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
