The Latin app for secondary school
In short
Disce ludens accompanies Latin at the Gymnasium – the German academic secondary school – from the first word to reading Caesar: Disce ludens I lays the foundations, Disce ludens II practises constructions such as participles, the ablative absolute and the gerundive, and Verte ludens leads up to sentences based on Caesar. Thomas Wegener developed and tested the exercises in his own teaching at the Dillmann-Gymnasium in Stuttgart.
From the beginning to reading original texts
| Programme | Content | A good fit if … |
|---|---|---|
| Disce ludens I | 31 lessons: parts of speech, sentence elements, all cases, verb forms, accusative and infinitive, 574 words | Latin is just starting or the foundations are shaky |
| Disce ludens II | 31 lessons: subjunctive, participles, ablative absolute, gerund and gerundive, 991 words | the constructions needed for reading are on the syllabus |
| Verte ludens | 7 translation exercises with sentences based on Caesar | the move to reading original texts is coming up |
Whether Latin is the first or the second foreign language at school makes no difference: every lesson can be opened on its own, matching the current topic. The app is in German: exercises, hints and meanings are German, as in the original.
Matched to lessons and textbook
- Independent of the textbook: Disce ludens practises the grammar found in every Latin textbook. Which lesson fits which topic.
- Class tests: flashcard boxes of your own for the words in the test, the lesson on the topic, form tables for reference. 7-day plan.
- For the whole class: school licence with one code, without email addresses. For schools.
On the way to the Latinum
Students who take Latin long enough at a Gymnasium receive the Latinum, the German Latin certificate, with their school report in many German states. Disce ludens lays the foundations for it: reliable forms, syntax and vocabulary. Reading the texts themselves remains the job of the classroom. More about the Latinum.
Try it
A real exercise from Disce ludens:
Disce ludens II · Lesson 20 · The gerund, card 4
Cupidi ________ sumus.
The gerund as objective genitive: “We are eager to swim.” Choose from: natare, natandi, natando, ad natandum.
Hint 1: Adjectives meaning eager or skilled take the genitive in Latin.
Hint 2: natand + genitive ending
Error points: 0
© Disce ludensWhat Disce ludens does – and what it doesn’t
What Disce ludens does
- Accompanies Latin at secondary school from the foundations to reading Caesar.
- Works with every textbook; every lesson can be opened on its own.
- Has no ads and no tracking for children and school students.
What it doesn’t do
- Does not replace teaching or the textbook.
- Does not include reading complete works.
- Does not yet offer a class overview for teachers.
Frequently asked questions
Which Latin app is suitable for secondary school?
One that practises what is taught in class, works with every textbook and explains mistakes instead of only saying “wrong”. Disce ludens was developed for exactly that by a Latin teacher and goes up to reading Caesar.
From which year is Disce ludens suitable?
From the very first Latin lessons. Disce ludens I starts with parts of speech and sentence elements in German; Disce ludens II and Verte ludens lead up to reading original texts.
What does Disce ludens cost for secondary school?
For your own use €19 per year per programme or €89 one-time for everything. Schools pay €3 per student per year.