I never payed attention in Latin-class...
Maybe if my teacher had taught us this, I would have.
These are all authentic, gramatically accurate phrases to use in everyday life.
(Remember: C is usually pronounced K as in keep.
U like O in wool, and O is pronounced like O in got.)
Small starter-uppers
Nullo modo
No way
Fors fortis
Fat chance
Raptus regaliter
Royally screwed
Labra lege.
Read my lips.
(For surfers.)
Really rad, man.
Radicitus, comes.
What's happening?
Quid fit?
Chariot bumper stickers
Sona si latine loqueris
Honk if you speak Latin
Si hoc adfixum in obicle legere potes, et liberaliter educatus et nimis
propinquus ades.
If you can read this bumper sticker, you are both very well educated and
much too close.
Roman bank hold-up
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum
saxum immane mittam.
I have a catapult. Give me all the money, or I will fling an enormous rock
at your head.
Things to say to your psychiatrist
Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe.
Intendum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae
vincendarum.
I think some people in togas are plotting against me.
Sentio aliquos togatos contra me conspirare.
What does my mother have to do with it?
Quid agitur de matre mea?
How to get out of embarresing situations in Latin
I didn't expect you home so soon.
Non sperabam te domoum tam cito revenire.
Of course I know what today is! I just can't remember the English word for
it.
Scilicet scio qiud hodiernus dies! Modo ei non possum meminisse verbum
Anglicum.
Do you by any chance happen to own a large, yellowish, very flat cat?
Estine tibi forte magna feles fulva et planissima?
Discussing the baby-sitter
I think she's from another planet.
Arbitror eam de planetam alia venisse.
Did her parents drop her off here in a spacecraft?
Astroscaphane parentes eam huc portaverunt.
Maybe she's just a drug addict.
Fortasse modo opio addicta est.
I think I've seen her face on a milk carton or down at the post office.
Credo me faciem suam in olla lactis vel in tabulario tabellariorum
vidisse.
Fighting, Roman style
May barbarians invade your personal space!
Utinam barbari spatium proprium tuum invadant!
May conspirators assassinate you in the mall!
Utinam coniurati te foro interficiant!
May you always misuse the subjunctive!
Utinam modo subiunctivo semper male utaris!
May faulty logic undermine your entire philosophy!
Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant!
Watch out! You might end up divided into three parts, like Gaul.
Prospice tibi! Ut Gallia, tu quoque in tres partes dividaris.
People will soon be referring to you in the pastpluperfect tence.
In tempore praeterito plus quam perfecto de te mox dicent.
Be careful you don't walk in front of any catapults!
Cave ne ante ullas catapultas ambules!
Well, if you don't understand plain Latin, I'm not going to dirty my
hands on you.
Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare.
What did you call me?
Quid me appellavisti?
Yeah, I'm talking to you.
Ita, te adlocuor.
Oh yeah? Your mother!
Itane? Tua mater!
You and whose army?
Tutene? Atque cuitus execitus?
Let's step outside.
Foras gradiamur.
Gravestone Latin
Now, I really am between a rock and a hard place.
Nunc, vero inter saxum et locum durum sum.
I said I was sick, but would anyone listen?
Dixi me aegrotare, sed ecquis auscultaret?
On the other hand, the good news is no more dentistry.
Invicem, res bona est non plus dentharpagarum.
The fat lady has sung.
Obesa cantavit.
Making excuses
My dog ate it.
Canis meus id comedit.
I did call. Maybe your answering machine is broken.
Sane ego te vocavi. Forstan capedictum tuum desit.
My watch stopped.
Horologium manuale meum stitit.
My car wouldn't start.
Currus meus se movere noluit.
I was kidnapped by aliens. What year is this?
Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt. Qui annus est?
Latin names for nonexistent but useful
diseases.
Impedimentum memoriae
(Mental block that makes you unable to remember people's
names.)
Inopia celeritatis
(A mild dyslexia that makes it impossible for you to be on
time.)
Dolor anteprandialis
(Gastric problem that sometimes forces you to cancel a
dinner-date.)
Morbus irrigatonis
(Rare disease inflicted by watering friend's plants.)
Taeduim pellicidorum
(Eye condition that prevents you from looking at people's
slides.)
What to ask when at the Vatican
Is this the way to the Sistine Chapel?
Ductine haec via ad Capellam Sextinam?
Now that's a ceiling!
Ecce lacunar mirum!
Is this the only gift shop?
Haecine taberna munusculorum unica est?
Where can I get a hat like that?
Ubi possum potiri petasi similis isti?
Latin pick-up lines
Do you come here often?
Frequentasne hunc locum?
Haven't we met somewhere before?
Nonne alicubi prius convenimus?
What's your sign?
Quo signo nata est?
You strike me as a very deep person.
Apparet te habere ingenium profondum.
I think fate brought us together.
Credo fatum nos coegisse.
Your place or mine?
Apudne te vel me?
In a bar
I'll drink to that!
Hoc ei propinabo!
Bartender! Another round!
Caupo! Etiamnunc!
I'll have...
Da mihi sis...
...a light beer.
...cerevisiam dilutam.
...a glass of white wine.
...poculum vini albi.
...a martini.
...spiculum argenteum.
Cheers!
Propino tibi salutem!
Biological terms of endearment
Homo Sapiens
Human being
Fiber fervidus
Eager beaver
Pavo absolutus
Total turkey
Lacertus atrioli
Lounge lizard
Fera festiva
Party animal
Radix lecti
Couch potato
|
