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50 Cool Latin Phrases to

Impress Your Friends
Diana Lăpușneanu in Language Tips

Forget about ‘carpe diem’. It’s time to ‘veni, vidi,

vici’ like a veritable Julius Caesar.

Far from being a dead language, Latin is very

much alive in our day-to-day conversations.
Carpe diem, et cetera, cum laude, curriculum
vitae and mea culpa are just a few of the Latin
phrases still widely used today. It’s unclear
whether Latin made a comeback or it has been
this cool for hundreds of years. But one thing is
sure: Latin phrases are nowadays the cooler
siblings of slang words. And Julius Caesar
approves this message.

No, really. Didn’t you notice how inserting some

Latin words here and there automatically
makes someone look smarter? Even the dullest
conversation can become an erudite discussion
if you use the right Latin sayings. Here’s proof:

— Do you want the chocolate ice cream or the

vanilla ice cream?

— The vanilla ice cream. You know me: semper

fidelis to the vanilla.

As you probably already guessed, semper

fidelis means ’always faithful’ or ‘always loyal’.
So yeah, Q.E.D. or quod erat demonstrandum
(’what was to be demonstrated’) – which, by
the way, is the mic drop of Latin phrases. To
show off how you logically proved something,
use Q.E.D. confidently at the end of your
conclusion. You’ll impress everyone with your
exquisite choice of words.

Carpe diem and other

common Latin phrases and
words
Before diving into the really cool Latin words
and phrases, we have to make a quick stop in
the ‘most common Latin phrases’ station. You
know what they say — you can’t fully enjoy the
main course without a proper aperitif. So let’s
start with the meaning of carpe diem, ad hoc,
status quo, et cetera.

But first, a quick remark. Avoid using Latin

sayings and phrases ad nauseam (’to a
sickening or excessive degree’) in your
discourse. While they may impress your friends
(and foes) if used mindfully, the contrary can
also be true if you’re too overzealous.

Common Latin phrases you

heard at least once
These are nearly as famous as Julius Caesar
himself.

1. Veni, vidi, vici.

I came, I saw, I conquered.

Famously attributed to Julius Caesar in a

message he supposedly sent to the Roman
Senate to describe his swift, conclusive victory
against King Pharnaces II of Pontus near Zela in
47 BC.

2. Alea iacta est.

The die has been cast.

Another Latin phrase said by Julius Caesar

upon crossing the Rubicon to enter Italy and
begin the long civil war against Pompey and
the Optimates. The meaning of this phrase
refers to the point of no return.

3. Carpe diem.

Seize the day.

Probably the most popular Latin phrase of

modern times. Luckily, we have an even better
one: carpe vinum. Literally ‘seize the wine’. The
only Latin phrase you’ll ever need on a Friday
night out. And speaking of night, you should
also remember the carpe noctem variation
which literally translates to ‘seize the night’.
Either way, the general meaning is to make the
most of everything.

Using some Latin phrases here and there will

automatically make you look smarter.

4. Cogito, ergo sum.

I think, therefore I am.

A dictum (‘a short statement that expresses a

general truth’) coined by French philosopher
René Descartes in Latin.

What Descartes doesn’t know is that

nowadays people prefer the bibo, ergo sum
version which literally means “I drink, therefore
I am”.

5. In vino veritas.

In wine, there is truth.

Be careful if you carpe vinum on that Friday

night out we talked about. This Latin saying
suggests that you’ll probably spill all your
secrets if you drink too much alcohol.

6. Et tu, Brute?

“And you, Brutus?”

Or “You too, Brutus?”. This Latin quote appears

in William Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar”
at the very moment of Caesar’s assassination.
Upon recognizing his friend, Marcus Junius
Brutus, as one of the assassins, Julius Caesar
utters these last words.

That scene is very tragic indeed, but nowadays,

the phrase can be used jokingly to condemn a
friend’s change of heart.

7. Acta non verba.

Deeds, not words.

Similar to res, non verba, the English equivalent

of this phrase is “actions speak louder than
words”. In other words, act upon it or always
follow your declarations with actions.

8. Carthago delenda est.

Carthage must be destroyed.

Prior to the Third Punic War between Rome

and Carthage, Cato the Censor, a Roman
politician, used to conclude all his speeches to
the Senate with this phrase. While he did this
in an attempt to push for the war, nowadays
the expression can be used figuratively as a
way to express your absolute support for an
idea.

Common Latin words

You probably heard these but never knew what
they meant. It’s time to change that.

• Ad hominem
To the person
Short for argumentum ad hominem
(literally meaning ‘argument against the
person’). It refers to a rhetorical strategy
where the speaker attacks the other
person rather than the substance of the
argument itself.

“In vino veritas” by Daniel Vogel©

• Quid pro quo

Something for something
Or ‘this for that’. A favor granted in return
for something else. Similar to “you scratch
my back and I’ll scratch yours”.

• Deus ex machina
God from the machine
A plot device used to resolve a seemingly
unsolvable problem. It’s often considered a
lazy or cheap way to tie loose ends in
movies or books. A good example could be
Arya killing the Night King in Game of
Thrones.

• Ad hoc
For this
Or ‘for this purpose. Something that is not
planned, but done only when it’s needed.
An ad hoc meeting.

• Mea culpa
Through my fault
An acknowledgment of one’s fault or an
admission of guilt.

• Status quo
The existing state (of affairs)
Mainly used with regard to social or
political issues. “The officials wanted to
maintain the status quo, so they did not
vote to admit the new members.

• Per se (and not ‘per say’)

By itself or in itself
Used to describe or talk about something
on its own, rather than in connection with
other things. “I’m not a fan of the Latin
language per se, but rather its influence on
modern languages.”

• Alma mater
Nourishing mother
Used to identify the institution of
education that one formerly attended. It
suggests that a school provides
intellectual nourishment to its students.

• De facto
In fact
Describes something existing in fact,
although perhaps not legal. It contrasts
with de jure, which refers to things that
happen according to law.

• Persona non grata

An unwelcome person
Especially used in diplomacy, but also in
day-to-day conversations. “Julian is a
persona non grata for us since he offended
Miriam.

• Bona fide
In good faith
If something was made bona fide, then it is
sincere, genuine or authentic.

• Sui generis
Of its/his/her/their own kind
Constituting a class alone. Unique. Think
of Mozart for example.

• Sine qua non

Without which, not
Something absolutely essential. A more
clear translation could be ‘without
(something), (something else) won’t be
possible’. “Creativity is a sine qua non for
writing novels.”

• Ad infinitum
To infinity
Unlike the previous Latin words, this one is
pretty self-explanatory.
• Et cetera
And other similar things
Every student’s favorite. We all know what
this one means, don’t we?

Cool Latin phrases to make

you sound like a veritable
Julius Caesar
Do you know what’s the coolest thing about
these following cool Latin phrases? They’re
evergreen. If time travel gets invented in a few
years, these phrases are gonna come in handy
regardless of the century you choose to travel
to. Besides, this selection includes only the
most relevant expressions so you don’t have to
worry about redundancy.

Get ready to bring your Roman alter ego to life

in 3… 2… 1. Go!

1. Castigat ridendo mores.

Laughing corrects morals.

According to this phrase, one supposedly

corrects bad habits by laughing at them. Of
course, you shouldn’t laugh at strangers, but
your close friends will probably like the idea.

“Laughing” by Peter Lloyd©

2. Cui bono?
Good for whom?

Or who benefits? Similar to the expression

sequere pecuniam (“follow the money”), this
phrase suggests to look for the culprit in the
person who would benefit from an unwelcome
event.

3. Me vexat pede.
It annoys me at the foot.

Similar to the English saying “a pebble in one’s

shoe”, me vexat pede refers to a trivial situation
or person that is being a nuisance. The Romans
don’t seem so serious anymore, do they?

4. Mulgere hircum.
To milk a male goat.

Am I wrong or is this your soon to be favorite

Latin phrase? Although it hints at attempting
the impossible – which is a very serious matter
– you can not help but smile at the image.

5. Ex nihilo nihil fit.

Nothing comes from nothing.

Or so Lucretius said. Originally meaning “work

is required to succeed”, the modern
reinterpretation suggests that “everything has
its origins in something”.

6. Nemo saltat sobrius.

Nobody dances sober.

Have you heard about Cicero? The famous

Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher
and Academic Skeptic? Well, he said this.
Probably after an interesting night during
which carpe vinum was his favorite motto.

7. Nitimur in vetitum.
We strive for the forbidden.

From Ovid’s ‘Amores’. This behavior is no

stranger to the modern world. Highly disputed
between philophers, nitimur in vetitum was
also what drove Eve to take a bite from the
forbidden fruit.

8. Caesar non supra

grammaticos.
The Emperor is not above the grammarians.

Know any grammar nazis? Because they’ll love

this Latin phrase. Its origin goes back to 1414,
when the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of
Luxembourg made a grammar mistake during
his speech to the Council of Constance. After
the error was pointed out to him, Sigismund
angrily decided to simply change the grammar
rule to his liking. At his point, a member of the
Council apparently stood and said “Caesar non
supra grammaticos”. Pretty cool story, isn’t it?

9. Pecunia non olet.

Money don’t smell.

According to Suetonius, when to Roman

emperor Vespasian imposed a urine tax, his son
Titus complained of the money’s disgusting
nature. Now you’re probably asking yourself
what in heaven’s name is a urine tax. Well, the
urine collected from Rome’s public urinals was
sold as an ingredient for multiple chemical
processes. So no, the people of Rome didn’t
pay a tax to urinate. Instead, the buyers of the
urine did.

You can probably imagine what happened next.

Vespasian’s answer to his son was to hold up a
gold coin and ask whether it smelled. The rest
is… history.

10. Plenus venter non studet

libenter.
A full belly does not like studying.

To be honest, my belly does not like studying

when it’s empty either. What about yours?

Anyway, it seems that the Romans believed it

is difficult to concentrate after a heavy meal.

“What does his belly say?” by Guillermo Latorre©

11. Festina lente.

Hurry slowly.

An oxymoronic phrase attributed to Augustus.

Genius if you ask me. Equivalent to “more
haste, less speed”, festina lente essentially
encourages you to proceed quickly, but
cautiously.

12. Barba non facit

philosophum.
A beard doesn’t make one a philosopher.

Want to sweep everyone off their feet with

your erudite ways? Use this Latin phrase
instead of its English equivalent: “clothes don’t
make the man”. Or the similar cucullus non facit
monachum (“the hood does not make the
monk”).

13. De gustibus non est

disputandum.
Of tastes there is nothing to be disputed.

Different phrase, same story. You’re welcome.

14. Timeo Danaos et dona

ferentes.
I fear Greeks even if they bring gifts.

Similar to equo ne credite (“do not trust the

horse”). The phrase belongs to Laocoön when
he supposedly warned his fellow Trojans
against accepting the wooden horse from the
Greeks. Nowadays, this expression can be used
figuratively between friends.

15. Dulce est desipere in loco.

It is sweet on occasion to play the fool. / It is
pleasant to relax once in a while.

By Horace in ‘Odes’. Criminally underused

genius Latin phrase. I trust you shall change
this.

16. Audentes fortuna iuvat.

Fortune favors the bold.

Supposedly Pliny the Elder’s last words before

leaving the docks at Pompeii to rescue his
friend Pomponianus from the eruption of
Vesuvius in 79. The phrase also appears in
Virgil’s Aeneid.

17. Ita vero.

Thus indeed.

Funny thing about Romans. Apparently, they

had no word for ‘yes’, so they went with ita
vero instead.

18. Lupus in fabula.

The wolf in the story.

The Latin equivalent of “speak of the devil”.

When you speak of someone and they
suddenly appear, almost as if you were
summoning them, this proverb is perfect.

19. Memento vivere.

Remember to live.

We all heard about memento mori (“remember

that you [have to] die”), but apparently a more
optimistic view over life also existed.

20. Risus abundat in ore

stultorum.