Expert: Maria - 8/9/2008

Question
I've been searching for a Latin translation of this Gandhi quote: "Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever". It has a bit too much complex grammar in it for my usual 'research and brainstorm' translations so I stumbled upon this site. Thank you in advance!

Answer
Hello,

here’s the  translation you are looking for:

-“Vive quasi cras moriturus, disce  quasi  semper victurus “, if the phrase refers to a male person in the singular.

-“Vive quasi cras moritura, disce  quasi  semper victura“, if the phrase refers to a female person in the singular.

-“Vivite quasi cras morituri, discite  quasi  semper victuri“, if the phrase refers to male persons in the plural

-“Vivite quasi cras moriturae, discite  quasi  semper victurae “, if the phrase refers to female persons in the plural.

Latin is in fact an inflected language where endings change (singular / plural; masculine / feminine), according to the context.

See below for grammatical analysis.

Best regards,
Maria
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-VIVE (2nd.person singular, imperative of VIVO, I live) / VIVITE (2nd.person plural, imperative of VIVO)  = live

-QUASI= as if

-CRAS=tomorrow

-MORITURUS(nominative masculine singular, Future Active Participle of MORIOR, I die) /MORITURA (nominative feminine singular) / MORITURI (nominative masculine plural) / MORITURAE (nominative feminine plural) = you were to die / you were going to die (you were about to die)

-DISCE ((2nd.person singular, imperative of  DISCO, I learn) /DISCITE ((2nd.person plural, imperative of DISCO) = learn

-QUASI= as if

-SEMPER=forever

-VICTURUS (nominative masculine singular, Future Active Participle of VIVO, I live ) / VICTURA (nominative feminine singular) / VICTURI (nominative masculine plural )  / VICTURAE (nominative feminine plural)  =  you were to live / you were going to live (you were about to live)


Latin word order can be different from English.