First Steps in Latin: A Complete Course in Latin for One Year (Classic Reprint)

Master a year of Latin with a living-language approach .

This complete course guides beginners from a gentle English-language introduction to practical Latin reading and writing, designed to be engaging and approachable for the first year of study.

The book opens with a short, easy review of English grammar and explains Latin forms and constructions using clear, concrete examples. It emphasizes speaking, writing, and reading Latin as a living language, with early emphasis on simple verb forms and ready-made sentences. Vocabularies and exercises appear at the start of each lesson, drawn from Caesar’s Gallic War to ground practice in actual usage while avoiding unnecessary complexity for beginners. Pronunciation notes and phonetic details help learners develop accurate reading from the start, including a practical discussion of the Roman method and its letters.

• Learn through easy, real-speech examples that build reading and speaking skills
• Practice with sight-reading exercises and immediate translation work
• Build a solid foundation in verbs, sentence structure, and basic syntax
• Access guided notes on pronunciation, word formation, and core grammar

Ideal for beginners, homeschoolers, and classroom use, this edition aims to make Latin a living language from the first day of study and to prepare readers for more advanced Latin authors with confidence.