← Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
87.1 Tempus time sacrum sacred iam now adest is present
87.2 Hōc this tempore at time multī many ad to templum temple veniunt come
87.3 Longum long tempus time in in monasteriō monastery vīxī I lived
87.4 Tempus time ōrātiōnis of prayer semper always observāmus we observe
87.5 Breve brief tempus time nōbīs for us datum given est is
87.6 Temporis of time ratiōnem account habēre to have dēbēmus we ought
87.7 Magister teacher discipulīs to students tempus time studendī of studying dat gives
87.8 Omnī at all tempore time Deum God laudāre to praise dēbēmus we ought
87.9 Tempore in time vēris of spring flōrēs flowers crēscunt grow
87.10 Tempus time fugit flees velut like umbra shadow
87.11 Sapientēs wise men bene well tempore time ūtuntur use
87.12 Temporibus in times antīquīs ancient prophetae prophets locūtī spoken sunt have
87.13 Omnia all things tempus time suum their own habent have
87.14 Nūllum no tempus time sine without labōre work perdendum to be lost est is
87.15 Tempus time paenitentiae of repentance nōbīs to us datum given est is
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87.1 Tempus sacrum iam adest. The sacred time is now at hand.
87.2 Hōc tempore multī ad templum veniunt. At this time many come to the temple.
87.3 Longum tempus in monasteriō vīxī. I lived in the monastery for a long time.
87.4 Tempus ōrātiōnis semper observāmus. We always observe the time of prayer.
87.5 Breve tempus nōbīs datum est. A brief time has been given to us.
87.6 Temporis ratiōnem habēre dēbēmus. We ought to keep track of time.
87.7 Magister discipulīs tempus studendī dat. The teacher gives the students time for studying.
87.8 Omnī tempore Deum laudāre dēbēmus. We ought to praise God at all times.
87.9 Tempore vēris flōrēs crēscunt. In springtime the flowers grow.
87.10 Tempus fugit velut umbra. Time flies like a shadow.
87.11 Sapientēs bene tempore ūtuntur. The wise use time well.
87.12 Temporibus antīquīs prophetae locūtī sunt. In ancient times the prophets spoke.
87.13 Omnia tempus suum habent. All things have their own time.
87.14 Nūllum tempus sine labōre perdendum est. No time should be lost without work.
87.15 Tempus paenitentiae nōbīs datum est. The time of repentance has been given to us.
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87.1 Tempus sacrum iam adest.
87.2 Hōc tempore multī ad templum veniunt.
87.3 Longum tempus in monasteriō vīxī.
87.4 Tempus ōrātiōnis semper observāmus.
87.5 Breve tempus nōbīs datum est.
87.6 Temporis ratiōnem habēre dēbēmus.
87.7 Magister discipulīs tempus studendī dat.
87.8 Omnī tempore Deum laudāre dēbēmus.
87.9 Tempore vēris flōrēs crēscunt.
87.10 Tempus fugit velut umbra.
87.11 Sapientēs bene tempore ūtuntur.
87.12 Temporibus antīquīs prophetae locūtī sunt.
87.13 Omnia tempus suum habent.
87.14 Nūllum tempus sine labōre perdendum est.
87.15 Tempus paenitentiae nōbīs datum est.
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For English speakers learning Latin, understanding "tempus" involves several key grammatical points: -
Basic Forms: -
Nominative: tempus -
Genitive: temporis -
Dative: temporī -
Accusative: tempus -
Ablative: tempore -
Plural follows regular 3rd declension neuter pattern -
Common Uses: -
Ablative of time when (tempore vēris) -
Accusative of duration (longum tempus) -
As subject or object (tempus fugit) -
With gerund (tempus studendī) -
With adjectives (breve tempus) -
Special Constructions: -
Temporal expressions (hōc tempore) -
With prepositions (in tempore) -
With possessives (tempus suum) -
In passive constructions (datum est) -
Word Order: -
Can appear at start for emphasis -
Often precedes its modifiers -
Flexible position based on emphasis
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Understanding "tempus" requires knowledge of how medieval Christians conceptualized time: -
Liturgical Time: -
Division of day by prayer hours -
Church calendar with seasons -
Saints' days and festivals -
Penitential periods -
Monastic Time: -
Strict daily schedules -
Bell signals for activities -
Balance of prayer and work -
Seasonal variations -
Christian Concepts: -
Sacred vs. secular time -
Eternity vs. temporality -
Time as God's gift -
Proper use of time -
Modern Relevance: -
Church calendar still used -
Influence on scheduling -
Time management concepts -
Religious observances
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From Augustine's "Confessions" (XI.14):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Quid what est is ergō therefore tempus? time? Sī if nēmō no one ex from mē me quaerat, should ask, sciō; I know; sī if quaerentī to one asking explicāre to explain velim, I should wish, nesciō. I do not know.
"Quid est ergō tempus? Sī nēmō ex mē quaerat, sciō; sī quaerentī explicāre velim, nesciō."
What then is time? If no one asks me, I know; if I wish to explain it to one who asks, I do not know.
Augustine uses this famous passage to explore the paradoxical nature of our understanding of time. The structure emphasizes the contrast between intuitive knowledge and explicit explanation.
-
Conditional clauses with sī -
Present subjunctive quaerat -
Dative of reference quaerentī -
Contrast between sciō and nesciō -
Infinitive explicāre as complement
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87.16 Ad at omnēs all hōrās hours temporis of time frātrēs brothers prōmptī ready sint should be
87.17 Tempore at time matūtīnō morning prīmam prime ōrātiōnem prayer dīcimus we say
87.18 Tempus time silentiī of silence post after complētōrium compline servāre to keep dēbēmus we ought
87.19 Tempore in time Quadrāgēsimae of Lent plūs more ōrāre to pray dēbēmus we ought
87.20 Omnī at every tempore time regulam rule observāre to observe necesse necessary est is
87.21 Abbas abbot tempus time labōris of work temperāre to moderate dēbet ought
87.22 Temporibus at times certīs fixed frātrēs brothers conveniant should gather
87.23 Tempore at time aestātis of summer labōrem work mātūrius earlier incipimus we begin
87.24 Sapiens wise monachus monk tempus time suum his bene well dispositum arranged habet has
87.25 Temporibus at times refectiōnis of refreshment lectōrem reader audīmus we hear
87.26 Per through omne all tempus time vigilāre to be watchful dēbēmus we ought
87.27 Tempore in time ieiuniī of fasting parcius more sparingly cibum food sūmimus we take
87.28 Abbas abbot tempus time psalmodiae of psalmody statuit establishes
87.29 Hōc at this tempore time frātrēs brothers labōrant work in in hortō garden
87.30 Tempus time meditātiōnis of meditation cotīdiē daily observāmus we observe
87.16 Ad omnēs hōrās temporis frātrēs prōmptī sint. Let the brothers be ready at all hours of time.
87.17 Tempore matūtīnō prīmam ōrātiōnem dīcimus. At morning time we say the first prayer.
87.18 Tempus silentiī post complētōrium servāre dēbēmus. We must keep the time of silence after compline.
87.19 Tempore Quadrāgēsimae plūs ōrāre dēbēmus. During the time of Lent we ought to pray more.
87.20 Omnī tempore regulam observāre necesse est. It is necessary to observe the rule at all times.
87.21 Abbas tempus labōris temperāre dēbet. The abbot ought to moderate the time of work.
87.22 Temporibus certīs frātrēs conveniant. At fixed times the brothers should gather.
87.23 Tempore aestātis labōrem mātūrius incipimus. In summertime we begin work earlier.
87.24 Sapiens monachus tempus suum bene dispositum habet. The wise monk has his time well arranged.
87.25 Temporibus refectiōnis lectōrem audīmus. At mealtimes we listen to the reader.
87.26 Per omne tempus vigilāre dēbēmus. We ought to be watchful through all time.
87.27 Tempore ieiuniī parcius cibum sūmimus. In time of fasting we take food more sparingly.
87.28 Abbas tempus psalmodiae statuit. The abbot establishes the time of psalmody.
87.29 Hōc tempore frātrēs labōrant in hortō. At this time the brothers work in the garden.
87.30 Tempus meditātiōnis cotīdiē observāmus. We observe the time of meditation daily.
87.16 Ad omnēs hōrās temporis frātrēs prōmptī sint.
87.17 Tempore matūtīnō prīmam ōrātiōnem dīcimus.
87.18 Tempus silentiī post complētōrium servāre dēbēmus.
87.19 Tempore Quadrāgēsimae plūs ōrāre dēbēmus.
87.20 Omnī tempore regulam observāre necesse est.
87.21 Abbas tempus labōris temperāre dēbet.
87.22 Temporibus certīs frātrēs conveniant.
87.23 Tempore aestātis labōrem mātūrius incipimus.
87.24 Sapiens monachus tempus suum bene dispositum habet.
87.25 Temporibus refectiōnis lectōrem audīmus.
87.26 Per omne tempus vigilāre dēbēmus.
87.27 Tempore ieiuniī parcius cibum sūmimus.
87.28 Abbas tempus psalmodiae statuit.
87.29 Hōc tempore frātrēs labōrant in hortō.
87.30 Tempus meditātiōnis cotīdiē observāmus.
In monastic contexts, "tempus" appears in several distinctive constructions: -
Time Expressions: -
Ablative of time when (tempore matūtīnō) -
Temporal phrases with prepositions (post complētōrium) -
Specific times of day (tempore refectiōnis) -
Liturgical seasons (tempore Quadrāgēsimae) -
Special Uses: -
With gerunds (tempus meditātiōnis) -
In commands and instructions (prōmptī sint) -
With necessity constructions (necesse est) -
With verbs of obligation (dēbēmus) -
Word Order Patterns: -
Initial position for emphasis -
Following prepositions -
With modifying genitives -
In temporal clauses -
Common Combinations: -
With adjectives of time (certīs) -
With verbs of observance (observāre) -
With religious vocabulary (ōrātiōnem, psalmodiae) -
With seasonal terms (aestātis)
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