A Review of Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata (LLPSI)
In this review of Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, I tell you everything you need to know about getting started with the innovative Latin resource. Pros, cons, and tips!
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The Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata series has a lot to offer students and teachers. This review mostly relates to the main textbook, Familia Romana. But I will also touch on the many accompanying volumes.
Are you interested in a natural acquisition-based method? If so, then Familia Romana is an excellent option . . . with a few caveats.
I will go into more detail below, but here’s the gist of it. If you are learning Latin on your own, then you will almost definitely want to purchase the companion, Lingua Latina: A Companion to Familia Romana. Otherwise you may spend quite a lot of frustrated time looking for your answers elsewhere.
When combined with the companion, Familia Romana provides a powerhouse of Latin stories with just the right amount of grammar.
What is Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata?
Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata (henceforth LLPSI) is a series designed by Hans Ørberg, a Danish linguist and teacher. Ørberg’s goal was to create a Latin textbook based on the natural approach.
Latin has historically been taught via the grammar-translation method, which – unsurprisingly – emphasizes grammar and translation. The downside to this approach is that students can often repeat grammatical rules and parse words confidently, but they struggle to actually read and understand Latin.
Ørberg’s solution is to present Latin in Latin. There are a lot of associated books, so here I will mention the two that are most likely to be helpful to a beginning learner.
Lingua Latina, Pars 1: Familia Romana
The main textbook, Familia Romana, begins with simple sentences such as “Rōma in Italiā est” (Rome is in Italy). It gradually builds to more complicated phrases.
Accompanying illustrations and marginal notes (also in Latin) guide students through the mastery of new words and grammatical concepts. LLPSI relies on inductive language acquisition. As you read more and more Latin, you come to understand how the language works.
Each chapter begins with two or three Latin readings about a fictional Roman family and their life. Next there is a grammar section (Grammatica Latina) that explains new concepts . . . in Latin. And finally there are three Pensa, or exercises, where you can put your new Latin knowledge into action.
The back of Familia Romana contains declension and conjugation charts as well as an index of vocabulary and grammar. The index refers you to the page where a word or topic was first introduced.
View Familia Romana on Amazon.
Lingua Latina: A Companion to Familia Romana
This companion, written in English, provides guidance to students and commentary on each chapter of Familia Romana. But don’t worry, this isn’t a traditional grammar-led text. The emphasis is still on understanding the Latin in Latin.
But the companion will clear up grammatical confusion and help you to be sure you are progressing well. Plus it has helpful supplements, such as a vocabulary list for each chapter and numerous sections on Roman culture.
Jeanne Neumann, the author of the companion, urges students to refer to it second, AFTER they have read a given chapter of Familia Romana. If you do this, then you still experience words and concepts for the first time in Latin.
I highly recommend this companion to all independent students who are using Familia Romana as their primary textbook. Note that Lingua Latina includes some of Ørberg’s original supplementary materials, such as Grammatica Latina, Glossarium, and an equivalent of the student guide Latine Disco.
So if you have the companion, you do not need these additional materials.
Okay. Now you have an idea of what Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata is all about, so let’s review the pros and cons.
Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata: The Positives
#1: LLPSI focuses on understanding Latin in Latin.
Your ultimate goal when learning a language should always be to think, speak, read, and write in that language itself, without the need for your native language as a buffer.
But often with ancient languages we get sucked into methods that focus exclusively on translation. As a result, students don’t take time to understand Latin in Latin. They just write up a translation in their native language and move on.
LLPSI: Familia Romana has NO ENGLISH whatsoever. Students are forced to deal with Latin on its own terms, and this leads to a stronger understanding of the language.
#2: LLPSI does not require you to learn via English.
LLPSI is a great resource for native speakers of many languages.* You will need a grasp of English for the companion, but the textbook itself assumes no prior knowledge of English.
Whether you are learning on your own or you are teaching students of diverse linguistic backgrounds, LLPSI can be an equalizer. No need to stress about your level of English. Just focus on the Latin itself.
*Familia Romana does rely on cognates a great deal. So it is easiest for those who have a basic knowledge of a modern Romance language or a language that has been greatly influenced by Latin (e.g. English).
For instance, the grammar section uses terms like masculīnus, femenīnus, and neuter. These words look familiar to a speaker of English, and you can guess what they mean.
But if you only speak Mandarin Chinese, you are not likely to understand. You will need to turn to a dictionary for help. Or you will spend hours poring over the Latin, trying to puzzle things out.
#3: LLPSI gives you lots of reading material.
LLPSI encourages thoughtful engagement with Latin grammar and gives students lots and lots of input. At the beginning of your learning journey, it can be hard to find Latin that is simple enough to read.
But Familia Romana makes sure that students are putting their new knowledge in action. And if you purchase some of the additional books, you will have even more reading materials. (More about this below.)
#4: LLPSI has great macron usage.
LLPSI includes macrons. Most textbooks do (as they should), but it is especially important in a context that encourages active use of Latin.
Teachers often dismiss macrons as pedantic, but in actuality they help us to make Latin living and breathing again. You can read all about macrons here.
Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata: The Negatives
#1: Inductive acquisition can take more time.
The gradual acquisition approach takes time. Sure, it’s a great idea to mimic the way we learned our first language, but back then we were babies and we had super flexible minds.
As adults, we simply don’t have time to sit around and listen to someone speaking Latin to us 24/7. And this means that we need to speed things up – which is why the grammar-translation method was developed.
That said, you may not have a strict deadline in mind and you may just want to go with the flow and enjoy your Latin journey. It depends what you want to get out of LLPSI.
Furthermore, if you follow my advice and purchase the companion as well, then you can supplement the Latin with some helpful grammatical contextualization. This will help you to speed up the learning process while still benefiting from extensive opportunities to read Latin.
#2: LLPSI can be very repetitive.
Repetition helps to consolidate your knowledge of Latin, so it really isn’t a bad thing. But if you get bored easily, you may want to choose a different textbook.
For instance, my husband says that he was super bored and stopped reading. (My husband has learned multiple ancient languages, so it wasn’t the Latin that bored him, but rather the presentation.)
I repeat: there is a valid reason for the repetition. Inductive learning doesn’t work if you don’t have a lot of data to induce from. You need to see a lot of Latin so your brain can understand how the language works.
And you may find the repetition comforting and supportive. It all depends on how you learn best.
#3: It is hard to understand some grammatical concepts without explanation.
As I mentioned above, Familia Romana relies on marginal notes and pictures to help you understand new Latin vocabulary and grammar. Sometimes this works extremely well, but it can also require a bit of mental gymnastics.
Paradoxically, LLPSI at times assumes more grammatical competency than a traditional grammar-translation textbook like Wheelock’s or Shelmerdine. If Familia Romana uses a term like genetīvus in the grammar section, it’s all very well if you are familiar with cases in general. But if Latin is your first inflected language, then you will need some help.
Again, this is where the companion comes in. It will explain what the genitive case is. The companion can step in to save you from frustration and hours spent wondering about a complex grammatical concept.
But if you prefer grammar to be laid out and explained in advance, then LLPSI is not for you.
#4: You need to buy more than one book to learn Latin well.
I have now stressed multiple times the value of Lingua Latina: A Companion to Familia Romana. If you are learning Latin on your own, it will smooth your learning process so much. I’m not saying it’s impossible to use just Familia Romana, but it will take longer and require more guesswork.
In contrast, textbooks like Wheelock’s and Shelmerdine are fairly self-contained. Yes, there are independent workbooks, but you don’t need to purchase a companion to be able to follow along. (Of course, Wheelock’s and Shelmerdine have nowhere near the amount of Latin reading material as LLPSI. So there is a trade-off!)
On a similar note, Familia Romana does not include an answer key for its exercises. You have to buy the key separately. (To be fair, this is fairly typical of textbooks.)
You certainly can find the answers to the exercises simply by re-reading the chapter carefully. But if you want to check your answers, you will need to purchase an additional resource.
The Verdict: Should you use Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata?
Whether or not you have a good experience with LLPSI depends on what kind of learner you are. If you consider my pros and cons side-by-side, you will notice that several of the pros are the flip side of the cons.
In other words, a feature can be an advantage or a disadvantage based on your needs and goals. If you want to use a natural approach based on inductive learning, then this is an excellent option.
But if you love grammar and syntax and like having rules explained to you, then LLPSI will probably frustrate you. I personally would never have chosen this textbook for myself when I was learning Latin, because grammar fascinates me.
But I can see myself teaching from LLPSI in the future, because there are many students who would appreciate this approach. You may be one of them.
And ultimately, that’s what I want to emphasize here. There are many good Latin resources, so what is most important is that you choose what suits you best.
But remember: if you are teaching yourself Latin, definitely purchase the companion to go with Familia Romana.
View Familia Romana on Amazon!
Familia Romana As A Supplement
Even if you don’t want to use Familia Romana as your main textbook, consider purchasing it as an extra resource. While I love grammar, I am the first to recognize that you can’t learn a language with grammar alone.
You have to have lots of input, and in the case of an ancient language, that input will mostly be reading. If you want to master Latin, then you need to read Latin. Lots and lots of it.
And that’s why I recommend Familia Romana as a good supplement to your main Latin textbook. Seriously, get reading! I wish someone had told me to read Familia Romana when I was a beginning Latin student.
View Familia Romana on Amazon!
Still have some doubts? Keep reading for some frequently asked questions about Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata!
FAQ: Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata
What do I need to get started?
Purchase Familia Romana, which is the primary textbook. If you are learning on your own, then I highly recommend that you invest in the companion, as well.
What are all the extra books?
There are many books listed under the umbrella of LLPSI. Here are some that you might find helpful as a beginner:
- Exercitia Latina 1: if you want more practice producing Latin, then this book of exercises is for you. It is made to be used at the same time as Familia Romana. (Note: the answer key is sold separately.)
- Colloquia Personārum: Do you want even more reading practice? Then check out Colloquia Personārum! This book has additional readings about the Roman family which we meet in Familia Romana.
- Fabulae Syrae by Luigi Miraglia: This mythological reader is perfect for students in the later stages of Familia Romana. It contains readings that correspond to Chapters 26-34 of Familia Romana. But you can also use it as an independent resource!
None of these resources are necessary, but if you love Familia Romana you may want to give them a chance. You can purchase them all on Amazon.
How far will Lingua Latina take me?
By the time you complete Familia Romana, you will have learned most major grammatical concepts and you will be ready to tackle original Latin texts. (In fact, there are some original Latin texts in the final chapters of Familia Romana.)
So, in theory, you could finish Familia Romana and then abandon guided readers forever. But Ørberg has also created various sequels in the LLPSI series.
For instance, the second book, Roma Aeterna, guides you through slightly adapted Vergil and Livy and then presents unadapted excerpts from authors such as Ovid, Sallust, and Horace.
How should I use Lingua Latina?
The first thing to do is simply read your new chapter in Familia Romana. Work through the whole chapter and see how you do. Study the images and glosses carefully and try to understand what is happening in the text.
Do not translate or write English in your text. Remember – you want to focus on Latin.
Once you have given the chapter your best shot, go to the corresponding section in the companion. Read about the grammar and consult the vocabulary list.
Finally, return to the Latin and read through it again, trying to understand everything in Latin.
Can I get an answer key to Lingua Latina?
Yes. There is a teacher’s guide, Lingua Latina: Teacher’s Materials/Key.
The guide contains, among other things, an answer key to the Pensa and to Exercitia Latina (1 and 2). Answers are available for both Pars 1: Familia Romana AND Pars 2: Roma Aeterna.
Final Thoughts on Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata
And there you go. If you have made it all the way through this massive review, then good job!
And since you’re still reading, I will emphasize one last time: Familia Romana isn’t right for everyone. It really depends on your learning style, goals, and timeframe.
But it may be right for you, and only you can decide that. Even if you don’t want to use it as your main textbook, I would encourage you to consider it for supplementary reading.
View Familia Romana on Amazon!
Do you have experience with Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata? I would love to hear about it in the comments!
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Nice review.
My twelve-year-old is up to chapter 30 of Familia Romana, and I have lots of thoughts!
i) People sometimes imply that the course has little explicit grammatical instruction. That isn’t true. The chapters are organized around grammatical points, and there is lots of explicit treatment of grammar. I describe the course as being different from a “grammar and translation” approach in that it is “grammar and reading”. This might or might not appeal.
ii) As far as the “College Companion”, we found that any clarifying explanations there were actually taken from the “Latine Disco” pamphlet And “Latine Disco” is much cheaper! But we found that more exercises were helpful, so we used other books written to supplement “Familia Romana”, including Roberto Carfagni’s “Nova Exercitia”.
iii) You’re right that it isn’t a speedy method. There’s a lot of absorb. I have no idea how students could really get everything there if they were expected to finish the book in a year. Two would be pushing it, even for university students, I think.
Hi Sam, thanks for sharing your thoughts! You are right that there is explicit grammatical instruction in Familia Romana; I find that it is on the briefer side, but I think it is easy to supplement with other materials if you so desire. It is important to recognize that a Latin-first approach does not have to mean no grammar.
I recommend the Companion because it contains Latine Disco plus an overview of grammar and a glossary, but that’s good to know that you have gotten along fine with just Latine Disco.
I haven’t taught with Familia Romana as my primary textbook, but I know university professors who do. I’m not sure how much they cover per semester. So far I have been using Familia Romana and novellas as extra reading for my students.
Hi Livia, Thank you so much; your blog was so helpful. My oldest started Latin with Henle 1 and is now on Henle 3. And while he is good at Latin, I think he would have appreciated Latin a lot more if we had done LLPSI as a supplement. So I have started my second son on LLPSI instead of Henle 1. I, personally, found Henle grammar also very tough to understand. Is there another Latin grammar resource that you would recommend that explains grammar very well while also being relatively easier to understand? Thanks!
Hi Kitty, apologies for my delay in responding! I have two recommendations for you.
First there is English Grammar for Students of Latin, which walks you through grammatical concepts in a comprehensible way. Another option would be to use a Latin textbook like Wheelock’s, which I found easier to understand than Henle. Wheelock’s has a good index at the back so you could look up concepts that you or your children are struggling with.
Would I be able to translate Latin texts by completing this book or would I need to continue further studies in Latin?
Hi Jocelyn, this book will introduce you to the most important grammatical concepts and by the end you will theoretically be prepared to read and translate Latin texts. But, as with all Latin textbooks, there can be a steep learning curve from the textbook to the “real world” of ancient Roman texts.
If you learn and absorb the information in Familia Romana very well, then you should be prepared to read easier Latin texts with the help of commentaries. You can also continue with Roma Aeterna, the sequel to Familia Romana, which includes lightly adapted works of Vergil, Horace, etc. At the end of the day, though, you simply have to persevere and read more and more Latin.
Would you consider Lingua Latina to be equivalent to high school Latin I & II?
I’ve taught high school Latin with Henle but am considering switching over to LL. I’m just not sure how much to cover in one year for high school students.
Thank you!
Hi Denise, good question. How much Henle do you usually get through in Latin I and II? From what I remember (it’s been a few years since I have looked at Henle), Familia Romana covers roughly the same material as Henle First Year Latin. When I was in high school, I completed Henle First Year Latin in two years, so I could see Familia Romana working well for Latin I and II.
What is your opinion on Latin by the natural method by William Most? The style is also inductive and very similar to LLPSI
Hi Umar, unfortunately I am not familiar with this resource, but I will add it to my list of Latin textbooks to read and review!
I started teaching Latin at the local seminary about 10 years ago. I greatly opposed to the Lingua Latina of my predecessor. Seminarians major in Philosophy, read many books in translation for Philosophy, and have Aqunias and Augustine and the Vulgate as the meat of their Theology. You must grasp grammar and the connections between words and thoughts.
My defining recollection was of a student who translated something correctly but got all the grammar wrong.
Something like “The man is an soldier” in Latin– and he said “well The man is first so it must be the subject (wrong), the verb is “is’ because it can’t be anything else (wrong, there are nominal sentences” and -the big one : Soldier must be the direct object !!!
But he could read it
I agree that it is critical to teach grammar and syntax! In my opinion there is no perfect textbook; you always have to supplement with something. Currently I teach with Wheelock’s and supplement with more comprehension-focused materials and activities, but if I ever taught with Lingua Latina, I would be supplementing with more intensive grammatical instruction. (There is grammar in Lingua Latina already, of course. It all depends on the teacher, I would say!)