Latin for beginners and from scratch. Learning Latin from scratch

CASE SYSTEM OF THE LATIN LANGUAGE
NOUNS OF THE FIRST declension
VERB "TO BE"

In Latin, as in Russian, nouns differ in numbers and cases. These cases are as follows:

Nominativus - nominative
Genetivus - Genitive
Dativus - Dative
Accusativus - Accusative
Ablativus - Deferral
Vocativus - Vocal

The first four cases of Latin generally correspond to the first four cases of Latin. Special mention should be made of the last two. The deferred case (Ablatīvus) corresponds to the Russian instrumental case, the Russian prepositional case, and, in addition, is the reverse case of the dative. If the dative case answers questions to whom? why ?, then the deferred case - to questions from whom? from what? where?
The vocative case (Vocatīvus) does not answer any question. This case form is taken by nouns in the position of address. Vocatīvus is translated into modern Russian in the nominative case. In the Old Russian language, the forms “God”, “prince”, “friend”, “father”, “starche”, etc. corresponded to it.
All nouns of the Latin language are distributed among five declensions. A declension is a group of nouns that have the same set of endings. The first declension includes nouns ending in the nominative singular in -a. Almost all of them are feminine, and only a few exceptions, a list of which will be given below, are masculine.
Consider this declension using the example of the noun ancilla - “slave, maid”.

Singularis - Singular Pluralis - Plural

N. ancīlla - servant ancīllae - servants
G. ancīllae - servants ancīllārum - servants
D. ancīllae - maid ancillis - maids
Ac. ancillam - maid ancillas - maids
Ab. ancillā - maidservant ancillis - maidservants
V. ancilla - maid! ancillae - servants!

Conjugation of the verb "to be" in the present tense

In Latin, unlike Russian, it is impossible to construct a sentence without a verb. If in Russian we can say "Peter is a judge", then in Latin - only Petrus est judex, that is, "Peter is a judge." The verb "to be" is conjugated in the present tense as follows.

esse - to be

sum - I am sumus - we are
es - you are estis - you are
est - he, she, it is sunt - they are

Exercise I
Decline the following nouns:

Vita - "life", terra - "earth", aqua - "water", familia - "family", schola - "school", victoria - "victory", insŭla - "island", via - "road", bestia - "beast, animal", silva - "forest", injuria - "insult, injustice".

Exercise II
Translate the sentences into Russian. Transcribe them in Russian letters.

1) Terra est sphaera. 2) Jurisprudentia est schola vitae. 3) Illae puellae sunt amīcae. 4) Illae puellae sunt disciplae scholae nostrae. 5) In silvis patriae nostrae sunt bestiae. 6) Vita bestiarum non longa est. 7) Sumus incŏlae insǔlae. 8) Incŏlae insulārum quoque estis.

amīca (f) - girlfriend
bestia (f) - animal, beast
discipŭla (f) - student
illae (f) - these
in - in
incŏla (m, f) - resident, resident
insŭla (f) - island
jurisprudentia (f) - jurisprudence
longa - long, long nostra - ours
patria (f) - homeland
puella (f) - girl
quoque - too, also
schola (f) - school
sphaera (f) - ball, sphere
silva (f) - forest
terra (f) - earth
vita (f) - life

Exercise III
From exercises I and II write out the words:
a) borrowed by the Russian language without changing the meaning;
b) borrowed by the Russian language with a change in meaning;
c) borrowed by the foreign language you are studying without changing the meaning;
d) borrowed by the foreign language you are studying with a change in meaning.

Many people classify Latin as a "dead" language because it is rarely spoken outside of specialized courses or certain religious services. However, Latin is not truly a "dead" language. She has influenced languages ​​such as French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English and many others. In addition, knowledge of Latin is essential in many literary studies. By learning how to learn Latin, you will be able to better understand many modern languages, gain the status of an experienced connoisseur of foreign classical literature, and become part of a tradition that has existed for thousands of years.

Steps

Part 1

Learn Latin verbs. In Russian, a verb is usually an action, but in Latin a verb can describe an action, a state of something, or any change in a person, place, or thing. Latin verbs consist of a word stem and a corresponding ending (the part of the word that makes it functional) and express the use of one of four categories:

• person (first: I/we; second: you/you; third: he/she/it)
• tense (past, present, future)
• pledge (active or passive)
• mood (indicative, conditional, imperative)

1. Learn Latin nouns. Nouns are a little more difficult than verbs, but they also do not cause much difficulty. Noun endings indicate number (singular and plural), gender (masculine/feminine/neuter), and case (nominative/genitive/dative/accusative/active/vocative).

   Understand Latin adjectives. In Latin, adjectives are modified in the same way as nouns, usually according to either the first and second declension (for example, magnus, magna and magnum are all forms of the adjective "great") or, at times, with the third declension (for example, acer, acris and acre are all forms of the adjective "sharp"). Adjectives in Latin are divided into three degrees of comparison:

   Learn Latin adverbs. Just like adjectives, adverbs have a comparative and a superlative degree. Adverbs are formed by appropriate changes in the ending: "-ius" for the comparative form, "-e" for the superlative. Adverbs formed from adjectives of the first and second declension have the ending "-e", and from the third - "ter."

   Use Latin conjunctions. Just like in Russian, conjunctions in Latin connect words, phrases, subordinate clauses and other sentences (for example, "and", "but" or "if"). Conjunctions have a fairly definite focus, and therefore there should be no difficulty in learning or using them. There are three main types of unions:

   • connecting (connect words / phrases / sentences with the same position) - et, -que, atque
   • separators (express opposition or choice) - aut, vel, -ve
   • adversatives (express contrast) - at, autem, sed, tamen

2. Buy a Latin dictionary. Having a dictionary with Latin words and many of their cognates will greatly help you in replenishing your vocabulary. In general, any good Latin dictionary will do. If you're not sure which dictionaries are best for learning languages, read online reviews or ask for advice from those who have already learned the language.

   Make and use word cards. This is an excellent way to improve your vocabulary in any language. To get started, get a pack of blank cards. Then write a word or phrase in Latin on one side and his/her translation into your language on the back. Now you can test yourself. Keep a stack of cards with words or expressions that are difficult for you so that you can review and remember them later.

   Use mnemonics. Mnemonics is a learning technology that helps you remember something complex by associating it with another word, sentence, or picture. Acronyms (forming a word by adding the first letters of each word in a phrase) and rhymes are the two most common types of mnemonic devices. There are many mnemonic methods for learning Latin that you can find online or in books. You can also invent your own to help you learn.

   Set aside time to study. Finding a balance between work and free time can be difficult, and cutting off another chunk of the day for studying seems impossible at all. However, it will definitely be a manageable task if you manage your time properly by keeping your regular schedule and setting aside a little for studying each day.

   Determine your ideal learning environment. Some people find it easier to concentrate at night, while others prefer to study first thing in the morning. Some are comfortable studying in their own room, others go to the library to be less distracted. If you are studying Latin, you may need certain conditions for a calm and thoughtful study. So you need to figure out what is the best way for you to do it.

Part 4

1. We remember the forms of the word. Many language learners do not bother to memorize every word formation table, but in Latin it is necessary to fully understand and use the language. The easiest way to remember shaping is to make a table for each word you learn. Then keep writing out each form until you learn it. Unfortunately, there is no easier way to remember something than to repeat the material over and over until it sticks in memory.

   • Start with the moods of the nouns and keep writing each of them until you can instantly reproduce them. Then move on to adjectives, then to regular verbs in the indicative mood with active and passive voice, as well as in the conditional form. If you do this, you will eventually memorize every form of the word, and with constant practice you will never forget it.

• If you are having difficulty learning Latin, consider hiring a tutor. You can find a tutor in your area through ads in your local newspaper or online.
• One of the best ways to learn Latin quickly and effectively is to enroll in a course.
• No matter which way you choose to learn Latin, it's important to practice your skills every day to solidify them.

languages. The new selection contains free sites for those who are going to master Latin and ancient Greek with the help of ancient literature, news releases, video podcasts and communities on social networks.

Latin

For those who decide to learn Latin from scratch, we can recommend a series of these short lessons in English. Each episode lasts three to four minutes, and during this time it is possible to memorize a few phrases and grammar rules at a calm pace. There is nothing superfluous in the visualization of this podcast: only simple slides illustrating the words of the teacher. Now 160 lessons of this course have already been posted on YouTube in open access, but you can also go to the homepage of its creators for additional materials.

Foreign language learners are often advised to read newspapers in that language or listen to the radio. Thanks to the Finnish broadcaster YLE, this opportunity has also been given to those who decide to learn Latin. Once a week, this site publishes a short overview of world news. Since 1989, the authors of the program have been developing new Latin vocabulary to cover current events - in some areas, we still left the ancient Romans far behind. This news compilation can be read and listened to - however, in the latter case, Latin acquires a slight Finnish accent.

If you want to learn Latin and spend a lot of time on Vkontakte, be sure to subscribe to this group. Firstly, several proven manuals, tutorials and dictionaries are posted here for free download. Secondly, community members post a lot of pictures - for those who better remember new words with illustrations attached to them. And thirdly, not only Latin demotivators sometimes come across here (it’s better to go for them after all here), but also real masterpieces - for example, Latin Asterix and Obelix comic. And, finally, in a special thread here you can even discuss tattoos.

It is possible that someone, like Onegin, learns Latin only in order to “put vale at the end of the letter,” while someone seeks to read ancient literature in the original. This site presents many works of the classics of Ancient Rome - from the historian Tacitus and the scientist-encyclopedist Varro to the architect Vitruvius. All texts are posted here with translation into English - although it is not possible to see the translation of each specific word separately, but the translation of the whole paragraph is visible.

ancient greek

This channel is well suited for those who decide to learn the ancient Greek language using materials in Russian. Philologist Pyotr Makhlin's grammar course currently includes 29 short lessons - from explaining the ancient Greek alphabet to classifying verb forms. The only thing you will have to get used to while watching them is that the board does not always exactly fall into the sharpness of the camera lens, which, however, almost does not interfere with following the oral explanations of the teacher. If you adapt to this option - do not miss a series of interesting videos about history of European languages the same author.

In order to keep up with the popularizers of the Latin language, the Spanish philologist Juan Coderx began to produce weekly news in ancient Greek. In a sense, he had a little easier - he can directly borrow vocabulary for describing current events from the modern Greek language. But the difficulties arose in something else: only recently the ancient Greek font began to be adequately displayed in Chrome, and the creator of the site finally managed to load the text of the news as text, and not as images.

If we compare this public with similar language communities, the difference is immediately noticeable: a lot of links to useful, serious resources - and no funny pictures. An attempt at a scientific reconstruction of the pronunciation of the ancient Greek language using the example of Aesop's fables or a tutorial on calligraphy - you will find a lot of similar materials here, not to mention textbooks and translated literature. By the way, if you still want to add funny pictures with ancient Greek captions to your feed, go to

Doctors, lawyers, linguists and scientists from various fields in the process of obtaining education and work are faced with the need to master the Latin language. Despite the fact that he is called dead, he is the necessary base, without which successful advancement in a number of professions is impossible. How to learn Latin from scratch? It is necessary to adhere to three main recommendations in the following sequence: mastering the theory, practice, consolidating knowledge. Consider how it is possible to learn the language of science in five basic steps.

Choosing an Approach to Learning Latin

There are two generally accepted options for learning. These are schools, the methods of which have a number of differences. Depending on the priority goals in mastering the language, it is worth taking a closer look at one or another approach. The first school is more focused on grammar and vocabulary. The second focuses on vocabulary and reading. The first option is more suitable for those who aim to master the language on their own. How to learn Latin in this way? It involves a high level of motivation and iron discipline. At the same time, most modern textbooks and programs are built on it, which will allow you to choose working materials without restrictions. The second way gives faster results in understanding and using the language. Its disadvantage is that it requires the almost constant presence of a teacher in the process of work.

Tutorial-workshop

A number of teaching aids will help you learn the alphabet, grammar, vocabulary of the language. How to learn Latin to the level to be able to read? This will take from several months to six months. First you need to learn the alphabet, the basic rules for reading words, the basics of grammar and sentence construction. In parallel with this, there is a constant expansion of vocabulary by memorizing not only individual words, but also entire expressions, quotes and texts. They will further become the basis for accelerating the development process. As a teaching material, you can use both a self-instruction manual and methodological manuals recommended for university students or for a particular specialty.

The second necessary link is a dictionary of the Latin language. It is recommended to take a general publication, as well as a highly specialized version, for example, for linguists, lawyers, doctors or biologists.

Reading and translation

Since the language is “dead” and is used exclusively for solving scientific problems, reading and translation skills will become a priority in mastering. It is worth starting with small, light texts adapted specifically for beginners (from textbooks). Then you can move on to more complex work. How to learn Latin from scratch on your own based on texts and knowledge of grammar? This will help the constant practice of translation. It is necessary to work out each sentence, analyzing its constituent parts and selecting matches in the words and terminology of the native language. For the analysis of progress and feedback, it is better to use communities of like-minded people. Workbooks with a ready-made translation will also help, which you should check after doing your own in order to analyze errors.

An effective way to expand your vocabulary

As in any other language, vocabulary is the key to successful development. The most effective way to work with vocabulary teachers call cardboard or electronic cards. On one side is a word or phrase in the original, on the reverse side is a translation. Constant work with cards will help you quickly learn verbs and their conjugation, proverbs, nouns and adjectives. It is recommended to periodically (weekly) return to the material already worked out in order to fix it in long-term memory. How to learn Latin by audience? The method of cards with pronouncing words and expressions aloud will solve the problem.

Communication and training of others

How to learn Latin without constant feedback? Is it possible? In the case of Latin, the question is relevant because of its officiality and the impossibility of widespread communication. Teachers are encouraged to join communities of language learners who help each other with difficult cases in grammar, translation, vocabulary understanding. A very effective method is the further transfer of knowledge, when, after mastering the base, the student undertakes to explain the basics of Latin to someone else, thus consolidating what he has learned and understanding what he has learned in detail. According to research, this approach accelerates progress at least twice.

Knowledge will allow not only to study successfully, but also to read the works of philosophers of antiquity in the original. The process is fun and educational. It is possible to learn Latin on your own, and communities of like-minded people will become a reliable motivating factor on the way to your goal.

Latin (or just Latin) for beginners and "from scratch" at the "European Education" school - training is conducted via Skype.

Two languages ​​have their roots in the history of European civilization - these are ancient Greek and Latin. They are also often referred to as classics.

The ancient Greek language was the most important factor in the development of European civilization in its various spheres. It was the Greeks who laid the foundation for philosophy, the basis for the natural and human sciences, gave direction to literature, and were the first to demonstrate complex socio-political ties and relationships. It was Greek that became the first European language to have its own written language. Ancient civilization begins in Greece, but then the Roman Empire picks up the baton. Rome brings further development to Western Europe, but Greek is no longer the language of civilization, but Latin.

The Latin language belongs to the Indo-European family (along with Greek, English, German and other Germanic languages), and later Romance languages ​​arise on its basis: Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian and others.

Latin was the language of live communication in the period from the 6th century BC. to VI n. e. One of the Italic peoples, Latini, was the first to use the Latin language. The Latins inhabited the central part of Italy - Latium (Latium). Starting from the VIII BC. e. Rome becomes their cultural and political center.

Throughout its thousand-year existence, the Latin language, like any other living language, has changed and replenished with new words and rules.

In the modern world, Latin is considered dead (i.e., it is no longer used for live communication).

Today, Latin is needed by students of philological faculties, medical workers, lawyers, politicians, philosophers and representatives of some other professions. In addition, Latin terminology is taken as a basis by other languages, remaining in its original form or subject to certain changes. It should be noted that in mathematics, physics and other sciences, conventions are still used, which often serve as an abbreviation of Latin words. In biology, medicine, pharmacology, and today they use a single international Latin nomenclature. Along with Italian, Latin is the official language of the Vatican.

Since Roman science was built on the foundation of Greek, modern scientific terminology contains a significant Greco-Latin component.

Latin for beginners is a fairly broad concept, because its study has various goals. The teachers of our school will help you to clearly define the structure of the work and build a course that will be most focused on your goals and wishes. Even if the goal is the same for many, the paths to achieve it may be different. Since we are all different, we have different perceptions and understanding of the structure of the language, different memorization schemes, etc. The teacher tries to take into account the individual characteristics of each student when preparing for classes, which greatly facilitates the process of mastering a particular topic and the language as a whole. For example, if you are a student of the Faculty of Medicine, then topics such as Latin and the basics of medical terminology, Latin for physicians, Latin for studying pharmaceutical terminology, a brief anatomical dictionary, Latin terminology in the course of human anatomy, etc. d.

Each profession has its own programs and topics for study, which can be changed and supplemented in accordance with the wishes of the student.

It is better to study Latin for beginners for an hour and a half, and on days when you do not have classes, consolidate the material with shorter approaches. On weekends, you can devote a little more time to learning Latin. It should be remembered that working with a teacher is only part of the journey. To achieve the result, you need to put a lot of effort and independent work.

Latin phonetics is quite simple as it is based on the letters we are all familiar with (the Latin alphabet is the basis for almost all European languages). For beginners, it is more difficult to master the rules of reading in Latin. If you want to learn how to understand the language, and not just learn a couple of Latin proverbs and phrases, you need to master the grammar. Understanding the meaning of Latin texts is simply impossible without knowledge of grammar. The fact is that conjugation and other transformations of parts of speech occur according to certain rules, therefore, at the initial stages, textbooks often contain explanations and footnotes to texts to facilitate understanding and perception of the meaning of what is read.

It should also be remembered that the Latin course for beginners is not aimed at mastering spoken Latin (since Latin has not been used in colloquial speech for a very long time). A beginner's Latin course will help you master the grammar and vocabulary needed in your field.