A few years ago, before going on a trip abroad, it was habitual buying a travel guide of the destination which also included some useful phrases or basic expressions to comunicate with locals. Today, these guidelines are being relegated for Internet applications or smartphones, but if you ever have the good fortune to travel to the Ancient Rome, sure this guide will be very useful 😉

 

If you are lucky enough to make beutiful Roman friends – or whatever -:

Nomen mihi est xxxx. Salve! / Hello! My name is xxxx

Magna cum voluptate / Nice to meet you

Estne pugio in tunica, an tibi libet me videre? / Do you have a dagger in your tunic or are you just happy to see me?

Noli me vocare, ego te vocabo / Don’t call me, I’ll call you

Hora et triginta minuta in mora es / You’re one hour and a half late

Lapsus linguae erat / It was a mistake

Noli me tangere / Don’t touch me

Volo, non valeo / I’d love to, but I can’t

Sirem improba / Damn tempting

Spero nos familiares / I hope we still can be friends

Vade retro! / Go (away)!

Haec omnia? / Is that all?

Nocte quater / Four times a night

Ursus perpauli cerebri sum / I am a bear with very little brain

In flagrante delicto / Red-handed

Fabricare diem / Make my day

Re vera, cara mea, mihi nihil refert / Frankly my dear, I don’t care

Anguis es / You’re a snake

 

In the streets of Rome:

Quo vadis? / Where are you going?

Mihi ignosce / I’m sorry

Ubi sum? / Where am I?

Auxilium mihi, si placet? / Can you help me, please?

Noli me necare, cape omnem pecuniam meam / Don’t kill me, here’s all my money

Pace tua / With your permission

Manus manum lavat / I will help you if you help me

Quod in abysso dices? / What the **** are you saying?

Necios quid dicas / I don’t know what you are talking about

Estne juxtim caupona/mansio? / Is there a bar/hotel near?

Cave canem / Beware of dog

Vade in pace / Go in peace

Utinam tuus currus deleatur! / I hope you have a cart accident!

Pedicabo te! / F*** you!

 

If you go shopping in a market:

Pecuniam mihi monstra / Show me your money

Quantum est? / How much is it?

Hoc est nimis! / It’s very expensive!

Pecuniam mihi redde / Give me my money back

Hoc affer tecum / Take it

In hac tunica obesa videbor? / Does this tunic make me look fat?

Pistrix rapax / Greedy shark

Vinum/fermentum bellum iucundumque est / Not bad this wine/beer

 

When you are back home:

Domus propia domus optima / Home sweet home

Deliranti isti Romani / These Romans are crazy

 

 

And if in your journey back you bring with you an Ancient Roman citizen you can help him/her integrate using the dictionary for translating modern terms, written by Cardinal Bacci in 1963:

Salivaria gummis / Chewing gum

Vinolentiam propensio / Alcoholism

Lucis horror / Photophobia

Fulminea verticularum occlusio / Zipper

Curatio per chimica medicamenta / Chemotherapy

Stomachi ac tenuis crassisque intestini inflammatio / Gastroenteritis

Absurda symphonia / Jazz

Homo machina / Robot

Inflatio venarum ani / Piles

Follius pedunque ludus / Soccer, football

Rotula moderatrix / Steering wheel

Nicotianum fumun sugere / No smoking

Latrina defluente aquae profluvio instructa / Toilet