The Ultimate Vocabulary Guide for Wheelock’s Latin (Chapters 1

Wheelock’s Latin is the most widely used textbook for learning Latin in the English-speaking world. Its rigorous approach to grammar and syntax is legendary, but the sheer volume of vocabulary can be overwhelming for new students.

To help you stay ahead, we’ve compiled a guide to the most important words from Chapters 1 through 10, with links to our deep-dive analysis pages for each.

Core Vocabulary: Chapters 1–5

The foundation of your Latin journey starts with essential verbs and first/second declension nouns.

Amare: To love. (1st Conjugation)
Cogitare: To think, ponder, consider.
Dare: To give, offer.
Errāre: To wander; err, go astray, make a mistake.
Laudare: To praise.
Monere: To remind, advise, warn.
Servāre: To preserve, save, keep.
Vocāre: To call, summon.

Expanding Your Reach: Chapters 6–10

As you move into the third declension and more complex verb forms, keep these words at the top of your mind.

Habeo: To have, hold, possess; consider, regard.
Agere: To drive, lead, do, act.
Docere: To teach.
Scribere: To write.
Vincere: To conquer, overcome.
Venire: To come.
Invenire: To find, discover.

How to Master Wheelock Vocabulary

Simply memorizing a list isn't enough. You need to see how these words function in a sentence.

Check the Principal Parts: For every verb above, click the link to see its full inflection table. Knowing amare is great, but knowing amavi and amatus is essential for reading real Latin.
Use Our Pre-made Word Lists: We have digitized the vocabulary lists for Wheelock. You can browse public word lists to find one that matches your current chapter.
Practice with Flashcards: Once you find a list, use our built-in flashcard tool to test your recall.

Embed a Practice Quiz

Did you know you can create your own quizzes on latindictionary.io?

Step 1: Create a free account.
Step 2: Go to Word Lists and create a new list titled "Wheelock Chapter 1".
Step 3: Add your words.
Step 4: Hit "Play" to start a randomized quiz!

By using modern tools alongside your textbook, you’ll find that "Wheelock’s Wall" is much easier to climb than you thought.

Happy studying!