While many joke that Latin is a dead language, spoken primarily by the ancient Romans and the ancestor of the modern Romance languages, there's no denying that certain words and phrases are casually integrated into our vocabulary, regardless of the language we speak. There are certain universal words, such as curriculum vitae and et cetera, that we just can’t shake. In this way, Latin is still alive and well.
Take a look at five popular Latin phrases that are still widely known and used today.
Carpe Diem
Seize the day
This may be the most popular Latin phrase to date. It’s used to make the most of the present and think little of the future. It was a phrase used by the Roman poet Horace in 23 BC to express the idea that one’s life should be enjoyed to its fullest. While the most popular translation is “seize the day,” its literal translation is “pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the next one.”
Veni Vidi Vici
I came, I saw, I conquered
This Latin phase, used to refer to a swift and conclusive victory, is famously attributed to one of ancient Rome’s most widely known and divisive figures: Julius Caesar. The dictator supposedly said the phrase in a message sent to the Roman Senate to describe his swift and conclusive victory against King Pharnaces II of Pontus in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) in 47 BC.
Alea iacta est.
The die is cast
Another popular Latin phrase uttered by Julius Caesar, the original translation of alea iacta est was "the “game is afoot.” The modern meaning, the die is cast, is used to refer to passing the point of no return and entering into a situation where a risky outcome is left completely to chance. This phrase was said by Caesar upon crossing the Rubicon into Italy in 49 BC against the Senate’s commands, an action that culminated in the bitter civil war against Pompey and Optimates.
In vino veritas
In wine there is truth
Lovers of wine should have this Latin phrase memorized for their next night out. It suggests that a person under the influence of alcohol is more likely to spill their hidden secrets and desires. The phrase is sometimes lengthened to in vino veritas, in aqua sanitas, meaning “in wine, there is truth, in water there is good sense.”
Et tu, Brute?
And you, Brutus?
This Latin phrase actually has a tragic underpinning. It famously appeared in William Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar” during Caesar’s assassination, particularly during the moment that the dictator realizes his friend, Marcus Junius Brutus, was in on the plot. Today, the phrase can be used, jokingly or not, to denounce a friend’s sudden change of heart.
Asia London Palomba
Asia London Palomba is a trilingual freelance journalist from Rome, Italy. In the past, her work on culture, travel, and history has been published in The Boston Globe, Atlas Obscura, The Christian Science Monitor, and Grub Street, New York Magazine's food section. In her free time, Asia enjoys traveling home to Italy to spend time with family and friends, drinking Hugo Spritzes, and making her nonna's homemade cavatelli.