How to Learn Latin on Your Own

Co-authored by Tian Zhou and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: February 19, 2023 References Approved

Despite what you may have heard, Latin is hardly a "dead language." Many Latin words have made their way into our everyday speech, with even more being used on a regular basis by doctors, lawyers, and scientists. Many words in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and other languages come from Latin. Although Latin isn't commonly offered in a lot of schools, you can learn Latin on your own with a little self-discipline. Start by mastering the Latin alphabet and pronunciation so you'll know how to sound out words, even if you don't know what they mean. Use drills and exercises to help with grammar, which you'll also pick up if you try to read Latin text. It won't take long for you to start understanding spoken and written Latin. Bonam Fortunam! (Good luck!)^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Mastering the Alphabet and Pronunciation

1
Pronounce most consonants as you would in English. Since the English alphabet is derived from the Latin alphabet, most of the consonants make the same sounds. This makes Latin fairly easy to pronounce if you're already familiar with English. There are a few exceptions:^{[2]
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- The letters "c" and "g" are always hard, as in the "c" in the English word "cow" or the "g" in the English word "go."
- The letter "v" sounds like the English letter "w," as in the English word "wee."
- The letter "x" sounds like the English letters "ks," as in the English word "exit" (which is also a Latin word).
- The "r" is trilled, similar to the Spanish "r."
2
Identify long vowels by the macron. Latin has the same vowels as English, with each vowel having a short and long form. Long vowels are indicated by a straight line over the top of the letter, known as a macron. Long vowels in Latin make the following sounds:
- The long vowel "ā" sounds like the "a" in the English word "father."
- The long vowel "ē" sounds like the "e" in the English word "they."
- The long vowel "ī" sounds like the "i" in the English word "machine."
- The long vowel "ō" sounds like the "o" in the English word "clover."
- The long vowel "ū" sounds like the "u" in the English word "rude."
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3
Use the short vowel sound for unmarked vowels. While there is a mark for short vowels, it typically isn't used. Rather, if a vowel doesn't have a macron over it, pronounce it with the short vowel sound. Short vowels in Latin make the following sounds:^{[3]
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- The short vowel "a" sounds like the "a" in the English word "about."
- The short vowel "e" sounds like the "e" in the English word "pet."
- The short vowel "i" sounds like the "i" in the English word "pin."
- The short vowel "o" sounds like the "o" in the English word "off."
- The short vowel "u" sounds like the "u" in the English word "put."
4
Practice using "i" and "u" as consonants. In Latin, the letters "i" and "u" can be both vowels and consonants. For ancient Romans, "u" and "v" were considered to be the same letter, both pronounced like the English "w" in the word "week." When "i" is a consonant, it is pronounced like the English "y" in the word "yellow."^{[4]
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- In many modern Latin texts, the letter "j" is used instead of an "i" if "i" is a consonant. However, the "j" retains the "y" pronunciation, similar to how the letter is pronounced in Spanish. For example, the name "Julius" would actually have been spelled "Iulius" in Latin, and is pronounced "YOO-lee-uhs."
5
Keep consonant sounds distinct. Consonants don't blend in Latin as they sometimes do in English when they occur next to each other. Rather, you pronounce each letter separately. Latin consonants don't change the sound they make, regardless of the other letters around them, with one exception: when you see "bs" or "bt," the "b" takes on a sharper "p" sound.^{[5]
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- An "h" remains hard when next to another consonant. For example, "ch" in a Latin word sounds like the "ck" and "h" in the English phrase "block head." Similarly, "ph" sounds like the "p" and "h" in the English phrase "up hill."
- The combination "gn" sounds like the "g" and "n" in the English phrase "wing nut."
- When a consonant is doubled, both consonants are pronounced as separate consonants. For example, the "tt" in the Latin word "admittent" sounds like the English phrase "admit ten."
6
Recognize diphthongs that are pronounced as one syllable. A diphthong is 2 vowels next to each other that are pronounced together as a single sound. There are 6 diphthongs in Latin. When you see "ii," this is not a diphthong, but 2 separate syllables. This comes up frequently in science, as with biological names.^{[6]
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- An "ae" is pronounced like the "ai" in the English word "aisle."
- An "oe" is pronounced like the "oi" in the English word "coil."
- An "ei" is pronounced like the "ey" in the English word "hey."
- A "ui" is pronounced like the "ooey" in the English word "gooey."
- An "au" is pronounced like the "ou" in the English word "about."
- An "eu" is pronounced like the "eu" in the English word "feud."
Tip: If you see 2 vowels together that would normally be a diphthong, but the second letter has 2 dots over it (similar to an umlaut in German), that indicates that the 2 vowels are 2 separate syllables. The 2 dots are technically called a "diaresis."
7
Stress the syllable that is second or third from last. Each vowel in a Latin word constitutes a separate syllable, with the exception of diphthongs. The last syllable is never stressed in a Latin word, so if the word has 2 syllables, the first syllable is stressed.^{[7]
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- If the word has 3 or more syllables, figure out whether the next to last syllable is heavy. A heavy syllable in Latin has a long vowel, a diphthong, or a short vowel followed by 2 or more consonants (the letter "x" is considered a double consonant because it is pronounced "ks").
- If the next to last syllable is heavy, it takes the stress. Otherwise, the stress falls on the syllable before it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Studying the Latin Language

1
Start by memorizing the basic inflections of verbs. Conjugating verbs is a staple of learning any language, and Latin is no different. Like Spanish and some other languages, pronouns aren't necessary in Latin. However, you can always tell the subject of the sentence by looking at the ending of the verb.^{[8]
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- Generally, present-tense verbs ending in "-ō" have a first-person subject (I in English). Verbs ending in "-is" have a second-person subject (you in English), while verbs ending in "-it" have a third-person subject (he/she/it in English).
- As in English and other Latin-based languages, there are also irregular verbs. You'll typically have to memorize the endings for these, which can take a lot of drilling.
Tip: Recognizing the verb inflection is especially critical in Latin because the word order of sentences is much more flexible than in English and other languages. However, if you can recognize the verb, you can also find the subject, regardless of where the words appear in the sentence.
2
Identify the cases for nouns, adjectives, and pronouns. Nouns and pronouns change endings depending on whether they are the subject, direct object, or indirect object of the sentence. Adjectives also change form depending on whether they are related to the subject or object of the sentence. Additionally, you'll change the ending to indicate plurality and gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter).^{[9]
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- English has significantly fewer case forms, and adjectives are never modified. Keeping these separate may prove difficult if you are a native English speaker. However, the case forms are fairly regular, so once you've memorized the endings you should be able to identify them fairly easily. Drill yourself on endings of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, just as you did drills conjugating verbs.
3
Download a mobile app to drill vocabulary and grammar. Smartphone apps alone won't enable you to become proficient in Latin, but they can help you memorize word endings and expand your vocabulary. Many apps are free, although some have a one-time cost or a subscription fee for premium access.
- "Learn Latin" (for Android) and "Latin Word of the Day" (for iOS) are both free and introduce new vocabulary every day, as well as providing sample sentences.
- "Learn Basic Latin" is available for Android phones and provides drills for Latin grammar and verb conjugations.
- If you're interested in understanding the meaning of famous Latin quotes and phrases, "Latin Wisdom" (for iOS) helps teach you Latin by providing translations of well-known Latin sayings.
4
Go through the exercises in a Latin textbook. Unlike with modern languages, it can be difficult to just go out and start chatting with people in Latin. While it's usually possible to learn a language without a textbook, a basic Latin grammar textbook is essential if you want to become proficient.
- Fortunately, many classic Latin textbooks have been digitized and are available for free.
- Two of the most popular Latin textbooks are Wheelock's Latin, a conventional textbook, and Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, which contains no English at all, but rather is designed for beginners to be able to read in Latin immediately, and learn without rote memorization..
- When you go through the exercises, mark your mistakes and figure out what you're having problems with. Then you can devote additional time to practicing the things that give you the most trouble.
5
Write in Latin for at least 10 minutes a day. Drills will only get you so far. If you want to become proficient in Latin, start writing yourself. You don't necessarily have to write about philosophy or anything academic. Simply keep a journal in Latin about your activities and thoughts over the course of the day. Keep a dictionary at hand so you can look up words you don't know.
- Set a timer and free-write for 5 to 10 minutes. If you don't know a word, write the English word and then go back to it. When the timer goes off, read over what you've written and look up the words you didn't know. It can also help to check your textbooks and make sure you've conjugated words correctly and used the right case for nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.
- Another approach is to start writing 100-word texts. Once you feel comfortable with 100 words, move on to 200 words, then 500 words. Over time, you will get to the point of writing a 800-word essay.
- If you translate what you wrote in Latin back into English, you may also have an easier time catching errors. When you first start, it will probably take you longer and your writing might be simplistic and stilted. However, with practice, you'll find you're able to craft more eloquent Latin prose.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Reading and Listening to Latin

1
Start with readers that have keys. A number of Latin readers are available that have keys containing the full text in English. These can help you learn to read Latin. Some of these are simple stories written at a beginner level, while others are actual texts from ancient Roman philosophers and historians.
- All of these readers are available to download for free onto your computer or mobile device. You can set aside a specific time each day to read Latin or pull up the text when you have a moment, such as when you're waiting in line.
- Copying the text in your own writing can help you learn how Latin is written and how words are formed. Writing the text yourself also starts building muscle memory for the grammar and spelling of Latin words and sentences.
2
Bookmark a good online dictionary for reading. When you first start reading, you'll undoubtedly come across words that you don't know. Look those words up so you gain a better understanding of the text. Even if you think you've figured out a word from the context of the sentence, it's still good practice to look it up and make sure you're correct.
- "Logeion," available at https://logeion.uchicago.edu/lexidium, is a good free online dictionary offered by the University of Chicago.
3
Start chatting in an online Latin forum. Since Latin isn't commonly spoken, it can be difficult to find people to chat with in Latin, unless you happen to know other people who are learning the language. However, there are online forums where people gather who are learning Latin or who are proficient in the language and want to help others.^{[10]
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- The website https://www.textkit.com/ has a number of active Latin forums where you can chat in Latin with other people.
- You might also consider going to a Classics event or weekend where Latin is spoken. While these events can sometimes be pricey, they're a great way to immerse yourself in the language and potentially make some new friends.
Tip: If you live near a university that has a Classics department, you may be able to find people to chat with there. Find out if they have a Latin club that is open to the public. If you're a student, find out if your school has a Classics department that teaches Latin.
4
Challenge yourself with classic Roman literature. Once you start to feel comfortable with basic Latin, you can start reading some of the classics by great Roman philosophers and historians. While you may have already read these in English, reading the original Latin gives you a more direct connection with the text because you aren't relying on a translator's interpretation. Check https://www.gutenberg.org/browse/languages/la for free digitized versions of classical Latin texts.^{[11]
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- It will help your fluency if you read without trying to translate the Latin into English or another language. However, creating your own translation can also benefit your understanding of the language.
- If you make your own translation, it's a good exercise to compare it to a professional translation. Most of these classic works can be downloaded for free. Highlight places where your translation differs significantly from the published translation and try to figure out what choices were made that led to the distinction.
5
Listen to music with Latin lyrics. Most of the music you'll hear with Latin lyrics is religious music, particularly songs sung in the Roman Catholic Church. While the pronunciation of "Church Latin" can be somewhat different from the classical Latin pronunciation you've been learning, you should still be able to follow the lyrics.^{[12]
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- Recordings of Gregorian chants often become popular in the new age genre and are typically in Latin.
- Latin masses and other Catholic hymns in Latin are available on YouTube and other video streaming services.
6
Access videos and podcasts of people speaking Latin. Listening to modern people conversing in Latin can really make the language come alive in a way that reading ancient texts may not. Numerous videos and podcasts are available online for free that you can access through your computer or a mobile device.^{[13]
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- Look for videos on YouTube and other video-streaming services. These videos are often geared towards people learning the language and feature basic vocabulary and sentence structure.
- Check out links to more advanced videos and podcasts at http://johnpiazza.net/latin/listening/.

Community Q&A

Question

How easy is it to learn Latin?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Latin is a relatively easy language to learn because it has a relatively limited number of declensions and conjugations. If you already know a Romance language, such as Spanish, Italian, or French, then you will have a major advantage—these languages are all very closely related to Latin. If you’re an English speaker, you may find the gendered nouns and the lack of subject-verb-object word order confusing.
Question

How do you become fluent in Latin?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

To become fluent in any language, you have to really immerse yourself in it. Spend time every day reading Latin, writing in Latin, and even thinking in Latin. Listen to music with Latin lyrics, such as old hymns and Gregorian chants. With regular practice and exposure, you may be able to become fluent within a couple years.
Question

What is the best app for learning Latin?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Many Latin learners recommend the SPQR app, Memrise, and Vice Verba. Most language learning apps work best when you combine them with other methods of study, like taking classes or working through a textbook.