Basic Latin

According to Tolle, lege! 1400 words cover 80% of all Classical Latin text. So here is a copy of the list from that site. For my own dictionary see this document LatinDictionary. The Tolle, lege! site has disappeared and the link now points at a local mirror on my own hard disk (useful to me but not to you, sorry) but there are links on the web to other pages by the same author. Try Latin Poetry by Vojin Nedeljkovic for something a little newer than the usual texts.

Tolle, lege!

The Fourteen Hundred

Did you know that being familiar with approximately 1400 Latin words enables you to read almost any Latin text without having to use the dictionary more than a couple of times per page? Those 1400 words make up what is called the basic Latin vocabulary. At least 80 per cent of any Latin text is made of words belonging to the basic vocabulary.

The following word list is based mainly on E. Habenstein-E. Hermes-H. Zimmermann, Grund- und Aufbauwortschatz Latein, Stuttgart: Ernst Klett Schulbuchverlag 1990. (The book itself is very intelligent and quite handy: a great relief for the beginner.) You may wish to keep this list for future reference, so that you can either (1) read it and mark the entries you do not recognise, then build up your vocabulary by learning those first, or (2) use it while you work on a Latin text to decide whether a word you are looking up in the dictionary deserves special attention.

a /ab /abs

abesse

abire

absens

abstinere

accedere ::

accidere ::

accipere ::

accusare ::

acer ::

acerbus ::

acies ::

ad ::

addere ::

adducere ::

adeo (adv.) ::

adesse ::

adhibere ::

adhuc ::

adimere ::

adipisci ::

adire ::

aditus ::

adjungere ::

adjuvare ::

administrare ::

admirari ::

admittere ::

admodum ::

admonere ::

adoriri ::

adulescens ::

adulescentia ::

adventus ::

adversus (adj.) ::

adversus (prep.) ::

aedes ::

aedes (~ium) ::

aedificare ::

aegre ::

aeque ::

aequus ::

aer ::

aes ::

aestas ::

aestimare ::

aetas ::

afferre ::

afficere ::

affirmare ::

ager ::

agere ::

aggredi ::

agitare ::

agmen ::

ajo ::

alere ::

alibi ::

alienus ::

aliquando ::

aliquanto ::

aliquantus ::

aliqui ::

aliquid ::

aliquis ::

aliquot ::

aliter ::

alius ::

alter ::

altitudo ::

altus ::

amare ::

ambitio ::

amicitia ::

amicus ::

amittere ::

amnis ::

amor ::

amplius ::

amplus ::

an ::

anceps ::

angustus ::

anima ::

animadvertere ::

animus ::

annus ::

ante ::

antea ::

antequam ::

antiquus ::

aperire ::

apparere ::

appellare ::

appetere ::

aptus ::

apud ::

aqua ::

arbitrari ::

arbor ::

arcere ::

arcessere ::

argentum ::

arguere ::

arma (~orum) ::

ars ::

artificium ::

arx ::

ascendere ::

asper ::

aspicere ::

assequi ::

at ::

atque / ac ::

attingere ::

auctor ::

auctoritas ::

audacia ::

audax ::

audere ::

audire ::

auferre ::

augere ::

auris ::

aurum ::

aut ::

autem ::

auxilia (~orum) ::

auxilium ::

avaritia ::

avertere ::

avia ::

avus ::

beatus ::

bellum ::

bene ::

beneficium ::

bibere ::

bis ::

bonus ::

brevis ::

cadere ::

caedere ::

caedes ::

caelum ::

calamitas ::

calidus ::

campus ::

capere ::

caput ::

carere ::

carmen ::

carus ::

castra ::

casus ::

causa ::

cavere ::

cedere ::

celebrare ::

celer ::

censere ::

centum ::

cernere ::

certamen ::

certare ::

certe ::

certiorem facere ::

certo ::

certus ::

ceteri ::

cingere ::

circa ::

circiter ::

circum ::

civilis ::

civis ::

civitas ::

clam ::

clamare ::

clamor ::

clarus ::

classis ::

claudere ::

cliens ::

coercere ::

cogere ::

cogitare ::

cognoscere ::

cohors ::

colere ::

collega ::

colligere ::

collis ::

collocare ::

colloqui ::

comes ::

commemorare ::

commendare ::

committere ::

commodus ::

commovere ::

communis ::

comparare ::

comperire ::

complere ::

complures ::

componere ::

comprehendere ::

conari ::

concedere ::

concidere (i ::

short) ::

concilium ::

concordia ::

concurrere ::

concursus ::

condere ::

condicio ::

conducere ::

conferre ::

conficere ::

confidere ::

confirmare ::

confligere ::

conjicere ::

conjungere ::

conjuratio ::

conjux / conjunx ::

conquirere ::

consequi ::

conservare ::

considere ::

consilium ::

consistere ::

conspectus ::

conspicere ::

constans ::

constare ::

constituere ::

consuescere ::

consuetudo ::

consul ::

consularis ::

consulatus ::

consulere ::

consumere ::

contemnere ::

contendere ::

contentio ::

continere ::

contingere ::

continuus ::

contio ::

contra ::

convenire ::

conventus ::

convocare ::

copia ::

copiae (~arum) ::

cor ::

coram ::

cornu ::

corpus ::

corrumpere ::

cottidianus ::

cottidie ::

cras ::

creber ::

crebro ::

credere ::

crescere ::

crimen ::

crudelis ::

cujusmodi ::

culpa ::

cum (conj.) ::

cum (prep.) ::

cunctus ::

cupere ::

cupiditas ::

cupidus ::

cur.cura ::

curare ::

curia ::

currere ::

cursus ::

custos ::

damnare ::

dare ::

de ::

dea ::

debere ::

decedere ::

decem ::

decernere ::

decimus ::

declarare ::

dedere ::

deducere ::

deesse ::

defendere ::

deferre ::

deficere ::

deinde ::

delectare ::

delectari ::

delere ::

deligere ::

demonstrare ::

denique ::

deponere ::

deportare ::

descendere ::

deserere ::

desiderare ::

desinere ::

desperare ::

deus ::

dexter ::

dicere ::

dies ::

differre ::

difficilis ::

dignitas ::

dignus ::

diligens ::

diligentia ::

diligere ::

dimittere ::

discedere ::

discere ::

disciplina ::

disputare ::

dissimilis ::

dissimulare ::

dissuadere ::

diu ::

diversus ::

dives ::

dividere ::

divinus ::

divitiae (~arum) ::

divus ::

docere ::

dolere ::

dolor ::

domina ::

dominus ::

domus ::

donare ::

donum ::

dormire ::

dubitare ::

dubius ::

ducenti ::

ducere ::

dulcis ::

dum ::

dummodo ::

duo ::

duodecim ::

durus ::

dux ::

e / ex ::

edere (initial e ::

long) ::

edere (initial e ::

short) ::

educere ::

efferre ::

efficere ::

effugere ::

egere ::

ego ::

egredi ::

egregius ::

ejusmodi ::

emere ::

enim ::

eo (adv.) ::

epistula ::

eques ::

equitatus ::

equus ::

erga ::

ergo ::

erigere ::

eripere ::

errare ::

esse ::

et ::

etenim ::

etiam ::

etiamsi ::

etsi ::

evenire ::

eventus ::

excedere ::

excipere ::

excitare ::

exemplum ::

exercere ::

exercitus ::

exire ::

existimare ::

exitus ::

expellere ::

experiri ::

explorare ::

exponere ::

expugnare ::

exsilium ::

exspectare ::

exstinguere ::

extemplo ::

exterior ::

extra ::

extremus ::

fabula ::

facere ::

facilis ::

facinus ::

factum ::

facultas ::

fallere ::

falli ::

falsus ::

fama ::

familia ::

familiaris ::

fas est ::

fateri ::

fatum ::

fere ::

ferme ::

ferox ::

ferre ::

ferrum ::

fidelis ::

fides ::

fieri ::

filia ::

filius ::

fines (~ium) ::

fingere ::

finis ::

finitimus ::

firmare ::

firmus ::

flagitium ::

flamma ::

flectere ::

flere ::

florere ::

fluctus ::

fluere ::

flumen ::

foedus (~eris) ::

forma ::

formosus ::

fortasse ::

forte ::

fortis ::

fortuna ::

forum ::

frangere ::

frater ::

fraus ::

frequens ::

frigidus ::

frigus ::

fructus ::

frui ::

frumentum ::

frustra ::

fuga ::

fugere ::

fundere ::

funus ::

furor ::

furtum ::

gaudere ::

gens ::

genus ::

gerere ::

gladius ::

gloria ::

gradus ::

grandis ::

gratia ::

gratus ::

gravis ::

gravitas ::

habere ::

habitare ::

haud ::

heri ::

hic ::

hic (adv.) ::

hiems ::

hinc ::

hodie ::

homo ::

honestus ::

honor ::

hora ::

horrere ::

hortari ::

hospes ::

hostis ::

huc ::

hujusmodi ::

humanitas ::

humanus ::

humilis ::

humus ::

ibi ::

idcirco ::

idem ::

ideo ::

idoneus ::

igitur ::

ignarus ::

ignis ::

ignorare ::

ignoscere ::

ignotus ::

ille ::

illuc ::

illustris ::

imago ::

imminere ::

immo ::

immortalis ::

impedimenta ::

(~orum) ::

impedimentum ::

impedire ::

imperare ::

imperator ::

imperium ::

impetrare ::

impetus ::

imponere ::

improbus ::

in ::

inanis ::

incendere ::

incendium ::

incertus ::

incipere ::

incitare ::

includere ::

incolere ::

incolumis ::

incredibilis ::

inde ::

indicium ::

indignus ::

inducere ::

inferior ::

inferre ::

infirmus ::

infra ::

ingenium ::

ingens ::

ingredi ::

inimicus ::

iniquus ::

initium ::

injuria ::

inopia ::

inquit ::

insidiae (~arum) ::

insignis ::

instare ::

instituere ::

institutum ::

instruere ::

insula ::

integer ::

intellegere ::

intendere ::

inter ::

interdum ::

interea ::

interesse ::

interficere ::

interim ::

interior ::

interire ::

intimus ::

intra ::

intro ::

intus ::

invenire ::

invidere ::

invidia ::

invitus ::

ipse ::

ira ::

ire ::

is ::

iste ::

istic ::

istinc ::

istuc ::

ita ::

itaque ::

item ::

iter ::

iterum ::

jacere (2nd) ::

jacere (3rd) ::

jactare ::

jam ::

jubere ::

jucundus ::

judex ::

judicare ::

judicium ::

jugum ::

jungere ::

jurare ::

jus ::

jus jurandum ::

jussu ::

justus ::

juvare ::

juvenis ::

juventus ::

labor (~oris) ::

laborare ::

lacrima ::

laedere ::

laetari ::

laetus ::

lapis ::

latus (~eris) ::

laudare ::

laus ::

lavare ::

lavari ::

legatio ::

legatus ::

legere ::

legio ::

lenis ::

levare ::

levis (e short) ::

lex ::

libenter ::

liber (~a ~um) ::

liber (libri) ::

liberare ::

liberi (~orum) ::

libertas ::

libido ::

licet ::

lignum ::

lingua ::

littera ::

litterae (~arum) ::

litus ::

locare.locus ::

longe ::

longus ::

loqui ::

ludere ::

ludus ::

luna ::

lux ::

luxuria ::

magis ::

magistratus ::

magnitudo ::

magnopere ::

magnus ::

male ::

malle ::

malus (~a ~um) ::

mandare ::

mane ::

manere ::

manus ::

mare ::

mater ::

materia ::

maturus ::

maxime ::

mediocris ::

medium ::

medius (~a ~um) ::

meminisse ::

memor ::

memorare ::

memoria ::

mens ::

mensis ::

merere / ~ri ::

merito ::

meritum ::

metuere ::

metus ::

meus ::

miles ::

militaris ::

militia ::

mille ::

minari ::

minime ::

ministrare ::

minuere ::

minus ::

mirari ::

mirus ::

miscere ::

miser ::

misericordia ::

mittere ::

modicus ::

modo ::

modus ::

moenia (~ium) ::

moles ::

molestia ::

molestus ::

mollis ::

monere ::

mons ::

monstrare ::

monumentum ::

mora ::

morari ::

morbus ::

mores (~um) ::

mori ::

mors ::

mortalis ::

mos ::

motus ::

movere ::

mulier ::

multitudo ::

multo (adv.) ::

multum ::

multus ::

munire ::

munitio ::

munus ::

murus ::

mutare ::

nam ::

nancisci ::

narrare ::

nasci ::

natio ::

natura ::

navis ::

ne ::

-ne ::

ne .. quidem ::

necessario ::

necessarius ::

necesse est ::

necessitas ::

necne ::

nefarius ::

nefas est ::

negare ::

neglegere ::

negotium ::

nemo ::

nequaquam ::

neque / nec ::

nescire ::

neve / neu ::

nihil ::

nihilo ::

nihilominus ::

nimis ::

nimium ::

nimius ::

nisi / ni ::

niti ::

nobilis ::

nobilitas ::

nocere ::

noctu ::

nolle ::

nomen ::

nominare ::

non ::

non jam ::

non modo ::

non solum ::

nondum ::

nonne ::

nonnulli ::

nonnumquam ::

nos ::

noscere ::

noster ::

notus ::

novem ::

novisse ::

novus ::

nox ::

nudus ::

nullus ::

num ::

numen ::

numerus ::

numquam ::

nunc ::

nuntiare ::

nuntius ::

nuper ::

nusquam ::

ob ::

objicere ::

oblivisci ::

obscurus ::

obses ::

obsidere ::

obtinere ::

obviam ::

occasio ::

occidere (i long) ::

occultare ::

occultus ::

occupare ::

occurrere ::

octo ::

oculus ::

odisse ::

odium ::

offendere ::

offerre ::

officium ::

olim ::

omittere ::

omnino ::

omnis ::

onus ::

opera ::

opes (~um) ::

opinari ::

opinio ::

oportet ::

oppidum ::

opportunus ::

opprimere ::

oppugnare ::

ops ::

optare ::

opus ::

opus est ::

ora ::

orare ::

oratio ::

orator ::

orbis ::

ordo ::

origo ::

oriri ::

ornamentum ::

ornare ::

os (oris) ::

ostendere ::

otium ::

paene ::

palam ::

par ::

parare ::

parcere ::

parens ::

parere (2nd) ::

parere (3rd) ::

pariter ::

pars ::

partim ::

parum ::

parvus ::

passus ::

pater ::

patere ::

pati ::

patres (~um) ::

patria ::

patrius ::

pauci ::

paulatim ::

paulo ::

paulum ::

pauper ::

pax ::

pectus ::

pecunia ::

pecus ::

pedes (~itis) ::

pellere ::

pendere (2nd) ::

pendere (3rd) ::

per ::

perdere ::

perditus ::

perfectus ::

perferre ::

perficere ::

pergere ::

periculum ::

perire ::

permanere ::

permittere ::

pernicies ::

perpetuus ::

persequi ::

perspicere ::

persuadere ::

perterrere ::

pertinere ::

perturbare ::

pervenire ::

pes ::

petere ::

petitio ::

pietas ::

pingere ::

pius ::

placere ::

plane ::

plebs ::

plenus ::

plerique ::

plerumque ::

plus ::

poculum ::

poena ::

polliceri ::

pondus ::

ponere ::

pons ::

populus (o short) ::

porta ::

portus ::

poscere ::

posse ::

possidere ::

post ::

postea ::

posterus ::

postquam / ::

posteaquam ::

postremo ::

postremus ::

postridie ::

postulare ::

potens ::

potentia ::

potestas ::

potiri ::

potius ::

prae ::

praebere ::

praeceptum ::

praecipere ::

praeclarus ::

praeda ::

praeesse ::

praemium ::

praesens ::

praesertim ::

praesidium ::

praestans ::

praestare ::

praesto esse ::

praeter ::

praeterea ::

praeterire ::

praetor ::

praetura ::

preces (~um) ::

premere ::

pretium ::

pridie ::

primo ::

primum ::

primus ::

princeps ::

principium ::

prior ::

priusquam ::

privatus ::

pro ::

probare ::

probus ::

procedere ::

procul ::

prodere ::

prodesse ::

producere ::

proelium ::

profecto ::

proferre ::

proficisci ::

progredi ::

prohibere ::

promittere ::

promptus ::

prope ::

propinquus ::

propior ::

proponere ::

proprius ::

propter ::

propterea ::

providere ::

provincia ::

proximus ::

prudentia ::

publicus ::

pudor ::

puella ::

puer ::

pueri (~orum) ::

pugna ::

pugnare ::

pulcher ::

purus ::

putare ::

qua (adv.) ::

quaerere ::

quaeso ::

qualis ::

quam ::

quamobrem ::

quamquam ::

quando ::

quanto ::

quantum ::

quantus ::

quare ::

quartus ::

quasi ::

quattuor ::

-que ::

quemadmodum.queri ::

qui (quae quod) ::

quia ::

quicumque ::

quid ::

quidam ::

quiddam ::

quidem ::

quidquam ::

quidque ::

quidquid ::

quidvis ::

quies ::

quietus ::

quin ::

quinetiam ::

quinque ::

quis ::

quisquam ::

quisque ::

quisquis ::

quivis ::

quo ::

quoad ::

quod ::

quodammodo ::

quominus ::

quondam ::

quoniam ::

quoque ::

quot ::

quotannis ::

rapere ::

ratio ::

recens ::

recipere ::

recitare ::

rectus ::

reddere ::

redire ::

reditus ::

reducere ::

referre ::

reficere ::

regere ::

regio ::

regius ::

regnum ::

religio ::

relinquere ::

reliquus ::

remanere ::

removere ::

repente ::

repentinus ::

reperire ::

repetere ::

reprehendere ::

requirere ::

reri ::

res ::

res adversae ::

res familiaris ::

res novae ::

res publica ::

res secundae ::

resistere ::

respondere ::

restituere ::

retinere ::

reus ::

reverti ::

revocare ::

rex ::

ridere ::

ripa ::

rogare ::

ruina ::

ruinae (~arum) ::

rumor ::

rumpere ::

rursus ::

sacer ::

sacerdos ::

sacrum ::

saeculum ::

saepe ::

saevus ::

salus ::

salutare ::

sanctus ::

sane ::

sanguis ::

sanus ::

sapiens ::

sapientia ::

satis ::

saxum ::

scelus ::

scientia ::

scilicet ::

scire ::

scribere ::

se ::

se conferre ::

se gerere ::

se jactare ::

se recipere ::

secundum ::

secundus ::

secus ::

sed ::

sed etiam ::

sedere ::

sedes ::

semel ::

semper ::

senator ::

senatus ::

senectus ::

senex ::

sensus ::

sententia ::

sentire ::

septem ::

sequi ::

sermo ::

sero ::

servare ::

servire ::

servitus ::

servus ::

severus ::

sex ::

si ::

sic ::

sicut ::

significare ::

signum ::

silentium ::

silva ::

similis ::

simul ::

simulacrum ::

simulare ::

simulatque / ::

simulac ::

sin ::

sine ::

sinere ::

singularis ::

singuli ::

sinister ::

sistere ::

situs (~a ~um) ::

sive / seu ::

societas ::

socius ::

sol ::

solere ::

solitus ::

sollicitare ::

sollicitus ::

solus ::

solvere ::

somnium ::

somnus ::

soror ::

sors ::

spatium ::

species ::

spectare ::

sperare ::

spes ::

sponte ::

stare ::

statim ::

statua ::

statuere ::

status ::

sternere ::

struere ::

studere ::

studiosus ::

studium ::

stultus ::

suadere ::

suavis ::

sub ::

subire ::

subito ::

subitus ::

subjicere ::

subsidium ::

succedere ::

sumere ::

summus ::

sumptus ::

super ::

superare ::

superbia ::

superbus ::

superesse ::

superior ::

supplicium ::

supra ::

surgere ::

suscipere ::

suspicari ::

suspicere ::

suspicio ::

sustinere ::

suus ::

tabula ::

tacere ::

talis ::

tam ::

tamen ::

tametsi ::

tamquam ::

tandem ::

tangere ::

tanto ::

tantum ::

tantummodo ::

tantus ::

tardus ::

tectum ::

tegere ::

telum ::

temere ::

temperare ::

tempestas ::

templum ::

temptare ::

tempus ::

tendere ::

tenere ::

tenuis ::

ter ::

tergum ::

terra ::

terrere ::

tertius ::

testimonium ::

testis ::

timere ::

timor ::

tolerare ::

tollere ::

tot ::

totus ::

tractare ::

tradere ::

traducere ::

trahere ::

trajicere ::

trans ::

transferre ::

transire ::

tres ::

tribuere ::

tribunus ::

triginta ::

tristis ::

tu ::

tueri ::

tum ::

tumultus ::

tunc ::

turba ::

turpis ::

turris ::

tuto ::

tutus ::

tuus ::

ubi ::

ubi primum ::

ubicumque ::

ubique ::

ullus ::

ultimus ::

umquam ::

una ::

unda ::

unde ::

undique ::

universus ::

unumquidque ::

unus ::

unusquisque ::

urbs ::

urgere ::

usque ::

usus ::

ut ::

uter ::

uterque ::

uti ::

utilis ::

utilitas ::

utinam ::

utique ::

utrum ::

uxor ::

vacuus ::

valde ::

valere ::

valetudo ::

validus ::

varius ::

vas ::

-ve ::

vehemens ::

vehere ::

vehi ::

vel ::

velle ::

velut ::

vendere ::

venenum ::

venire (venio) ::

ventus ::

verbum ::

vereri ::

vero ::

versari ::

versus (~us) ::

vertere ::

verum (conj.) ::

verum (~i) ::

verum etiam ::

verus ::

vester ::

vestigium ::

vestis ::

vetus ::

via ::

victor ::

victoria ::

videlicet ::

videre ::

videri ::

vigilare ::

vigilia ::

viginti ::

villa ::

vincere ::

vinculum ::

vindicare ::

violare ::

vir ::

vires (~ium) ::

virgo ::

virtus ::

vis ::

visere ::

vita ::

vitare ::

vitium ::

vivere ::

vivus ::

vix ::

vocare ::

voluntas ::

voluptas ::

volvere ::

vos ::

vox ::

vulgo ::

vulgus ::

vulnerare ::

vulnus ::

vultus ::