Latino sine Flexione is an auxiliary language created by Giuseppe Peano.

The idea is to strip Classical Latin down to its simplest possible grammar while keeping its vocabulary recognizable. He hoped to create something learnable in hours rather than years.

1. NOUNS

Any Latin dictionary gives two forms for each noun, for instance:
rosa, rose = rose; pes, pedis = foot. The first form is called nominative, the second genitive. The Interlingua nouns are taken from the Latin genitive form, by changing the genitive ending in accordance with the following table:

A few nouns are used in their nominative forms to avoid confusion with other words: "mas" --English "male." Nouns used only in the plural in Latin may take the following Interlingua endings:

1. -a, when the Latin nominative plural ends in -a, as:
Latin--arma, Interlingua--arma, English--arms.

2. -a or -as, when the plural nominative ends in -Ee, as:
L.--divitiae. IL.--divitia or divitias. E.--riches.

3. -os, when the plural nominative ends in -i, as:
L.--liberi. IL.--liberos. E.--children.

4. -e or -es, when the nominative plural ends in -es, as:
L.--majores. IL.--majore or majores. E.--ancestry.

2. ADJECTIVES

The Latin vocabulary gives the nominative of the three genders, and in some instances the genitive.

The Interlingua form is obtained:

• I. from the nominative neuter:
• (a) by leaving it unchanged when it ends by e;
• (b) by changing it to o when it ends in um;
• II. from the genitive form in all other instances:
• (c) by changing to e the enaing is as in the case of nouns.

Latin                           Interlingua     English

celeber celebris celebre        celebre         celebrated
novus nova novum                novo            new
audax audax audax audacis       audace          audacious

3. VERBS

The Latin vocabulary gives the present indicative and the present infinitive. By dropping the ending of the infinitive -re, the Interlingua form is obtained. There are a few exceptions: dic, duc, es, fac, fer, vol.

4. UNINFLECTED WORDS

If they have one single form, this is the Interlingua form: e.g. ab, ad, ante, circa, etc. If they have a declensional suffix, it may be omitted:
secundum = secundo.
multum = multo.

5. DERIVATIVE WORDS AND COMPOUNDS

Many derivative words are in international use. New ones can be freely formed, as in English, from the words already in use, by the attachment of prefixes and suffixes, provided the meaning warrants such formation. For example, the ending " -atione " denotes a process, " -tia " denotes a quality, " -ico " denotes pertaining to, " -iza " ends a verb denoting the admixture of one thing with another, " -tore " denotes a person who performs the act indicated by the stem of the word, etc.

The commonest suffixes and prefixes are given below.

Suffixes                        Examples
English         Interlingua     English                 Interlingua
-ism            -ismo           protectionism           protectionismo
-ic             -ico            electric                electrico
-id             -ido            splendid                splendido
-ist            -ista           feminist                feminista
-al             -ale            general                 generale
-an             -ano            American                americano
-ary            -ario           aviary                  aviario
-aster          -astro          poetaster               poetastro
-ble            -bile           stable                  stabile
-el             -elo,-ela       sequel                  sequela
-or,-our        -ore            colo(u)r                colore
-tive           -tivo           punitive                punitivo
-ous            -oso            famous                  famoso
-ate            -ato            suhlimate               sublimato
-er             -tore           maker                   factore
-tor            -tore           actor                   actore
-ty             -tate           quality                 qualitate
-tion           -tione          declaration             declaratione
-cy             -tia            tendency                tendentia
-ce             -tia            elegance                elegantia
-e              -io             spectroscope            spectroscopio
-y              -ia             zoology                 zoologia
-fy             -fico           justify                 justifica
-esque          -esco           statuesque              statuesco

The ending -ed as in "faced " (having faces) may be rendered with cum: cum vultu or cum superficie; cornered (having corners,) cum angulo.

Prefixes                        Examples
English         Interlingua     English                 Interlingua
anti-           anti            anti-suffragist         antisuffragista
auto-           auto-           automobile              automobile
self-           auto-           self-induction          auto-inductione
well            bene-           wellsaid                benedicto
co-             co-             co-operator             cooperatore
dis-            dis-            dismember               dismembra
im-             im-             immortal                immortale
in-             in-             inability               inhabilitate
inter-          inter-          interact                interacto
mis-            male-           misform                 maleforma
pan-            pan-            pan-asiatic             panasiatico
by- (beside)    para-           by-product              para-producto
pseudo-         pseudo-         pseudonym               pseudonymo
quasi-          quasi-          quasi-official          quasi-officiale
re-             re-             reexamine               reexamina
sub-            sub-            subterranean            subterraneo
super-          super-          superman                superhomine

As indicated above, "bene" may be used to render the prefix "well" either separately or combined: bene consiliato or beneconsiliato or benconsiliato = well-advised; "male" may likewise be used to render " ill- " or " mis- ": male famato or malefamato or malfamato = ill-famed; male conceptione or maleconceptione or malconceptione= misconception.

The prefixing of the negative "ne" or "non" may ordinarily be used to denote the contrary. The preposition "sine" may be used to denote lacking, like the suffls "-less" in English.

The pronoun "qui" with a verb indicates the person performing the action, "que" with a verb denotes the instrument used in performing it, "quem" with a verb indicates the person on whom or the object on which the action is performed.

Adjoctives may be formed by means of "de"; de fratre = fraterno = freternal.

Intransitive verbs may be formed with the help of "fi" = become; transitive with the help of "fac" = make. Fi albo = albo fi = albofi = to become white = to whiten (intransitive). Fac albo = albo fac = albofac = to make white = to whiten (transitive). Verbs, however, may be used as transitive or intransitive, if the meaning in that sentence is unequivocal. Other verbs may be formed by means of "es" = to be; redde = to render = to make; da = to givc. Es causa de = to cause; es flexo = to sag; redde triste = to sadden; to make sad; redde nullo = to annul = to render void; da animo = to encourage = to give courage.

6. ADOPTION OF ADDITIONAL WORDS

A few Latin words not in international use are also adopted. Also, words are taken from any language if in international use.

7. INTERRELATION OF PARTS OF SPEECH

The same word may be used as verb or as noun, either without any change, or with a slight change of the ending in accordance with rules elsewhere given. Adjectives may be used as adverbs.

ORTHOGRAPHY

Latin words retain the old orthography. Proper names of persons and places maintain their national orthography as far as possible: New York, Washington, Roma, etc.

PRONUNCIATION

Most Interlinguists are in favour of the old Latin pronunciation. Vowels are pronounced as indicatcd below:

a--as in father.
e--as in they or as
i--as in machine.
o--as in tone.
u--as in rule.
y--as French u.
j--as y in yes.
ae--as i in aisle.
oe--as oi in boil.

Consonants are sounded as in English with the exceptions indicated below:

b--like English b, but like p if followed by s or t.
c--like k always, as in can, cat.
g--like g in go, get, give, gate.
h--silent in th, ph, ch, rh, otherwise like English h.
q--as qu in quarrel.
r--as in correct (trilled).
s--as in sound, so, see.
t--as in time.
v--like English w or v.
x--as ks.
z--as in zeal.

Other Interlinguists would simplify it, and pronounce:

y and j--as i in tin.
ae and oe--as a in fatc or e in get.
b--always like English b.
h--silent always.
ph--as f.
v--like English v.

The tonic or principal accent should always be on the syllable next to the last one (penultimate), and the secondary accent, when neccssary, should be placed where good sound, harmony and elegance demand.

GRAMMAR

Interlingua has the minimum of grammar. All grammatical elements not necessary, declension, conjugation, etc., are eliminated.

1. NOUNS

There is no grammatical or artificial gender. Natural gender is indicated by different names if these are in international use:

patre           father          matre           mother
fratre          brother         sorore          sister
propheta        prophet         prophetissa     prophetess

If different names do not extist, gender is indicated like cane mas(male dog), cane femina(female dog).

There are no cases in Interlingua The English genitive, expressed by "s" with an apostrophe, is translated by "de", as: the man's foot = pede de homine

An "s" marks the plural, but it is omitted when not necessary: tres filios or tres filio = three sons. nos habe uno lingua et duo aure = we have one tongue and two ears.

The plural "s" is necessary in cases like the following: patre habe filios et filias = the father has sons and daughters. but the phrase could be changed to avoid the use of the plural: patre habe plure filio et plure filia.

2. ARTICLE

There is no definite or indefinite article in Interlingua.

It is translated with a pronoun, like "illo", "uno", etc., when it has the value of a pronoun and its use is necessary:

da ad me libro          =       give me the book
da ad me hoc libro      =       give me this book.
da ad me illo libro     =       give me that book.
da ad nne uno libro     =       give me a book.
da ad me illo meo libro =       give me that book of mine.
da ad me uno meo libro  =       give me a book mine.
da ad me meo libro      =       give me my book.
Ieone es forte          =       lions are strong.
hoc leone es forte      =       this lion is strong.
ferro es utile          =       iron is useful.
hoc ferro es utile      =       this iron is useful.

3. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

Plus, magis, minus, multo, ultra, extra, etc., are used.

breve                                   = short.
plus breve quam, magis breve quam       = shorter than.
minus breve quam                        = less short than.
multo breve, ultra breve, extra breve   = very short.
maximo breve                            = shortest.
minimo breve                            = least short.
tam breve quam                          = as short as.

4. ADVERBS FROM ADJECTIVES

These are obtained by mcans of: cum mente, in modo

cum mente diligente,        }
cum diligente mente,         }
                              }         = diligently
in modo diligente,           }
in diligente modo,          }
in modo fraterno           }
                            }           = fraternally
in modo de fratre          }

Or the adjectives may be used as adverbs without any change.

5. NUMERALS

Cardinal Nurnerals                        Ordinal Numerals
        uno                      1              primo
        duo                      2              secundo
        tres                     3              tertio
        quatuor                  4              quarto
        quinque                  5              quinto
        sex                      6              sexto
        septem                   7              septimo
        octo                     8              octavo
        novem                    9              nono
        decem                   10              decimo
        decem-uno
        decem et uno            11              decimo-primo
        decem-duo
        decem et duo            12              decimo-secundo
        decem-tres             
        decem et tres           13              decimo-tertio
        viginti        
        duo decem               20              vigesimo
        triginta      
        tres decem              30              trigesimo
        quadraginta    
        quatuor decem           40              quadragesimo
        quinquaginta
        quinque decem           50              quinquagesimo
        sexaginta       
        sex decem               60              sexagesimo
        septuaginta
        septem decem            70              septuagesimo
        ocoginta
        octo decem              80              octogesimo
        nonaginta
        novem decem             90              nonagesimo
        centum                 100              centesimo
        mille                1 000              millesimo
        millione         1 000 000              millionesimo

Distributive Numerals

        singulo, uno per uno            =       one by one.
        bino, duo per duo               =       two by two.
        trino, tres per tres            =       three by three.
        quatuor per quatuor             =       four by four.

Multiplicative Numerals

        simplice        = simplex.
        duplo           = double.
        triplo          = treble.
        quadruplo       = quadruple.

Fractions

        dimidio         = one-half.
        uno tertio      = one-third.
        uno quarto      = one-fourth.

Numeral Adverbs

        semel, uno vice = once.
        bis, duo vice   = twice.
        ter, tres vice  = thrice.
        quatuor vice    = four times.

6. PRONOUNS

Personal

        me      = I, me.
        te      = thou, thee.
        illo    = he, she, it,
                  him, her.
        nos     = we, us
        vos     = you.
        illos   = they, them.
        id      = it.

Feminine forms may be used:

        illa    = she, her.
        illas   = they, them.

Reflexive

        se      = himself, herself, it,
                  itself, self, themselves.
        se ipso = one's self, themselves.

Relative

        que (nominative,
              referring to
              things only)  = that, which, what,
        qui (nominative,
              referring to
              persons only) = who,
        quod               = that, what.
        quem (accusative,
              referring to
              persons and
              things)      = what, which (acc.), whom
        utro               = whether, whichever (of two).

Demonstrative

        illo            = that (it, he, she, him, her).
        ce, hoc, isto   = this, these.
        illos           = those.
        ipso            = self.
        idem            = same.
        tale            = such.
        quale           = such as.

Interrogative

        qui?            = who?
        que?            = which, what?

Indefinite

        aliquo          = some, some one.
        omne            = all, every.
        uno             = one.
        ullo            = some, any.
        nullo           = not any.
        nemine          = nobody, no one.
        alio            = other, else.
        solo            = alone, single, one.
        toto            = whole, all, entire.
        neutro          = neither.
        altero          = either, one but not the other of two.
        utroque         = either, both of two.

Possessive

        meo     = de me         = my, mine.
        tuo     = de te         = thy, thine.
        suo                     = his, her, hers, its, their, theirs.
        nostro  = de nos        = our, ours.
        vestro  = de vos        = your, yours.

7. VERBS

To the present form of the verb add:

(a) for the infinitive -re
(b) for the past participle -to
(c) for the present participle -nte

Ex.     present                 ama     = love.
        infinitive              amare   = to love.
        past participle         amato   = loved.
        present participle      amante  = loving.

Present:

me ama           = I love.
te ama           = thou lovest.
illo, illa ama   = he, she loves.
nos ama          = we love.
vos ama          = you love.
illos, illas ama = they love.

The form of the imperative is the same as the one for the present. Sometimes the idea of the past is indicated in some word of the sentence and in such case there is no need to inflect the verb.

"Heri me scribe" can be used for "I wrote yesterday".

When it is necessary to indicate the past, this can be done by an adverb, as "jam" or "tum", particularly used for this purose, or by "in praeterito" or by "e" preceding the verb:

me, te, illo, illa, id, nos, vos, illos, illas, jam ama (or)
tum ama or e ama.

I, thou, he, she, it, we, you, they loved.

Likewise for the future. The idea of time may be implied in some other word of the sentence like: cras nos lege = we will read to-morrow.

If it is necessary to indicate the future, it can be done by the expression "in futuro", or by the verbs "vol" and "debe" like in English, or by "i" preceding verb:

me vol ama, me debe ama, me i ama = I shall or will love.

The subjunctive has no special ending, its idea is expressed by the use of conjunctions like si, que, ut, quod.

The passive form is rendered by the past participle and the verb "es", to be:

es amato = is loved.

The passive may be done away with, as in any language, by changing the sentence: filio es amato ab matre = the son is loved by the mother to: matre ama filio = the mother loves the son.

It may also be rendered by "quem" and a relative clause: filio es quem matre ama = it is the son whom the mother loves.

8. ADVERBS

alibi    = elsewhere.
ante     = before.
bene     = well.
bis      = again.
certo    = certainly.
cras     = to-morrow.
dextero  = at the right.
ergo     = therefore.
heri     = yesterday.
hic      = here.
hodie    = to-day.
ibi      = there.
in fine  = at last.
interim  = meantime, meanwhile.
ita      = thus.
iterum   = again.
jam      = already.
male     = badly.
multo    = much.
nam      = because, for.
nimis    = too much.
non      = no, not.
nunc     = now.
nuper    = lately, recently.
post     = after.
primo    = at first.
quam     = as, than.
quando   = when.
quasi    = as if, almost, nearly.
quia     = because.
saepe    = often.
satis    = enough.
semper   = always.
sic      = so, thus.
sinistro = at the left.
subito   = at once, immediately.
tale     = like, such.
toto     = entirely, wholly.
tunc     = then.
tuto     = safely.
ubi      = where.
ut       = as.
usque    = till, up to.
valde    = greatly, very, very much.

9. PREPOSITIONS

ab       = by, from.
ad       = at, to.
adverso  = against.
ante     = before.
apud     = near.
circa    = about.
circum   = around.
cum      = with.
de       = concerning, from of.
ex       = from, out of.
extra    = outside, without.
in       = in, into.
infra    = below, under.
inter    = among, between.
intra    = within.
juxta    = near, next to.
ob       = on account of.
per      = by means of, through.
post     = after, behind.
prae     = before, in front of.
pro      = for, on behalf of.
sine     = without.
sub      = below, under.
super    = above, on, upon.
trans    = across, beyond.
ultra    = beyond.

10. CONJUNCTIONS

ante     = before.
aut      = or.
cum      = with, when, though, whereas, since.
dum      = during, until, when, while.
ergo     = therefore.
et       = and.
etiam    = also, even.
etsi     = although, even if, though.
nam      = because, for.
ne       = no, not.
nec      = nor.
nisi     = unless.
quam     = as.
quando   = when.
quasi    = as if.
sed      = but.
si non   = if not.
tamen    = however, nevertheless, notwithstanding, yet.
ubi      = where.
ut       = in order that.

11. CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS

aut ... aut      = either ... or (exclusive).
et ... et        = both ... and .
neque ... nec    = neither ... nor.
minus ... quam   = less ... than.
plus ... quam    = more ... than.
tanto ... quanto = as much ... as.
ut ... ita       = as ... so.
vel ... vel      = either ... or (indifferent).

12. INTERJECTIONS

apage!  = get out!
ecce!   = lo!, there he is!
eheu!   = alas!
eho!    = hallo!, hello!
euge!   = bravo!
heu!    = alas!
heus!   = hallo!, ho!
vae!    = woe!

13. INTERROGATIVE PARTICLES

an?, utro?  = whether?, or?
annon?      = or not?
non?        = not?

Non es cane simile ad lupo? = Is not the dog like the wolf?
An negare aude? = Do you dare deny it?

In answering "yes" and "no" the speaker repeats the verb or uses one of the following expressions:

in answering yes:

certo      = certainly.
etiam      = even so.
ita        = true, so, yes.
ita vero   = certainly.

in saying no:

minimo     = by no means.
non        = not so.
nullo modo = by no means. [no way!]

SYNTAX

The order of words in Interlingua presents no great difficulties, grammar and inflection having been reduced to the minimum. It is so nearly similar to the English order of words that one may safely follow that usage without fear of being misunderstood or being too greatly incorrect.

The subject tends to come first, the predicate last, as in English and other languages. The word most expressive of the thought uppermost in mind will likely come first and the others follow in their natural sequence.

The position of the verb is usually not different from that of the English. For the sake of emphasis, the verb may sometimes come first in the sentence, without any introductory words.

Adverbs tend to follow the verb and to come before the adjective when modifying it.

Adjectives tend to follow the nouns which they modify, differing in this respect from English usage.

Demonstrative and interrogative pronouns tend to precede, relative pronouns to follow, the word or words to which they belong.

Prepositions usually precede their nouns though sometimes placed between a noun and its adjective.

The negative usually precedes the word which it affects, otherwilse it precedes the verb. Frequently it begins a sentence for the sake of emphasis.

A notable difference between Interlingua and English is shown in the absence of agreement of the verb with the subject in respect to number and person, such agreement being dispensed with and regarded as unnecessary. Other agreements usually found in English and other languages area almost wholly absent in Interlingua.

In general, word-order and style may be best acquired by frequent reading of Interlingua literature.

Examples

• Latino Sine Flexione, Wikipedia.
• English-LsF Dictionary

incoming: gaude 2026