How to tell the time, and other time words and expressions, in Latin.
| English | Latin (Lingua Latina) |
|---|---|
| What time is it? | Quota hōra est? |
| It's one o'clock | (Hōra) prīma est |
| It's quarter past one | È prīma cum quīdrante |
| It's half past one | È prīma cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to two | (Hōra) prīma cum dōdrante |
| It's two o'clock | (Hōra) secunda est |
| It's quarter past two | (Hōra) secunda cum quīdrante |
| It's half past two | (Hōra) secunda cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to three | (Hōra) secunda cum dōdrante |
| It's three o'clock | (Hōra) tertia est |
| It's quarter past three | (Hōra) tertia cum quīdrante |
| It's half past three | (Hōra) tertia cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to four | (Hōra) tertia cum dōdrante |
| It's four o'clock | (Hōra) quārta est |
| It's quarter past four | (Hōra) quārtae un quarto |
| It's half past four | (Hōra) quārtae cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to five | (Hōra) quārtae cum dōdrante |
| It's five o'clock | (Hōra) quīnta est |
| It's quarter past five | (Hōra) quīnta cum quīdrante |
| It's half past five | (Hōra) quīnta cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to six | (Hōra) quīnta cum dōdrante |
| It's six o'clock | (Hōra) sexta est |
| It's quarter past six | (Hōra) sexta cum quīdrante |
| It's half past six | (Hōra) sexta cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to seven | (Hōra) sexta cum dōdrante |
| It's seven o'clock | (Hōra) septima est |
| It's quarter past seven | (Hōra) septima cum quīdrante |
| It's half past seven | (Hōra) septima cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to eight | (Hōra) septima cum dōdrante |
| It's eight o'clock | (Hōra) octāva est |
| It's quarter past eight | (Hōra) octāva cum quīdrante |
| It's half past eight | (Hōra) octāva cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to nine | (Hōra) octāva cum dōdrante |
| It's nine o'clock | (Hōra) nōna est |
| It's quarter past nine | (Hōra) nōna cum quīdrante |
| It's half past nine | (Hōra) nōna cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to ten | (Hōra) nōna cum dōdrante |
| It's ten o'clock | (Hōra) decima est |
| It's quarter past ten | (Hōra) decima cum quīdrante |
| It's half past ten | (Hōra) decima cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to eleven | (Hōra) decima cum dōdrante |
| It's eleven o'clock | (Hōra) undecima est |
| It's quarter past eleven | (Hōra) undecima cum quīdrante |
| It's half past eleven | (Hōra) undecima cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to twelve | (Hōra) undecima cum dōdrante |
| It's twelve o'clock | (Hōra) duodecima est |
| It's quarter past twelve | (Hōra) dodici cum quīdrante |
| It's half past twelve | (Hōra) dodici cum sēmisse |
| It's quarter to one | (Hōra) duodecima cum dōdrante |
| during the day | dimidiata |
| at night | vigiliae / noctis |
| midday / noon | meridie |
| midnight | media noctis (inclinatio) |
| hour | hōra |
| minute | minuta |
| second | secunda |
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| diēs lūnae | diēs martis | diēs mercurī | diēs iovis | diēs veneris | diēs saturnī | diēs solis |
| January | February | March | April | May | June |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iānuārius | Februārius | Martius | Aprīlis | Māius | Iūnius |
| July | August | September | October | November | December |
| Iūlius | Augustus | September | Octōber | November | December |
| Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| ver | aestas | autumnus | hiems |
The Romans originally divided the day into two parts: ante meridiem (before noon) and post meridiem (after noon).
Sundials were used in the Roman world from about 263 BC, and the natural day (dies naturalis) ran from sunrise to sunset and was divided into twelve hours. The length of the hours varied depending on the time of year: from 45 minutes in winter to 75 mintues in summer in the Mediterranean.
The civil day (dies civilis) ran from midnight (media nox) to midnight. It was used when giving the date of birth of a child, and was divided into the following parts:
Days were grouped in eight-day cycles known as nundina, and each eighth day was a market day.
Hear some of these phrases:
Telling the time in Latin
https://latin.stackexchange.com/questions/8912/telling-time-in-latin
https://blogs.transparent.com/latin/measurements-of-time-in-latin/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_timekeeping
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
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