Latin is the door to another world. After learning the complicated Latin grammar, students will slowly begin to realize that they have learned the grammar of Greek, German, Russian, English, Spanish, Italian, and who knows how many other languages. In other words, they will have learned how languages work. If your student has finished Latin and you are wondering about languages such as Spanish as the next step, you are asking exactly the right question.
J. R. R. Tolkien once said that Latin was his favorite language, for from this solid foundation he could stand firmly as he learned other languages. He eventually spoke seventeen languages, three of which he created himself.
So where do you go after Latin?
Road 1: Go Deeper. More Latin and Greek.
Your student could go back in time. He could go from Visual Latin into more Latin, working toward classic Latin books such as Caesar’s Gallic Wars. He could also learn Greek. Greek is Latin with a different alphabet. The grammars are so similar. If a student knows Latin already, half of my job is done.
Going back in time is a narrow and difficult road. Going deeper into Latin and Greek is brutal. These are tough languages. Of course, if your student can plow through, nothing will ever again intimidate him mentally. After Latin and Greek, everything looks easy. And there is one more thing worth mentioning. The New Testament was written in Greek. Students who push through to Greek will eventually be able to read it in the original language. That is very notable. But I am warning you. This is the hard road.
Road 2: The Romance Languages (The Easier Path)
There is another way. Once your student learns Latin well, he could tackle any of the Romance languages. This is the easier path. This is easier seen than explained. Look at the first few lines of the Lord’s Prayer.
English: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Latin: Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum, adveniat regnum tuum, fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo, et in terra.
Italian: Padre nostro che sei nei cieli, sia santificato il tuo nome; venga il tuo regno; sia fatta la tua volontà anche in terra com’è fatta nel cielo.
Spanish: Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos, santificado sea tu nombre. Venga tu reino. Sea hecha tu voluntad, como en el cielo, así también en la tierra.
French: Notre Père qui es aux cieux! Que ton nom soit sanctifié; que ton règne vienne; que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.
Look at how much carries over. By learning Latin, your student has already learned much of the modern Romance vocabulary. As much as 90% of the vocabulary in any given Romance language comes directly from Latin. After Latin, Italian is the easiest to learn, then Spanish, then French.
I don’t speak Spanish perfectly, but I was able to read in Spanish with no problems six months after I started. I am currently teaching myself Italian. I hope to be reading in Italian by September.
The point is, after Latin, the Romance languages are almost easy. There is no easy language to learn (at least, I have not found one). But after Latin, other languages are easier.
My Recommendation: Spanish
Honestly, after Latin, I recommend Spanish. I think everyone in America should learn Spanish. Your student could learn it in less than a year if he worked at it.
At Compass Classroom, I teach a course built exactly for this transition: Spanish Grammar from Latin Roots. It uses everything a student already knows from Latin as the starting point, because most of the grammar work is already done. The goal by year’s end is reading the Spanish New Testament.
For students who want to go further, I also teach Spanish 1 Live at Compass Classroom. In Spanish 1, we work through Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish over 33 weeks, covering all of Spanish grammar while practicing reading and speaking in class each week. Students read ahead on their own and come to class to discuss, ask questions, and practice speaking.
Spanish 2 Live picks up where Spanish 1 leaves off, finishing the last chapters of Madrigal while continuing to read and speak in class each week. Two years of Spanish, built on the Latin your student already knows. It goes faster than you would expect, but I designed it to be very manageable.
What Are Your Goals?
Really, it comes down to your goals. What do you want? Where do you want to go?
The hard road (Latin and Greek) will forge a mind that nothing can intimidate. The easier road (the Romance languages) will open up whole new worlds of reading, travel, and connection. Either way, a student who has finished Latin is not starting from zero. He is already halfway there. And if you are still wondering whether Latin is the right starting point, this post can help you decide.
Who Is Dwane Thomas?
Dwane Thomas has been studying languages for most of his life. He was born in England and grew up in Europe, surrounded by Dutch and German from an early age. He has been teaching Latin for more than 25 years, first in the classroom and then online beginning in 2011. He is the author of Visual Latin, Word Up!, and Via: How to Learn Latin and Almost Anything Else. He currently teaches Latin, Greek, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and English through Compass Classroom and his own site. He and his wife live in Franklin, Tennessee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What language should a student learn after Latin?
Spanish is my top recommendation. As much as 90% of Spanish vocabulary comes directly from Latin, so a student who knows Latin already has a significant head start. Italian is even closer to Latin if pure ease of transition is the goal, but Spanish is more practical, especially in America.
Is Greek hard to learn after Latin?
Harder than a Romance language, but not as hard as starting from scratch. The grammars are remarkably similar. The main hurdle is the alphabet. If a student can get past that, much of the grammar will feel familiar. Greek and Latin together are brutal. But students who push through tend to find everything else easy by comparison — and they will be able to read the New Testament in the language it was originally written in.
How long does it take to learn Spanish after Latin?
A motivated student could be reading in Spanish within six months. I know because that is roughly how long it took me. Speaking fluently takes longer, but reading — the skill that opens up books, history, and literature — comes surprisingly fast when Latin is already in place.
Which Romance language is easiest to learn after Latin?
Italian. It has changed the least from Latin over the centuries. Spanish is a close second, and French is a bit further behind — French spelling and pronunciation have drifted more from their Latin roots than Italian or Spanish have. That said, Spanish is the one I recommend for practical reasons. In America, you will actually get to use it.
Can a student skip Latin and go straight to Spanish or another Romance language?
Yes, and many do. But students who come to Spanish after Latin have a real advantage — especially in grammar and vocabulary. Once you know Latin, you can see the bones of Spanish. The structure is already familiar. If your student has already put in the work with Latin, use that foundation. It would be a shame to leave it sitting there.
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