Expert: Maria - 6/5/2011

Question
How do you say "Farewell, my friends" in Latin?
As in "Farewell, my friends!"
I got Volete, amici.

Answer
Hello,

“Valete, amici! ” is the correct translation for “Farewell, my friends”.

Please note that “Volete” instead of “valete” is wrong.

Read more below.

Best regards,
Maria
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Here’s the parsing of “Valete, amici”:

-VALETE (2nd.person plural, present imperative of the verb VALEO, I am well) = farewell
-AMICI  ( plural, vocative case of the noun AMICUS, friend)

Note that the verb VALEO means “I am well in health” or “I am strong”.
Its imperative VALETE in the 2nd.person plural is used in leave-taking or at the conclusion of letters to say “Farewell” when this interjection is addressed to many persons, while the imperative in  the 2nd.person singular VALE is used when it is addressed to only one person.