10 Common Proverbs … in Latin
Here’s a list of everyday Latin phrases for a variety of situation. They’re all familiar already, but don’t you think learning them in another language will make you sound even smarter?
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Veritas vos liberabit
You already know this one. It’s “The truth will set you free”. Probably one of the most commonly used sentences in the Bible-and very useful, whether you’re speaking to a liar or a confessor.
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Omnia vincit amor
Or, “Love conquers all.” Hopefully the uses of this one shouldn’t take too much explaining.
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Acquiris quodcumque rapis
I bet you know this one, too. Though not a literal translation, it comes approximately down to “You reap what you sow”, basically meaning that your actions and/or attitudes will come back to either reward you or bite you in the rear, depending.
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Carpe diem
“Seize the day”! Always good advice-make the most of your time. As an interesting side note, the Latin verb of which “carpe” is a form can literally mean to pick, as in flowers.
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Errare humanum
This one you could almost figure out just by looking at it. It means “To err is human”. In other words, it’s okay to make a mistake now and then. Yep, even for other people.
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Et ipsa scientia protestas est
“Knowledge is power.” Again, not quite a literal translation, but close enough, given that it’s already a common phrase in English.
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Fabricando fit faber
The good old Triple F-”Practice makes perfect.” If you say it in Latin, maybe you’ll sound wise instead of cliché.
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Nulla regula sine exceptione
“No rule with exception”. You’re probably used to hearing it phrased a bit differently, but hey, how many in your target audience speak Latin? When responding to the blank stares, you can say it however you want, as long as the sense is the same.
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Potius sero quam numquam
“Better late than never”. Most effective when used in an exhasperated tone directed at someone who has arrived, or a little more cheerfully as a comment on some lucky circumstance that had previously evaded you.
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Roma die uno non aedificata est
You guessed it- “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. It’s a simple little phrase (well, in English it is, anyway) to encourage the tackling of projects that seem a little larger than life.
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