Expert: Maria - 9/24/2009

Question
How would you say in Latin "and to many as good or better ones" ?
And could you give another suggestion to a Birthday wish in Latin?
Thank you.

Answer
Hello,

Birthday wishes in Latin would be as follows:

-"Die natali gaude!”, if this birthday wish is addressed to only one person.
Otherwise you must say “Die natali gaudete!”, where the imperative "gaudete" is in the 2nd.person plural as this birthday wish is addressed to more than one person.

-"Diem natalem feliciter age!", if this birthday wish is addressed to only one person.
Otherwise you must say “Diem natalem feliciter agite!”, where the imperative "agite" is in the 2nd.person plural as this birthday wish is addressed to more than one person.

-"Dies natalis bene tibi vertat!",  if this birthday wish is addressed to only one person. Otherwise you must say “Dies natalis bene vobis vertat!", where the pronoun "vobis" is in the dative plural as this birthday wish is addressed to more than one person.

-"Bonum tibi precor diem natalem!", if this birthday wish is addressed to only one person. Otherwise you must say “Bonum vobis  precor diem natalem!”, where the pronoun "vobis" is in the dative plural as this birthday wish is addressed to more than one person.

All the above translations are correct, of course!

No other translation is possible, and then "And to many as good or better ones” cannot be translated correctly into Latin.

Finally note that  Latin word order is different from English,just because in Latin syntactical relationships are indicated by the endings, not by the order of the words.

Best regards,
Maria