15.07.26: Vincent makes the rain go away

Referring to: https://www.facebook.com/reel/979359061766907

[A] transcript / translation

Nisi fallor, │ Unless I am mistaken [or: if I’m not mistaken],

tempestās nunc nōbis appropinquat │ a storm is now approaching us,

et mox │ and soon,

ut vidētur, │ (as) it seems,

mox pluet. │ it will soon rain.

Sed adhūc versāmur in silvā. │ But we are still in the forest.

Nunc sumus in mediā silvā. │ We are now in the middle of the forest.

Quid faciendum est igitur nōbis? │ What, then / therefore, must we do?

Nesciō. │ I don’t know.

Debēmus pergere celerius │ We must / have to continue more quickly

sī volumus mātūrius advenīre ad autoraedam. │ if we want to reach the car sooner / earlier.

Imber, imber, abī nunc! │ Rain, rain, go away now!

Tē ōdī, nōlī redīre! │ I hate you; don't come back!

Lūdere Rochus vult. │ Rocco wants to play.

Imber, abī nunc. │ Rain, go away now.

[B] Notes

I’m focussing on the key areas that matter for the early stages of the language:

[1]

sī: if

nisi: unless; if … not …

adhūc: still

igitur: therefore

mox: soon

nunc: now

quid: what?

ut: various meanings including, here, ‘as’

[2]

in mediā silvā | in the middle of the forest; English uses a noun (‘middle’) but Latin uses an adjective:

medius, -a, -um: middle; central; midway

in mediā urbe | in the centre of the city

[3] verbs:

[a]

sciō: I know

nesciō: I don’t know

Note: this is not a standard way of making a verb negative; nesciō, -īre [4]: ‘to not know’ has its own ‘built-in’ negative; Latin verbs are made negative with the use of nōn + the verb e.g.

In silvā ambulō | I’m walking in the forest

In silvā nōn ambulō | I’m not walking in the forest

[b]

pluit: it rains / is raining

pluet: it will rain

[c]

abeō, -īre [irregular]: go away

redeō, -īre [irregular]: go back; come back; return

Vincent uses imperative (command) forms:

abī! |  go away!

nōlī [+ infinitive]: do not …; imperative (command) form

nōlī redīre! | don’t come back

[d]

debeō, -ēre [2]: to have to

volō, velle [irregular]: to want

What you have to do (or must do), or want to do is in the infinitive:

Debēmus pergere | We have to continue / we must continue

Canis meus lūdere vult. | My dog wants to play.

… volumus …advenīre ad autoraedam | …we want to reach the car

Note: Quid faciendum est … nōbis? | What must we do?

This is a more advanced aspect of Latin grammar that is better left until later. Focus on debeō, -ēre [2]: to have to.

[3] Step up:

Debēmus pergere celerius | We must continue more quickly

sī volumus mātūrius advenīre ad autoraedam | If we want to reach / get to the car sooner / earlier

-ius is used when forming the comparatives of adverbs

celer (adjective): fast > celeriter: quickly

celerius: more quickly

mātūrus (adjective): early

mātūrē (adverb): early; timely

mātūrius: ‘more early’ i.e. earlier / sooner