Help and emergencies in Latin
The words you hope to never need. Play the ten Latin words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Latin phrases in this lesson
- Fer auxilium!fer owk-SIL-ee-um
- Help!
- Vocate medicumwo-KAH-teh MEH-dee-kum
- Call a doctor
- VigilesWI-gi-les
- Police
- Apothecariumah-poh-theh-KAH-ree-um
- Pharmacy
- Valetudinariumwa-leh-too-di-NAH-ri-um
- Hospital
- Sum aberratussum ab-er-AH-tus
- I'm lost
- Non me bene habeonohn meh BEH-neh hah-BAY-oh
- I don't feel well
- Rapta estRAP-ta EST
- It was stolen
- Res urgetrays UR-get
- It's an emergency
- Sine meSI-neh meh
- Leave me alone
Fer (bring, imperative) auxilium (help). Auxilia (help, plural) was military aid. Direct and urgent; fer alone was understood as urgent command.
Vocate (call, plural imperative) medicum (doctor). Physicians (medici) were expensive; many relied on herbal remedies and prayers.
Rome's night watch, who fought fires and caught thieves.
Apothecarium (pharmacy/drug shop). Herbarii (herbalists) and unguentarii (perfumers) sold medicines. Knowledge was mixed with superstition.
The word for the Roman army's hospital.
Sum (I am) aberratus (led astray, masculine). Feminine aberrata, neuter aberratum. Romans navigated by landmarks and asking locals.
Non me bene habeo (I am not well). Me habeo is how Romans expressed feeling. Mihi dolestat (it pains me) specified body parts.
Rapta est (it was stolen, feminine). Raptus est (masculine). Theft was common in ancient cities; Roman law had complex restitution procedures.
Literally "the matter presses".
Literally "let me be".