Latin, Lesson 7-Translation

Using a Dictionary

To find a Latin word in the dictionary can be difficult. Foremost, Latin verbs are listed using the 'present indicative 1st person singular active' construct of the verb. To find the meaning of the verb 'amāre', one must find 'amō' listed in the dictionary. Thus, one must use their wits to determine what the stem and what is the ending of the verb. A bit of searching around in the dictionary may be required. There are a few verbs which are highly irregular and must be learnt such as 'ferō', I carry.

Nouns are usually much easier to find. They are always given in the nominative singular case. If you see a noun such as 'vōcem', and do not know what it is, don't fret. If you look for 'vōc' in the dictionary, you will not find what you are looking for. 'Em' is typically a third declension accusative ending, thus you should be aware that third declension nouns have radically changing stems. Those which have the consonant 'c' usually have the consonant 'x' replacing it in the nominative singular. Thus the nominative singular of vōcem, is vōx. Likewise, 'g' is also often used when shifting from nominative singular cases to other cases. For example, rēx becomes 'rēgem' in the accusative. There are plenty of other simple rules which one learns through experience.

Unconjugatable and indeclinable words are listed 'as is'.

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

Passage

EXERCISE • Lesson 7-Translation • Translate the following Latin excerpt into English.

• Confessiōnum meārum librī tredecim et dē malīs et dē bonīs meīs deum laudant iūstum et bonum atque in eum excitant hūmānum intellectum et affectum. Interim quod ad mē attinet, hoc in mē egērunt cum scriberentur et agunt cum leguntur. Quid dē illīs aliī sentiant, ipsī viderint; multīs tamen frātribus eōs multum placuisse et placēre sciō.

SOLUTION • Latin/Lesson 7-Translation • Translate the following Latin excerpt into English.

• to be translated into English

Where this page came from

This page was imported from Wikibooks. From “Latin” on Wikibooks, by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changed here: set as a page; navigation and edit links left out; each image under its own licence, credited in its caption.

Nobody has written it yet — it is the source material at a new address, which is why search engines are asked to skip it and why no one earns from it. It is up for grabs: take it on, and it is yours to rewrite and to earn from.