Expert: Maria - 3/14/2008

Question
Wow, I have sat and read all your replies and i feel so knowledgable now!(obviously been really busy to!) Could you please check this translation AMA, VIVE, RIDE CUM AMICIS ET COGNATIS - i was told it means love,live,laugh with you friends and family? Does memento amicos mean remember your friends? As i was also told 'memento amicorum' is the right way? Sorry to ask so many questions, one final thing can you think of a phrase or motto, that basically means chersih the moments you have laughed, and that i love my friends and family, and live life to the full any suggestions are very greatfully recived. Thank you so much for you time an educating me - i feel i have learnt so much just reading your replies! Thank you

Answer
Dear Maddy,

I’m glad you enjoyed my answers.

As for your questions, here are my replies:

-AMA, VIVE, RIDE CUM AMICIS ET COGNATIS means exactly “Love, live, laugh with you friends and family/relatives”.

-Both '”Memento amicorum' and “Memento amicos” are correct because the verb “memini” ( I remember ), whose imperative, 2nd.person singular is just “memento”, can take the genitive (amicorum) as well as the accusative (amicos).

- As for “Live life to the full”, you can say: “Vitam vehementer vive”.

Finally here’s a sentence which groups together all the concepts you said:
“Ama amicos cognatosque, cum iis ride, eorum semper memento ac vitam vive vehementer” just meaning” Love your friends and relatives, have a good laugh with them, remember them and live life to the full”.

Best regards,
Maria
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AMA (2nd.person singular, imperative of AMO)= love

VIVE (2nd.person singular, imperative of  VIVO) = live

RIDE (2nd.person singular, imperative of RIDEO) = laugh

CUM (preposition which takes the ablative) = with

AMICIS (ablative plural of AMICUS, friend) = friends

ET = and

COGNATIS (ablative plural of COGNATUS) = relatives/ family

_________________________________________________________
MEMENTO (2nd.person singular, imperative of MEMINI) = remember

AMICORUM (genitive plural of AMICUS)  / AMICOS (accusative plural) = your friends
_____________________________________________________

VITAM (accusative of VITA)  = life

VIVE (2nd.person singular, imperative of VIVO) = live

VEHEMENTER (adverb) = to the full

Latin word order can be different from English.