Locutiones Utiles
Useful Latin phrases for linking and transitioning statements and sentences.
When learning a language, it is absolutely necessary to learn usable phrases in addition to single vocabulary words. The following phrases can provide a structure or framework for most ex tempore spoken or written Latin. These help form the “mortar” which hold together sentences and ideas in your Latin conversations and writings. Phrases with a question mark in parentheses “(?)”, can either be a question, or a linking phrase.
Here is the list below, in Spreadsheet form
Just the Transitional Phrases: Here is a link to an evolving spreadsheet of transition phrases which I print for my students. They can use this during writing assignments.
mihi placet It pleases me / I like (accusative-infinitive construction)
eadem res the same thing
quam ob rem (?) on account of which thing (question or connecting phrase)
quā de causā (?) by which cause, why?
quā rē (?) why? (lit. on account of which thing?)
his de rebus concerning these things
operam dare to pay attention (optional: add ad + acccusative)
necesse est it is necessary (requires infinitive or subjunctive; dative of ref. optional)
oportet it is necessary/proper (requires infinitive; accusative of ref. optional)
sententiā meā in my opinion
ut mihi videtur as it seems to me
nisi fallor unless I am mistaken
versatus/a sum apud I spent time with/at the home of…
loquor, locutus/a sum I speak/spoke (not for introducing a quote–dico)
quid aliud? what else?
quid censes? what do you think?
memoriā tenere to remember (lit. to hold in memory)
in animo habere to have in mind
Quid ni? Why not?
licetne…? Is it permitted (+ infinitive)
sane, naturaliter naturally
adsentior tibi I agree with you
valde, magnopere very, really
quamquam although
libenter you’re welcome
quaeso please (after an imperative: da, quaeso, salem)
ignosce mihi excuse me (or excusatim me habeas)
visne… ? would you like…? (+accusative).
dic mihi tell me
quidquid id est whatever (it is)
ut, sicut as, just as
iter facere to make a trip
etiam also, even, certainly, indeed
aliquid something (because neuter, can be either subject or direct object)
non solum… sed etiam not only… but also
fortasse perhaps
fieri potest perhaps, it could be
ut dixi / dixit as I/he-she said
Dixit quod he/she said that… (quod avoids indirect statement, though accusative-infinitive is preferable in classical Latin)
Ways to say yes: Ita, Sic, Plane, Quippe, Certe, Ita vero, Profecto, Sine dubio, Procul dubio, Absque ullo dubio, In re vera, Adsentior, Probe, Omnino, Admodum, Omnimodis, Certissime, Ita est ut dixisti
Ways to say no: Minime, Nullo modo, Haudquaquam, Nullatenus, Nullo parto, Non, Nequaquam