fleō
The English verb 'cry' can be translated into Latin as fleō or lacrimō.
Meaning: intransitive: to shed tears (verb)
Ways to say it
| Latin |
|---|
| fleō |
| lacrimō |
Both words describe the act of crying, but they emphasize different aspects of the experience. While both are intransitive verbs, fleō is often used to describe a more intense or audible form of weeping, such as wailing or lamenting. In contrast, lacrimō focuses more specifically on the physiological act of shedding tears.
Which one should you use?
fleō often implies a more intense or audible weeping, such as wailing or lamenting, whereas lacrimō focuses on the physical act of shedding tears.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form of lacrimō is lacrimāre, and its perfect tense form (to indicate he/she/it shed tears) is lacrimāvit. Related nouns for the shedding of tears include lacrimae, fletus and ploratus.
Did you know?
- The root of lacrimō is also found in the word lacrimarium, a small glass bottle designed to collect tears after a death.
- In Roman culture, professional mourners called praeficae were hired to fleō loudly at funerals to show the status of the deceased.
- While fleō means to weep, it is also used in Latin to describe the 'crying' or 'weeping' of a wound that oozes fluid.
Examples in context
- Puer plorabat propter rem tristem.The boy was crying because of a sad thing.
- Femina toto corde gemit.The woman cries with all her heart.
- Femina in silva furtim flevit.The woman secretly cried in the forest.
Example conversation
Quintus and Lucia are discussing a sad story.
- QuintusHic liber tristissimus est.This book is very sad.
- LuciaIta, ego iam fleō.Yes, I am already crying.
- QuintusNoli flere, Lucia.Do not cry, Lucia.
- LuciaNon possum.I cannot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cry” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
