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Latin Tongue Twisters

1st International Collection of Tongue Twisters
© 1996-2010 by Mr.Twister

Please click on the number above the tongue twister for a rough translation;
For non-latin scripts please move the mouse pointer over the text to view the transliteration.
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1

Summergimurne?

2

SI PROCUL A PROCULO PROCULI CAMPANA FUISSET,
NUNC PROCUL A PROCULO PROCULUS IPSE FORET.

Inscription on S. Proculo in Bologna AD 1393

3

Cane decane, cane!
Non de cane, cane decane cane;
decano, cane decane cane.

from an old priest

4

Ego eo cum ego eo.

5

Bonum nomen, bonum omen.

6

Te tero Roma manu nuda date tela latete.

attributed to Hannibal

7

Paulus Paulam amat, sed Paula alium amat.

8

Quamvis sint sub aqua, sub aqua maledicere temptant.

from Ovid

9

Mater mea sus est mala.

10

Ave ave aves esse aves?

11

O Tite tute Tati tibi tanta tyranne tulisti!

by Ennius

12

Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota manax materiam possit materiari?

13

Caesar adsum iam forte, Pompei aderat.

school boys' dog Latin

14

Malo malo malo malo.

15

Bella femina habet femina bella.

16

Si itis cum Iesuitis, non cum Iesu itis.

17

Semper ubi sub ubi.

school boy's dog Latin

18

Sunt pueri pueri, pueri puerilia tractant.

19

Sator arepo tenet opera rotas.
S A T O R
A R E P O
T E N E T
O P E R A
R O T A S

A palindrom and a magic square. This magic square was frequently found as graffito in ancient Rome.

20

Bene memini pantomimi minimi et amantium mimi.

by Graham Watts

21

Amore, more, ore, re, probantur amicitiae.

22

Tilia sub tilia filat subtilia fila.

23

In mari meri miri mori muri placet.

Rough Translations

  1. Are we sinking? 
  2. If Proculus were far from the bell, Proculos would be far from Proculus. German: Wenn Prokulus weit von der Glocke wäre, wäre Prokulus auch weit von Prokulus. 
  3. Sing, dean, sing! Sing not about/for the dog, white-haired dean; [but] about/for a dean, white-haired dean sing. German: Greiser Dechant, singe! Nicht vom Hund (bzw. über einen Hund), greiser Dechant singe; [sondern] einem Dechant (bzw. für einen Dechant), greiser Dechant singe.  
  4. I go as I go. 
  5. A good name, a good omen (or marriage). 
  6. I'll crush you Rome with my bare hands! Hand over your spears and hide! German: Dich zerquettsche ich mit bloßer Hand, Rom! Übergebt die Waffen und flieht! (Hannibal) 
  7. Paul loves Paula, but Paula loves another (short "a" in alium) / garlic (long "a" in alium). 
  8. Although under water they (the frogs) don't stop cursing. 
  9. My mother is a pig." or "Behold, mother, a pig is eating the apples. 
  10. Hello, grandfather, do you wish to eat a fowl? 
  11. O thou tyrant, Titus Tatius, such great things you brought upon yourself! 
  12. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? 
  13. School boys' dog Latin saying. "Caesar had some jam for tea, Pompei had a rat. 
  14. I would rather be in a ship at sea than a naughty boy in an apple tree. 
  15. The beautiful woman has beautiful legs. 
  16. If you go with Jesuits, you are not going with Jesus. 
  17. Always wear underwear. 
  18. children are children and children do childish things 
  19. The sowman Arepo barely can hold the wheels. German: Der Sämann Arepo hält mit Mühe die Räder. Mystic meaning has been attributed to this magic square. 
  20. I well remember the dwarf pantomime actor and his lovers' mime. 
  21. Love, morals, word and act prove the friendship. 
  22. Tilia (name) under the lime-tree spins thin (subtle) threads. 
  23. It pleased the mouse to die in a sea of wonderful wine. 
    24.  

    benigne dicis

    Antonio Alencar, Martin Baasten, Christoph Brezinka, Chris Brunelle, Walenty Frankowicz, Franco Ganzerli, Amy Giometti, Jan Köhnlein, Sarah Kunefke, Justin Mancinelli, José Roberto Milici, P. Mulhern, Michael Myer, Anna P., Melissa Pankake, Jordi Parramon, Kresimir Pisonic, Jasper Plaisier, Ziko M. Sikosek, Gábor Tuka, Graham Watts, Joerg Weese, Jerome Werth, Matthijs Wibier

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Compilation © 1996-2010 by Mr.Twister

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Last update 2010-01-18