← Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
90.1 Ubi where est is ecclesia church nova new
90.2 Nescio I do not know ubi where liber book meus my sit may be
90.3 Pater father rogat asks ubi where fīlius son maneat stays
90.4 Dīc tell mihi to me ubi where habitēs you live
90.5 Ubi when vēnit came episcopus bishop omnēs all surrēxērunt rose up
90.6 Monāchus monk ubi where labōrābat was working silentium silence erat was
90.7 Ubi when nox night vēnit came candelās candles accendimus we lit
90.8 Magister teacher quaerit asks ubi where discipulī pupils sint may be
90.9 Ubi where crux cross stat stands ibi there ōrāmus we pray
90.10 Nesciō I do not know ubi when missam mass celebrābunt they will celebrate
90.11 Ubi when campanam bell audīvimus we heard ad to ecclesiam church īvimus we went
90.12 Sacerdōs priest ubi where stēterit will have stood altāre altar erit will be
90.13 Ubi where sunt are reliquiae relics sanctōrum of the saints
90.14 Frāter brother nescit does not know ubi where rosārium rosary ponat he should put
90.15 Ubi when ōrātiōnem prayer fīnīvimus we finished surgere to rise potuimus we were able
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90.1 Ubi est ecclesia nova? Where is the new church?
90.2 Nesciō ubi liber meus sit. I don't know where my book is.
90.3 Pater rogat ubi fīlius maneat. The father asks where his son is staying.
90.4 Dīc mihi ubi habitēs. Tell me where you live.
90.5 Episcopō veniente omnēs surrēxērunt. When the bishop came, everyone rose.
90.6 In locō ubi monāchus labōrābat silentium erat. There was silence in the place where the monk was working.
90.7 Noctē veniente candelās accendimus. When night came, we lit the candles.
90.8 Magister quaerit ubi discipulī sint. The teacher asks where the pupils are.
90.9 Ubi crux stat, ibi ōrāmus. Where the cross stands, there we pray.
90.10 Nesciō ubi missam celebrābunt. I don't know when they will celebrate mass.
90.11 Campanā audītā ad ecclesiam īvimus. When we heard the bell, we went to church.
90.12 Quō locō sacerdōs stēterit, ibi altāre erit. Where the priest will have stood, there will be the altar.
90.13 Ubi sunt reliquiae sanctōrum? Where are the relics of the saints?
90.14 Frāter nescit ubi rosārium ponat. The brother doesn't know where to put the rosary.
90.15 Ōrātiōne fīnītā surgere potuimus. When we had finished the prayer, we were able to rise.
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90.1 Ubi est ecclesia nova?
90.2 Nesciō ubi liber meus sit.
90.3 Pater rogat ubi fīlius maneat.
90.4 Dīc mihi ubi habitēs.
90.5 Episcopō veniente omnēs surrēxērunt.
90.6 In locō ubi monāchus labōrābat silentium erat.
90.7 Noctē veniente candelās accendimus.
90.8 Magister quaerit ubi discipulī sint.
90.9 Ubi crux stat, ibi ōrāmus.
90.10 Nesciō ubi missam celebrābunt.
90.11 Campanā audītā ad ecclesiam īvimus.
90.12 Quō locō sacerdōs stēterit, ibi altāre erit.
90.13 Ubi sunt reliquiae sanctōrum?
90.14 Frāter nescit ubi rosārium ponat.
90.15 Ōrātiōne fīnītā surgere potuimus.
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For English speakers, understanding "ubi" requires attention to several key points: -
Basic Uses: -
As interrogative adverb ("where?") -
As relative adverb ("where") -
As temporal conjunction ("when") -
Mood Requirements: -
Direct questions: Indicative -
Indirect questions: Subjunctive -
Temporal clauses: Usually indicative -
Relative clauses: Mood depends on context -
Common Patterns: -
ubi + esse (location) -
ubi + motion verbs -
ubi primum (as soon as) -
ibi... ubi (there... where) -
Temporal Usage: -
Can replace cum when emphasizing immediacy -
Often paired with ablative absolute -
Can indicate repeated action
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Understanding "ubi" in Medieval Latin requires awareness of: -
Religious Context: -
Used in liturgical directions -
Important in monastery rules -
Part of biblical quotations -
Used in saints' lives -
Legal Usage: -
Found in church documents -
Used in property descriptions -
Part of formal inquiries -
Common in witness statements -
Educational Setting: -
Used in classroom dialogues -
Part of theological discussions -
Found in textbooks -
Used in examinations -
Modern Relevance: -
Still used in church Latin -
Found in academic writing -
Used in legal documents -
Part of traditional phrases
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From Augustine's "Confessions" (Book X, Chapter 20):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Ubi where ergo therefore tē you invēnī I found ut that discerem I might learn tē you? Neque nor enim for jam already erās you were in in memoriā memory meā my antequam before tē you discerem I might learn.
Ubi ergo tē invēnī ut discerem tē? Neque enim jam erās in memoriā meā antequam tē discerem.
Where then did I find you, that I might learn you? For you were not already in my memory before I learned you.
Augustine uses "ubi" here to explore the philosophical question of divine knowledge. The word carries both literal and metaphorical meaning.
-
"ubi" introduces indirect question -
"invēnī" perfect indicative -
"discerem" imperfect subjunctive -
Complex sentence structure showing temporal relationships
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90.16 Frātrēs brothers ubi where abbas abbot jūsserit will have ordered labōrent let them work
90.17 Ubi when signum signal datūr is given omnēs all ad to ōrātiōnem prayer conveniunt come together
90.18 Noviciī novices ubi where magistrī masters docent teach sedent sit
90.19 Ubi where sunt are librī books sacrī sacred ibi there silentium silence servātur is kept
90.20 Monāchī monks ubi when vespera evening venit comes psalmos psalms cantant sing
90.21 Ubi where thēsaurus treasure ecclesiae of church pōnitur is placed custōs guardian vigilat watches
90.22 Frātrēs brothers nesciunt do not know ubi where manūscrīpta manuscripts cēlentur may be hidden
90.23 Ubi when tempus time medicīnae of medicine est is īnfirmārius infirmarian frātrēs brothers cūrat cares for
90.24 Cellārārius cellarer ubi where cibum food servat keeps mūrēs mice arcet keeps away
90.25 Ubi where hortus garden est is herbae herbs medicinālēs medicinal crescunt grow
90.26 Frātrēs brothers ubi when mandūcant eat lēctiōnem reading audiunt hear
90.27 Ubi where capitulum chapter habētur is held culpae faults corrigentur will be corrected
90.28 Portārius porter videt sees ubi where peregrīnī pilgrims intrāre to enter possint may be able
90.29 Ubi when campāna bell pulsātur is struck opus work intermittitur is interrupted
90.30 Sacristānus sacristan ubi where reliquiae relics pōnendae to be placed sint may be scit knows
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90.16 Frātrēs ibi labōrent ubi abbas jūsserit. Let the brothers work where the abbot will have ordered.
90.17 Signō datō omnēs ad ōrātiōnem conveniunt. When the signal is given, all come together for prayer.
90.18 Noviciī sedent ubi magistrī docent. The novices sit where the masters teach.
90.19 Ubi librī sacrī sunt, silentium servātur. Where the sacred books are, silence is kept.
90.20 Vesperā veniente monāchī psalmos cantant. When evening comes, the monks sing psalms.
90.21 Custōs vigilat ubi thēsaurus ecclesiae pōnitur. The guardian watches where the church's treasure is placed.
90.22 Frātrēs nesciunt ubi manūscrīpta cēlentur. The brothers do not know where the manuscripts may be hidden.
90.23 Tempore medicīnae īnfirmārius frātrēs cūrat. At the time of medicine, the infirmarian cares for the brothers.
90.24 Cellārārius mūrēs arcet ubi cibum servat. The cellarer keeps mice away where he keeps the food.
90.25 In hortō herbae medicinālēs crescunt. In the garden where medicinal herbs grow.
90.26 Frātrēs, dum mandūcant, lēctiōnem audiunt. When the brothers eat, they hear the reading.
90.27 In locō ubi capitulum habētur culpae corrigentur. In the place where the chapter is held, faults will be corrected.
90.28 Portārius videt ubi peregrīnī intrāre possint. The porter sees where the pilgrims may be able to enter.
90.29 Campanā pulsātā opus intermittitur. When the bell is struck, work is interrupted.
90.30 Sacristānus scit ubi reliquiae pōnendae sint. The sacristan knows where the relics are to be placed.
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90.16 Frātrēs ibi labōrent ubi abbas jūsserit.
90.17 Signō datō omnēs ad ōrātiōnem conveniunt.
90.18 Noviciī sedent ubi magistrī docent.
90.19 Ubi librī sacrī sunt, silentium servātur.
90.20 Vesperā veniente monāchī psalmos cantant.
90.21 Custōs vigilat ubi thēsaurus ecclesiae pōnitur.
90.22 Frātrēs nesciunt ubi manūscrīpta cēlentur.
90.23 Tempore medicīnae īnfirmārius frātrēs cūrat.
90.24 Cellārārius mūrēs arcet ubi cibum servat.
90.25 In hortō herbae medicinālēs crescunt.
90.26 Frātrēs, dum mandūcant, lēctiōnem audiunt.
90.27 In locō ubi capitulum habētur culpae corrigentur.
90.28 Portārius videt ubi peregrīnī intrāre possint.
90.29 Campanā pulsātā opus intermittitur.
90.30 Sacristānus scit ubi reliquiae pōnendae sint.
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In monastery rules, "ubi" appears in several distinct grammatical constructions that English speakers should understand: -
Temporal Sequences: -
With ablative absolute (signō datō) -
With present participle (vesperā veniente) -
In time clauses (dum mandūcant) -
Location Markers: -
Physical spaces (in hortō) -
Institutional spaces (in capitulō) -
Sacred spaces (in ecclesiā) -
Monastic Officials: -
Subject + ubi + indirect question (sacristānus scit ubi) -
Officials as subjects (portārius videt) -
Officials as indirect objects (abbatī nūntiātur) -
Special Rule Constructions: -
Jussive subjunctive (labōrent) -
Future passive (corrigentur) -
Gerundive of obligation (pōnendae sint) -
Word Order Patterns: -
Initial position for emphasis -
Following temporal ablatives -
In compound sentences with ibi -
Monastic Vocabulary Categories: -
Officials (abbas, sacristānus) -
Places (hortus, capitulum) -
Activities (ōrātiō, lēctiō) -
Equipment (campāna, reliquiae) -
Types of Subordination: -
Temporal clauses -
Indirect questions -
Relative clauses -
Purpose clauses
These constructions show how "ubi" functions in monastic rules to: -
Establish daily routines -
Define spatial relationships -
Assign responsibilities -
Structure community life
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