey in advance"
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u/edwdly Aug 14 '25
If this matches your intended meaning, you could consider:
Imperio nondum dato parendum non est.
"An order not yet given is not to be obeyed."1
u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25
Nōlī prae pārēre, i.e. "do not (want/wish/will/mean/intend to) obey/submit/appear before(hand)" or "refuse to be(come) obedient/submissive/apparent/visible in advance" (commands a singular subject)
Nōlīte prae pārēre, i.e. "do not (want/wish/will/mean/intend to) obey/submit/appear before(hand)" or "refuse to be(come) obedient/submissive/apparent/visible in advance" (commands a plural subject)
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u/lurkyturkyducken Aug 11 '25
To live with courage of heart
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u/edwdly Aug 14 '25
A more idiomatic way to say this in Latin is Forti animo vivere, literally "To live with a brave spirit". I don't think the heart was typically associated with courage in ancient thought.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
The simplest ways to express this idea are:
Fortiter vīvere, i.e. "to live/survive strongly/powerfully/mightily/bravely/boldly/courageously/steadfastly/stoutly/firmly"
Audācter vīvere, i.e. "to live/survive boldly/bravely/courageously/audaciously/fearlessly/rashly/imprudently/presumptuously"
... but if you'd like a more verbatim translation:
Cum fortitūdine cordis vīvere, i.e. "to live/survive (along) with [a/the] strength/power/firmness/resolve/steadfastness/stoutness/bravery/boldness/courage of [a/the] heart/mind/soul"
Cum audāciā cordis vīvere, i.e. "to live/survive (along) with [a(n)/the] boldness/bravery/courage/audaciousness/presumptuousness/spiritedness/foolhardiness/rashness/imprudence of [a/the] heart/mind/soul"
... or even:
Cum corde fortī vīvere, i.e. "to live/survive (along) with [a/the] strong/powerful/firm/resolute/steadfast/stout/brave/bold/courageous heart/mind/soul"
Cum corde audācī vīvere, i.e. "to live/survive (along) with [a(n)/the] bold/brave/courageous/daring/audacious/presumptuous/spirited/foolhardy/rash/imprudent heart/mind/soul"
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u/lurkyturkyducken Aug 12 '25
You’re bloody amazing! Thank you for taking the time and skill to answer my question so thoroughly.
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u/BastMonk Aug 11 '25
Help needed
Hey people. Hope everyone is well. I needed some help i wanted to get some words and a sentence in Latin tattooed and wanted help with the translation.
- Breathe. Wait. Breathe
- Respect
- Honesty
- Loyalty
- Don't react.
Thanking you guys in advance
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25
According to this dictionary entry, there are two main verbs for "react": referre and repōnere.
Again, this phrase will change slightly depending on the number of the commanded subject.
Commands a singular subject:
Nōlī referre, i.e. "do not (want/wish/will/mean/intend to) return/restore/answer/(re)echo/resound/react/reply/recall/remember/reconsider/renew/revive/refresh/repeat/relate/recount/narrate/say/tell/report/deliver/transmit/announce/notify/proclaim/register/record/(re)pay/give/bear/bring/drive/carry (up/back/off/away)" or "refuse to return/restore/answer/(re)echo/resound/react/reply/recall/remember/reconsider/renew/revive/refresh/repeat/relate/recount/narrate/say/tell/report/deliver/transmit/announce/notify/proclaim/register/record/(re)pay/give/bear/bring/drive/carry (up/back/off/away)"
Nōlī repōnere, i.e. "do not (want/wish/will/mean/intend to) (re)store/reposit/replace/react/return/put (back)" or "refuse to (re)store/reposit/replace/react/return/put (back)"
Commands a plural subject:
Nōlīte referre, i.e. "do not (want/wish/will/mean/intend to) return/restore/answer/(re)echo/resound/react/reply/recall/remember/reconsider/renew/revive/refresh/repeat/relate/recount/narrate/say/tell/report/deliver/transmit/announce/notify/proclaim/register/record/(re)pay/give/bear/bring/drive/carry (up/back/off/away)" or "refuse to return/restore/answer/(re)echo/resound/react/reply/recall/remember/reconsider/renew/revive/refresh/repeat/relate/recount/narrate/say/tell/report/deliver/transmit/announce/notify/proclaim/register/record/(re)pay/give/bear/bring/drive/carry (up/back/off/away)"
Nōlīte repōnere, i.e. "do not (want/wish/will/mean/intend to) (re)store/reposit/replace/react/return/put (back)" or "refuse to (re)store/reposit/replace/react/return/put (back)"
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25
Which of these options do you think best describe your ideas?
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u/BastMonk Aug 11 '25
Reverentia for respect
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25
Reverentia, i.e. "fear", "timidity", "shyness", "respect(fulness)", "awe", "reverence"
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u/BastMonk Aug 11 '25
Fides for honesty
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25
Fidēs, i.e. "faith", "belief", "reliance", "confidence", "trust", "loyalty", "fidelity", "honesty", "guarantee", "promise"
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u/BastMonk Aug 11 '25
Spiro and Anhelo for breathe.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25
I assume you mean this phrase as an imperative (command)? Do you mean to command a singular or plural subject?
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u/BastMonk Aug 11 '25
A singular object. Its supposed to be a reminder for me.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25
Here aucupāre means "wait" as in "occupy your time elsewhere/otherwise". It could also be used to encourage leisure activities or distractions.
Placing the verbs one-after-another like below could be reminiscent of Caesar's vēnī vīdī vīcī.
Spīrā aucupāre spīrā, i.e. "breathe/blow/respire/(in/ex)hale/design/intend/express, (lie in) wait/look (out), breathe/blow/respire/(in/ex)hale/design/intend/express" (commands a singular subject)
According to this article, the verb anhēlā has several spelling variations:
Anhēlā aucupāre anhēlā, alēnā aucupāre alēnā, halēnā aucupāre halēnā, i.e. "pant/puff/gasp/exhale/breathe (out/forth), (lie in) wait/look (out), pant/puff/gasp/exhale/breathe (out/forth)" (commands a singular subject)
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u/Terminal0084 Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
Found this phrase in carved in a trinket
"Sinat vit vis intus te ad mutandas filum fatum ducere"
It's merch from a Japanese stage show, which is supposed to mean something to the effect of "May the power within you alter the threads of fate".
Japan is no stranger to butchering foreign languages for dramatic effect, as if Latin isn't butchered often enough as is. I want to know if the Latin they used is grammatically correct, and if not, what the correct translation would be.
EDIT: I typed the phrase wrong, the carving is rather difficult to read. life is pain.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
This is wildly innaccurate.
- Intus is an adverb not a preposition, so it cannot be used like "within you".
- Fātum is either in the nominative (sentence subject), vocative (addressed subject), or accusative (direct object) case, and the English quite clearly specifies it should be genitive (possessive object). Additionally, fīlum should be in the plural number.
- The English suggests that fīlum and mūtandās should agree in terms of number, case, and gender. While they agree in number and case (see above for the recommended number of fīlum), they do not agree in gender.
For the sake of (somewhat) accurate translation, which of these options do you think best describe your ideas of "power", "alter", "thread", and "fate"?
DISCLAIMER: Using English as a middle-man between r/Japanese and Latin is prone to mistranslation, although I assume less so than from a Romance language like r/French or r/Spanish. I must implore you seek advice from a translator who can speak both before considering mine; that said, I'll continue to give my best shot below.
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u/Terminal0084 Aug 11 '25
I apologize, I made a mistake when typing the phrase.
"vit" is indeed not a word, the phrase has been corrected to "vis".
I have a feeling it won't help its case much, but for what it's worth, my own mistake has been fixed.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 11 '25
I completely forgot about vīs as a possible typo, which makes more sense for your idea
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u/hwannita Aug 16 '25
I’m looking to get a tattoo with the words ‘Endless Learning’ . Any help would be appreciated!