Thinking about learning Latin? Extremely good decision, we approve. We do not know your personal reasons for choosing Latin to learn as a language but we can not be happier at your decision and for that reason we are here to extend a helping hand to you.
Many people say that Latin is a dead language and that it is not worth of learning. Well that’s a load if bull if we have ever seen any. All the languages like French, Spanish have some roots in the Latin language.
Learning Latin can prove to be very useful for you. So do not hesitate to go forward with your decision of learning Latin no matter what anyone says. We are always here to support you and cheer you on!
How to Learn Latin?
There are a lot of ways and steps that you need to go through if you want to actually learn the Latin language. All the steps or rather methods that we are about to mention are actually very necessary in the language learning process so pay attention to all of them.
Do not skip any one method, you might just skip something crucial. This might be a very long article so you should just take some time out, get comfortable and then start to read it. Let’s us begin with the first method that you need to do.
Method 1: Mastering the Alphabet and the Pronunciation
Learn the pronunciation of the consonants. Since English is derived from Latin the sounds of the consonants are almost the same as that of the English alphabets. There are two kinds of vowels that you can see in the Latin language. There are short vowels and long vowels that are represented by the micron.
You need to familiarize yourself with the exceptions too. They are also an important part of the language and plays an important role in pronunciation. The sounds should be distinct and shouldn’t be just muddled up together. All of this are going to help with your speaking skills of Latin.
Method 2: Studying the Latin Language
Start by memorizing the basic inflection of verbs. Recognizing the verb inflection is an especially critical thing that you must do in Latin because the word order of sentences is much more flexible than in English and other languages. However, if you can recognize the verb then you can also quite easily find the subject, regardless of where the words appear in a sentence.
Identification of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns should come next on the list. Grammar is the base of all kinds of languages so you need to master the grammar and vocabulary of the Latin language if you want to be any good at it. Without the base there is nothing. You should download an app and drill grammar into your brain.
Regular practice and exercise of Latin is also important and must be done without any exceptions. Try to read a lot of Latin books too. That can help with your reading skills.
Method 3: Reading and Listening to Latin
We mentioned this before too. You need to read in order to get a good grasp of the language. The Latin language is kind of complicated so you might want to just bookmark a dictionary online too for your convenience. We are not saying that it is a must, if you are okay without the dictionary then that’s all well and good too.
Read classic Roman literature. It will be hard at first but take that as a challenge. The more you read the easier it will get. Read one page a day if that’s the pace you are comfortable with, but do read. Also, try to participate in the Latin forums online.
There are all kinds of forums online so there will be Latin ones too. You just need to search for them. You can also listen to Latin music and watch Latin videos.
They can be of great help in the language learning process. Try to catchphrases in the music and in the lyrics. The videos that you watch should be watched without subtitles. You can also slow down the speed of the video to understand what they are saying or speaking about clearly.
Method 4: Learning the Vocabulary
Learning the Latin vocabulary is important. Since they are a lot of exception in the language and the way to speak some consonants and vowels are different too there is a need to learn the vocabulary as soon as you possibly can. We have already said that you need to learn the verbs, nouns, pronouns, and all the other parts of speech too.
However, putting them together and then learning the new words and how they are spoken is important too. You can use flashcards for this process.
They are a very good and certified way of learning a lot of info. This is effective because flashcards usually separate the huge pile of information in separate chunks. Bite-size pieces are always easier to digest. The dictionary can come in handy here too.
Method 5: Grasping Concepts of the Latin Language
Speaking the language and writing it can be a bit difficult and different too. You need to understand the basic concepts of the grammar of the Latin language. Grammar is important and the backbone of the language. We can not stress this point enough. You should study cases and declensions first.
They deal with nouns pronouns and adjectives. The cases are actually giving a distinct role to the noun and the declensions are a set of endings that are tacked on to nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in Latin to form a given case.
Next, you need to learn about the verb mood. They determine the function of the verb. There are three kinds of verb mood that the Latin language uses – Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive. Indicative means that when the verb is used there is something going to happen.
Subjunctive mood of the verb means that there is some sort of departure from reality or a hypothetical analysis of something imaginary happening. Imperative moods can be thought of as commands, requests, wishes, or prayers.
Next, you should focus on the deponent verbs. This is a hard concept to learn in Latin since there are no English equivalent to it. Essentially a deponent verb is a verb that has a passive form with active meaning. We are not going to lie to you. Many people struggle with it since it is very difficult to understand. But once you put in enough effort you will be able to understand them too.
Method 6: Understanding the Language
Memorize the word forms in the Latin language. There is no way around it. The sooner you memorize them, the better. Look for cognates in the English language. They can be useful in making sense of the Latin word and how to use them becomes clearer too.
You can also use pop culture to learn Latin. Just the basic understanding of the language at the root level is necessary to master it.
Method 7: Utilizing and Retaining What You Learned
Invest in a Latin textbook. It’s okay if you get an ebook too but we recommend getting a physical hard copy. A dictionary should also be in your arsenal of materials that you need to study Latin. We have talked about the dictionary before too.
If you are low on funds then you can get one online too. Flashcards should be a part of your study material too. You can use mnemonics to remember Latin.
If you did not know what mnemonics are, they are a learning technique that helps you remember something complex by associating that thing with some other word or sentence, or an image. They are a technique used by a lot of individuals. It is actually known to work quite well.
You should also set aside time to study every day. If you are having trouble keeping up with your schedule then try to set a reminder on your phone.
Conclusion
We hope that this article here has been useful for you. Thank you so much for giving this a read in your time. We highly appreciate the effort that goes into learning the new language. It takes a lot of resolve and resilience to learn a new language. We are here to cheer you on in this venture.
Learning languages can be tough but it is also exciting and beneficial, so you will never regret learning a new language.
Please do not give up learning a new language in the middle of it, try to see the whole thing through. Even it seems difficult, you will be benefited from it in the end, and the fruits of labor are always sweet. Do share this article with others too. Maybe it will help them out. Thank you once again. Have a great day!
