# Latin Question **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 2, 2000, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320 "2000-10-02T06:52:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/1 "2000-10-02T06:52:20Z")
I have no doubt there are a few latin scholars on board. I’m not. The guy who was supposed to teach us Latin in high school left to become the quieter half of Penn and Teller. But that’s another story. I’d like to know how to say “Pay Attention.” For attention i have animas attendus, which seems to come the closest the spirit I’m looking for. But it’s not the imperative. Any thoughts, including conotation, or any other comments on translation would be appreciated. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/2 "2000-10-02T15:01:04Z")
The correct idiom for “pay attention” is _opus dare_. In the second person singular, you would say _opera da_. MR ---
**Author:** ![Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/3 "2000-10-02T15:24:02Z")
“Aypay Attentionway” Orrysay ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/4 "2000-10-02T17:19:04Z")
Are you sure about that, **Maeglin**? My dictionary gives _operam dare_ as meaning “to work hard” or “to pay attention”. _Opera_ is a first-declension noun meaning “trouble, exertion” as well as nom./acc. pl. of _opus_. It looks like the singular imperative would be _operam da_ and the plural would be _operas date_ [or _operam date_ perhaps?]. There are other ways of expressing the same thought. _Attende animum_ [to one person] or _Attendite animos_ [to two or more people] The single word _Animadverte_ [singular] or _Animadvertite_ also means about the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/5 "2000-10-02T17:49:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Maeglin? My dictionary gives operam dare as meaning “to work hard” or “to pay attention”. Yup, glad you looked it up. I remember learning _operam dare_ at the same time as _opus est_, so I imagine I conflated the two. My L&S says that _opera_ indeed is correct. MR ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/6 "2000-10-02T17:57:44Z")
I took Latin for two years in high school, and the only thing I remember is semper ubi sub ubi. And that’s not even proper grammer, I just thought it was so godammed funny, that it stuck. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/7 "2000-10-02T18:53:55Z")
Carpe cerevisi! ---
**Author:** ![Solkee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@Solkee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solkee)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/8 "2000-10-02T19:11:45Z")
LOL@SwimmingRiddles As for the question, I’d go with Animadverte (singular) and Animadvertite (plural) -S ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-question/35320/9 "2000-10-03T16:40:34Z")
Thanks, everybody! So, I’ve got “operam dare” and “attendite animos” or “animadvertite”. Can anybody tell me anything about the connotative difference? I’m looking for something like “An artist must pay attention to the world around him.” Give careful attention to, take a rapt interest in, become involved in. Any thoughts? Thanks again.