GREETINGS / COMMANDS

ELE Syllabus Entry

(singular, plural)
Ambula / Ambulate Porta / Portate Surge / Surgite
Audi / Audite Repete / Repetite Tace / Tacete
Conside, Considite Salve / Salvete Vale / Valete
Demonstra / Demonstrate Scribe / Scribite
Lege / Legite Sede / Sedete

SECTION CONTENTS

Salve / Vale Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Greetings / Commands in the Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

GRAPHICS CD CONTENTS

Salve / Vale Song Overhead

Copyright 2004 American Classical League

67 May be reproduced for classroom use
 GREETINGS / COMMANDS

Salve /Vale Song

(to the tune of “The Hokey-Pokey”)

Salve

You put your “Salve” in

You put your “Salve” out
You put your “Salve” in
And you wave it all about
You sit yourself down
And make a big smile
That’s what it’s all about

“HELLO!”

Vale

You put your “Vale” in

You put your “Vale” out
You put your “Vale” in
And you wave it all about
You stand yourself up
And you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about

“GOOD-BYE!”

Copyright 2004 American Classical League

68 May be reproduced for classroom use
 GREETINGS / COMMANDS

Greetings / Commands in the Classroom

You can practice command forms in a number of different ways.

1. Give commands to individual children or to the entire group. They must perform the action.

Ambula/Ambulate
Plaude/Plaudite
Conside/Considite
Surge/Surgite

2. In conjunction with classroom items, give the following commands for them to perform.

Ambula/Ambulate + ad ianuam
+ ad fenestram
+ ad latrinam
+ ad mensam
+ ad sellam

Demonstra/Demonstrate + chartam
+ librum
+ mensam
+ puellam
+ puerum
+ sellam
+ stilum
+ tabulam
+ discipulum
+ discipulam

Porta/Portate + chartam
+ librum
+ sellam
+ stilum
+ tabulam

3. Ask your students to pantomime the following actions.

Audi/Audite
Lege/Legite
Repete/Repetite
Scribe/Scribite
Tace/Tacete

Copyright 2004 American Classical League

69 May be reproduced for classroom use
 GREETINGS / COMMANDS

Greetings / Commands in the Classroom (continued)

4. Divide your students into groups of four. One will be the commander and the others will be
the followers. The commander chooses four commands to give. The other students will follow
the commands. Each group can perform for the class. Students should take turns being the
commander on successive days.

5. Teach the Expressions/Words vocabulary with the classroom words used in the commands
above. Students will also need to know number words. Ask these questions or others specific
to your classroom.
Quot discipuli sunt?
Quot discipulae sunt?
Quot ianuae sunt?
Quot mensae sunt?

6. Use a variety of vocabulary words in the first question, depending upon the units you have
taught and the items in your classroom. For the second question, you will need to have the
items or pictures of the items to show. The third question works well with the family words.

Ubi est liber? (magistra, sella, liber, feles, ursus, coma, nasus, etc.)
Quid est? (avis, aqueduct, manus, stilus, gladiator, luna, etc.)
Quis est? (avus, frater, infans, pater, etc.)

7. Create a conversation using Salve, Vale, and expressions. Vary the vocabulary to incorporate
as many vocabulary words as possible. Use a shorter conversation for younger children.

First Child: Salve.

Second Child: Salve.

First Child: Quid est nomen tibi?

Second Child: Mihi nomen est ____________. Quid est nomen tibi?

First Child: Mihi nomen est ____________.

Second Child: Quid agis?

First Child: Bene (Optime, Male). Gratias tibi ago. Quid agis?
Second Child: Bene (Optime, Male). Esne (discipula/-us, magistra/-ter, puer/puella, etc.)?

First Child: Ita vero (Minime). Esne (discipula/-us, magistra/-ter, etc.)?

Second Child: Ita vero (Minime). Vale.

First Child: Vale.

Copyright 2004 American Classical League

70 May be reproduced for classroom use