Q&A for How to Learn Latin on Your Own

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How easy is it to learn Latin?

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Latin is a relatively easy language to learn because it has a relatively limited number of declensions and conjugations. If you already know a Romance language, such as Spanish, Italian, or French, then you will have a major advantage—these languages are all very closely related to Latin. If you’re an English speaker, you may find the gendered nouns and the lack of subject-verb-object word order confusing.

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How do you become fluent in Latin?

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To become fluent in any language, you have to really immerse yourself in it. Spend time every day reading Latin, writing in Latin, and even thinking in Latin. Listen to music with Latin lyrics, such as old hymns and Gregorian chants. With regular practice and exposure, you may be able to become fluent within a couple years.

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What is the best app for learning Latin?

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Many Latin learners recommend the SPQR app, Memrise, and Vice Verba. Most language learning apps work best when you combine them with other methods of study, like taking classes or working through a textbook.

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How do I access Rosetta Stone?

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Rosetta Stone is only available with a subscription, or by purchasing the standalone software. The website does offer a free trial if you just want to try it out and see if the method works for you. Your local library may also have copies of Rosetta Stone available to check out.

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How can I learn Latin GCSE quickly if my teacher moves too fast with lessons about declensions and conjugations?

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If you find that your teacher is moving too quickly and you can't internalize the information, do extra drills and practice at home. Ask your teacher for additional exercises or workbooks that might help. You might also talk to your teacher about the pace of the class and see if you can get some additional guidance on the things you're having trouble with.

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What are the benefits of learning Latin?

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Many fields, especially medicine and law, use Latin terminology. Knowing Latin will make studying in these fields slightly easier. Latin is a very logically structured language. Mastery of it will help hone your logic and rationality skills, and it will help you learn other romance languages that are base don it.

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What does studying and learning Latin help with?

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It helps you greatly understand more about today's language. Sixty percent of English derives from Latin. For example, the word "librarian," comes from the Latin, "liber, librī, m., book" and librarians work with books. It improves SAT and ACT scores. Not only does it give you a better understanding of English and better test scores, but it also opens the door to other languages. Many languages including French, Spanish, Romanian, Portuguese, and Italian are called "Romance Languages," and they come from Latin.

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Will studying Latin help my child in her adult studies?

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Yes, it definitely will. Latin helps us to have a better understanding of English and other modern languages that are widely spoken. It can also help to improve SAT and ACT scores.

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I watch a lot of Jeopardy and many of the answers for Latin words are similar to Spanish. Did Spanish derive from Latin roots?

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Yes. Spanish is one of the Romance languages, which are languages that evolved from Latin. French and Italian are a couple of other major ones. You will find many similarities among all of them.

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Can I learn Latin without books?

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Some websites or services like Rosetta Stone (online) can help you to learn Latin, but books may be less distracting for you.

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What non-Catholic uses are there for learning Latin, other than improving English/romance language vocabulary?

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There are a lot of cognitive benefits to learning any language and not just Latin, including memory improvement, a longer attention span, and less decline in your cognitive benefits when you get older. Furthermore, there are a lot of direct Latin phrases and not just Latin-origin words in use in English, particularly in the legal profession.

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Is it possible to learn how to speak Latin fluently in a few months?

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Unless you are extremely gifted at learning new languages, it's pretty unlikely, but you should still try. While you may not become fluent, you can learn a lot in a few months.

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What is the fastest way to learn Latin for an exam?

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The best way to learn Latin for an exam is to study. There are programs like Rosetta Stone and books that will help.

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How do I learn Latin prayers?

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You can learn Latin prayers the same way you would learn the language itself: practice and dedication. If you don't know any Latin prayers, then I would recommend doing some research online to find some traditional ones.

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Why isn’t Latin spoken anymore?

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People in different areas started to develop their own dialects of Latin, which in time became the different Romance languages, like Spanish and Italian. Latin continued to be spoken among upper classes and the educated, but in the 1700s, it started to be replaced by people's own native languages, especially French. However, two different forms of Latin are still spoken today - the Catholic church uses Ecclesiastical Latin, and the "Living Latin" community is trying to create a community of fluent (and eventually, native) speakers of reconstructed Classical Latin.

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