← Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
98.1 Nisi unless Deus God adiuvat helps nōs us nihil nothing facere to do possumus we are able
98.2 Puer boy nisi unless studiōsus diligent est is nihil nothing discit learns
98.3 Mīles soldier nī unless fortis brave est is nōn not pugnat fights
98.4 Nēmō no one nisi except sacerdōs priest templum temple intrāre to enter potest is able
98.5 Hominēs men nisi unless labōrant they work vīvere to live nōn not possunt are able
98.6 Magister teacher puerō to boy nisi unless studet he studies librum book nōn not dat gives
98.7 Nī unless pluit it rains agrī fields arent dry sunt are
98.8 Scholam school nisi unless māne in morning venīs you come nōn not intrāre to enter potes you are able
98.9 Nisi unless ōrāmus we pray Deus God nōs us nōn not audit hears
98.10 Pastor shepherd ovēs sheep nisi unless lupus wolf venit comes nōn not cūrat cares for
98.11 Nī unless cibus food bonus good est is corpus body nōn not valet is healthy
98.12 Sapientiam wisdom nisi unless ā from Deō God nōn not accipimus we receive
98.13 Ecclesia church nisi unless fidēlēs faithful veniunt come vacua empty est is
98.14 Nisi unless pācem peace habēmus we have beātī happy nōn not sumus we are
98.15 Verbum word Deī of God nisi unless legimus we read nōn not intellegimus we understand
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98.1 Nihil facere possumus nisi Deus nōs adiuvat. We can do nothing unless God helps us.
98.2 Puer nihil discit nisi studiōsus est. The boy learns nothing unless he is diligent.
98.3 Nōn pugnat mīles nī fortis est. The soldier does not fight unless he is brave.
98.4 Nēmō templum intrāre potest nisi sacerdōs. No one except the priest can enter the temple.
98.5 Vīvere nōn possunt hominēs nisi labōrant. Men cannot live unless they work.
98.6 Magister librum puerō nōn dat nisi studet. The teacher does not give the book to the boy unless he studies.
98.7 Agrī arent sunt nī pluit. The fields are dry unless it rains.
98.8 Scholam intrāre nōn potes nisi māne venīs. You cannot enter the school unless you come in the morning.
98.9 Deus nōs nōn audit nisi ōrāmus. God does not hear us unless we pray.
98.10 Pastor ovēs nōn cūrat nisi lupus venit. The shepherd does not tend the sheep unless the wolf comes.
98.11 Corpus nōn valet nī cibus bonus est. The body is not healthy unless the food is good.
98.12 Sapientiam nōn accipimus nisi ā Deō. We do not receive wisdom except from God.
98.13 Ecclesia vacua est nisi fidēlēs veniunt. The church is empty unless the faithful come.
98.14 Beātī nōn sumus nisi pācem habēmus. We are not happy unless we have peace.
98.15 Verbum Deī nōn intellegimus nisi legimus. We do not understand the word of God unless we read it.
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98.1 Nihil facere possumus nisi Deus nōs adiuvat.
98.2 Puer nihil discit nisi studiōsus est.
98.3 Nōn pugnat mīles nī fortis est.
98.4 Nēmō templum intrāre potest nisi sacerdōs.
98.5 Vīvere nōn possunt hominēs nisi labōrant.
98.6 Magister librum puerō nōn dat nisi studet.
98.7 Agrī arent sunt nī pluit.
98.8 Scholam intrāre nōn potes nisi māne venīs.
98.9 Deus nōs nōn audit nisi ōrāmus.
98.10 Pastor ovēs nōn cūrat nisi lupus venit.
98.11 Corpus nōn valet nī cibus bonus est.
98.12 Sapientiam nōn accipimus nisi ā Deō.
98.13 Ecclesia vacua est nisi fidēlēs veniunt.
98.14 Beātī nōn sumus nisi pācem habēmus.
98.15 Verbum Deī nōn intellegimus nisi legimus.
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For English speakers learning Latin, understanding "nisi/nī" requires attention to several key points: -
Basic Function: -
Introduces conditional clauses -
Means "unless" or "if not" -
Often paired with negative main clause -
Can mean "except" in certain contexts -
Forms: -
nisi: fuller form -
nī: poetic/shortened form -
Indeclinable (doesn't change form) -
Often followed by indicative mood -
Common Patterns: -
nisi + present indicative -
negative main clause + nisi clause -
nēmō/nihil + nisi ("no one/nothing except") -
nisi with subjunctive in indirect speech -
Word Order: -
Usually introduces its clause -
Can follow emphatic words -
Main clause often contains negative -
Flexible position in sentence
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For English speakers, understanding how Medieval Latin writers used "nisi" requires cultural context: -
Religious Usage: -
Common in theological texts -
Used in Biblical translations -
Important in liturgical formulas -
Frequent in prayer language -
Educational Context: -
Used in scholastic debates -
Common in logical arguments -
Important in academic texts -
Key term in disputations -
Legal Applications: -
Found in church law -
Used in monastic rules -
Important in formal documents -
Common in papal decrees -
Modern Relevance: -
Still used in Catholic Church -
Found in academic Latin -
Used in legal phrases -
Important in philosophy
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From Augustine's "Confessions" (I.1):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Magnus great es, you are, Domine, O Lord, et and laudābilis praiseworthy valdē: greatly: māgna great virtus power tua your et and sapientiae of wisdom tuae your nōn not est is numerus. number. Et and laudāre to praise tē you vult wishes homō, man, aliqua some portiō portion creātūrae of creation tuae, your, et and homō man circumferēns bearing around mortālitātem mortality suam his.*
"Magnus es, Domine, et laudābilis valdē: māgna virtus tua et sapientiae tuae nōn est numerus. Et laudāre tē vult homō, aliqua portiō creātūrae tuae, et homō circumferēns mortālitātem suam."
Great are you, O Lord, and greatly to be praised: great is your power and of your wisdom there is no measure. And man, some portion of your creation, desires to praise you, even man bearing about his mortality.
Augustine uses formal, elevated language to express divine attributes. The passage shows: -
Parallel structure -
Biblical language influence -
Personal devotional tone -
Philosophical vocabulary
-
Vocative "Domine" for direct address -
Gerundive "laudābilis" showing necessity -
Genitive "sapientiae tuae" showing possession -
Present participle "circumferēns" showing continuous action
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98.16 Frāter brother nisi unless permissiōnem permission habet has monasterium monastery relinquere to leave nōn not potest is able
98.17 Nisi unless abbas abbot iubet orders monachī monks silentium silence servāre to keep dēbent ought
98.18 Hōrae hours canonicae canonical nisi unless morbus illness impedit hinders cantandae to be sung sunt are
98.19 Nī unless signum signal datum given est is frātrēs brothers dormītōrium dormitory intrāre to enter nōn not possunt are able
98.20 Cibus food nisi unless post after ōrātiōnem prayer sūmendus to be taken nōn not est is
98.21 Nisi unless iēiūnium fast est is bis twice in in diē day edimus we eat
98.22 Hospitēs guests nisi unless benedictī blessed sunt are recipiendī to be received nōn not sunt are
98.23 Nī unless vestēs clothes mundae clean sunt are frāter brother in in ecclēsiam church īre to go nōn not potest is able
98.24 Cellam cell nisi unless necessitās necessity cōgit compels relinquere to leave nōn not licet it is permitted
98.25 Nisi unless lēctio reading sacra sacred facta done est is cēna dinner incipienda to be begun nōn not est is
98.26 Opus work manuum of hands nisi unless propter on account of infirmitātem weakness faciendum to be done est is
98.27 Nī unless tempus time ōrātiōnis of prayer est is bibliothēca library claudenda to be closed est is
98.28 Nisi unless prior prior permittit permits nēmō no one post after complētōrium compline loquī to speak potest is able
98.29 Noviciī novices nisi unless doctī taught sunt are vōta vows facere to make nōn not possunt are able
98.30 Nisi unless magister master noviciōrum of novices cōnsentit consents librōs books legere to read nōn not licet it is permitted
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98.16 Frāter monasterium relinquere nōn potest nisi permissiōnem habet. A brother cannot leave the monastery unless he has permission.
98.17 Monachī silentium servāre dēbent nisi abbas iubet. The monks must keep silence unless the abbot orders otherwise.
98.18 Hōrae canonicae cantandae sunt nisi morbus impedit. The canonical hours must be sung unless illness prevents it.
98.19 Frātrēs dormītōrium intrāre nōn possunt nī signum datum est. The brothers cannot enter the dormitory unless the signal has been given.
98.20 Cibus nōn sūmendus est nisi post ōrātiōnem. Food must not be taken unless after prayer.
98.21 Bis in diē edimus nisi iēiūnium est. We eat twice a day unless it is a fast.
98.22 Hospitēs recipiendī nōn sunt nisi benedictī sunt. Guests are not to be received unless they have been blessed.
98.23 Frāter in ecclēsiam īre nōn potest nī vestēs mundae sunt. A brother cannot go into the church unless his clothes are clean.
98.24 Cellam relinquere nōn licet nisi necessitās cōgit. It is not permitted to leave the cell unless necessity compels.
98.25 Cēna incipienda nōn est nisi lēctio sacra facta est. Dinner must not be begun unless the sacred reading has been done.
98.26 Opus manuum faciendum est nisi propter infirmitātem. The work of hands must be done unless due to weakness.
98.27 Bibliothēca claudenda est nī tempus ōrātiōnis est. The library must be closed unless it is time for prayer.
98.28 Nēmō post complētōrium loquī potest nisi prior permittit. No one can speak after compline unless the prior permits.
98.29 Noviciī vōta facere nōn possunt nisi doctī sunt. Novices cannot make vows unless they have been taught.
98.30 Librōs legere nōn licet nisi magister noviciōrum cōnsentit. It is not permitted to read books unless the master of novices consents.
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98.16 Frāter monasterium relinquere nōn potest nisi permissiōnem habet.
98.17 Monachī silentium servāre dēbent nisi abbas iubet.
98.18 Hōrae canonicae cantandae sunt nisi morbus impedit.
98.19 Frātrēs dormītōrium intrāre nōn possunt nī signum datum est.
98.20 Cibus nōn sūmendus est nisi post ōrātiōnem.
98.21 Bis in diē edimus nisi iēiūnium est.
98.22 Hospitēs recipiendī nōn sunt nisi benedictī sunt.
98.23 Frāter in ecclēsiam īre nōn potest nī vestēs mundae sunt.
98.24 Cellam relinquere nōn licet nisi necessitās cōgit.
98.25 Cēna incipienda nōn est nisi lēctio sacra facta est.
98.26 Opus manuum faciendum est nisi propter infirmitātem.
98.27 Bibliothēca claudenda est nī tempus ōrātiōnis est.
98.28 Nēmō post complētōrium loquī potest nisi prior permittit.
98.29 Noviciī vōta facere nōn possunt nisi doctī sunt.
98.30 Librōs legere nōn licet nisi magister noviciōrum cōnsentit.
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In monastic rules, "nisi" appears in several distinctive constructions: -
With Gerundives: -
Expressing necessity: cantandae sunt, sūmendus est -
Negative commands: nōn incipienda est -
Future obligations: claudenda est -
With Permissions: -
nōn licet nisi (not permitted unless) -
nōn potest nisi (cannot unless) -
Expressing authority structures -
Special Monastic Uses: -
Time expressions: post complētōrium -
Place expressions: in ecclēsiam -
Religious vocabulary: ōrātiōnem, iēiūnium -
Common Patterns: -
Double negatives: nēmō... nōn -
Necessity + exception: faciendum est nisi -
Permission + condition: nōn licet nisi
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