What is the best way to learn Latin?

In short

The best way to learn Latin is in short, regular sessions, by actively recalling words rather than re-reading them, and in a fixed order: first word classes and sentence elements, then vocabulary and forms, then sentences and finally translation. Disce ludens I follows this route in 31 lessons; its vocabulary box brings each word back after 1, 3–4, 7, 14, 30, 90 and 180 days.

The route in five steps

Word classes and sentence elements. Without them no Latin sentence makes sense. Disce ludens I starts with two lessons on German sentences (lessons 1 and 2), then repeats both in lessons 7, 8, 21 and 22, this time with Latin.
Vocabulary. Matching and building words in lessons 3 and 4, then the vocabulary trainer with 574 words in lesson 31.
Forms. The cases in lessons 5, 6, 10, 14 and 15; the verb forms in lessons 17, 23 and 26; declensions in lesson 27; the principal parts in lesson 30.
Sentences. Sentence patterns in lesson 11, meaningful sentences in lesson 12, the AcI in lesson 9.
Translation. With Disce ludens II (subjunctive, participles, gerund, subordinate clauses) and Verte ludens, the translation trainer with sentences by Caesar.

The order follows the structure of the lessons. If you learn from a textbook, you can link the lessons to its chapters; the page Latin alongside the textbook shows how.

Recall vocabulary instead of re-reading it

Words stay when you retrieve them from memory, not when you read them again. The vocabulary trainer therefore works by active recall: a card goes back to box 1 after a wrong answer and moves up only if it was right on the first try. The boxes are tied to intervals of 1, 3–4, 7, 14, 30, 90 and 180 days. The method and its sources are on the page The method.

What slows learning down

Looking at the solution too early. Hints cost nothing in Disce ludens; the solution costs error points. Using hints 1 and 2 first means you learn the way, not only the result.
Learning only the tables by heart. You recognize forms in sentences. They stick once you can recognize and build them in sentences.
Long sessions after weeks without practice. Short sessions that come back regularly are easier to keep up than one week of cramming.
Only reading vocabulary through. Re-reading feels familiar without you being able to recall the word later.

With or without a teacher

An app does not discuss in conversation why an answer is wrong, and it cannot notice that you have not understood something unless you say so. Disce ludens gives graded hints and an explanation for each error, but it does not replace a teacher. If you learn Latin at school, ask your questions there and do the exercises at home.

How much time do you need?

That depends on your goal. Disce ludens I has 31 lessons, Disce ludens II another 31. For the Latinum, the course at the University of Regensburg comprises twelve SWS (Semesterwochenstunden, 45-minute teaching hours each) over the winter and summer semesters; other universities set a different scope. The page The Latinum explains the routes.

Try it

A real exercise from Disce ludens:

Disce ludens I · Lesson 31 · Vocabulary trainer, card 1

What does the Latin word adhuc mean in German? (The app asks for the German meaning.)

What Disce ludens does – and what it doesn’t

What Disce ludens does

Takes you in 31 lessons from word classes and sentence elements through forms and sentences to vocabulary (Disce ludens I).
Vocabulary trainer with 574 words in Disce ludens I and 991 in Disce ludens II, in seven boxes.
Gives hints for free; the solution costs error points, so the thinking stays with the learner.

What it doesn’t do

Does not replace a teacher or a conversation about mistakes.
Does not follow one particular textbook.
Does not teach speaking: it practices reading, forms and translation.

Frequently asked questions

How do I learn Latin best when I am on my own?

With a fixed plan and short, regular sessions: word classes and sentence elements first, then vocabulary with recall, forms in sentences and finally translation. Disce ludens I follows this route.

Are flashcards better than re-reading?

For vocabulary, active recall with growing intervals works well. The vocabulary trainer does exactly that; the reasoning is on the page The method.

Do I need to know Latin before I start?

No. Disce ludens I is for beginners and starts with word classes and sentence elements.

Is Disce ludens enough for the Latinum?

It prepares the foundations: forms, syntax and the first original sentences. The examination itself is taken at the responsible authority. The page The Latinum explains what else is needed.