Time Phrases
Very often, you will come across a time phrase in a Latin translation - this describes when
an event takes place. There are several rules about time phrases in Latin that you should
be aware of:
1) Time how long is expressed by the accusative:
multas horas manebamus - We stayed for many hours
totam noctem dormire volo - I want to sleep for the whole night
2) Time when or within which (ie what happened/will happen in a certain time) is
expressed by the ablative:
Romam illo die tandem vidimus - On that day we finally saw Rome
milites prima luce profecti sunt - The soldiers set out at first light (or ‘at dawn’)
amicus meus tribus diebus adveniet - My friend will arrive within three days
3) Some prepositions are used in expressions of time:
- per (eg: per decem annos pugnabamus - we were fighting there for (‘through’) ten
years)
- post (eg: multis post annis vicimus - after many years we were victorious)
NOTE that instead of post taking the accusative as it usually does, in time expressions it
is used as an adverb (usually in time expressions, ‘postea’ is used).
post cenam - after dinner (preposition)
post - afterwards (adverb)
postquam - after X happened (conjunction)
Exercises
1) feminae murum tres dies fortissime custodiebant.
2) templum novum illo anno aedificatum est.
3) fratres mei paucis diebus adveniet.
4) Romani hostibus multos annos resistebant.
5) per totam noctem ibi manebamus; prima luce flumen transire conati sumus.
Very often, you will come across a time phrase in a Latin translation - this describes when
an event takes place. There are several rules about time phrases in Latin that you should
be aware of:
1) Time how long is expressed by the accusative:
multas horas manebamus - We stayed for many hours
totam noctem dormire volo - I want to sleep for the whole night
2) Time when or within which (ie what happened/will happen in a certain time) is
expressed by the ablative:
Romam illo die tandem vidimus - On that day we finally saw Rome
milites prima luce profecti sunt - The soldiers set out at first light (or ‘at dawn’)
amicus meus tribus diebus adveniet - My friend will arrive within three days
3) Some prepositions are used in expressions of time:
- per (eg: per decem annos pugnabamus - we were fighting there for (‘through’) ten
years)
- post (eg: multis post annis vicimus - after many years we were victorious)
NOTE that instead of post taking the accusative as it usually does, in time expressions it
is used as an adverb (usually in time expressions, ‘postea’ is used).
post cenam - after dinner (preposition)
post - afterwards (adverb)
postquam - after X happened (conjunction)
Exercises
1) feminae murum tres dies fortissime custodiebant.
2) templum novum illo anno aedificatum est.
3) fratres mei paucis diebus adveniet.
4) Romani hostibus multos annos resistebant.
5) per totam noctem ibi manebamus; prima luce flumen transire conati sumus.
