schola
[ˈskʰɔ.ɫa]feminine
School in Latin is schola. If unsure, use schola. Wiktionary also lists collēgium and lūdus.
Meaning: an institution dedicated to teaching and learning (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| schola | [ˈskʰɔ.ɫa] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈskɔː.la] (narrow) |
feminine |
| collēgium | neuter | |
| lūdus | masculine | |
| audītōrium | neuter |
schola is the usual word for a school. It also means a place of study, a lecture or a group gathered for a purpose. In Church Latin it can mean a choir or a place of church study.
Which one should you use?
lūdus is the old word for an elementary school. collēgium is a guild or formal association rather than a building for children. audītōrium is a lecture hall.
How does it change in a sentence?
schola is feminine. As a direct object it becomes scholam.
Did you know?
- The word schola is borrowed from the Greek word for 'leisure'. In Ancient Greece, having the free time to study was considered a luxury of the elite.
- The Latin word lūdus also means 'game' or 'sport'. This reflects the ancient Roman belief that early education for children should be playful.
- In the Roman world, a schola was not always a building with walls. It often referred to any designated spot, such as a porch or a public square, where a teacher and students gathered.
Examples in context
- 1804 Jun 12, Oberdeutsche Allgemeine Litteraturzeitung, No. 70, p. 1119We must learn not for school but for life.This is the well known saying that we learn not for school but for life.
- Cur ad scholam it?Why does he go to school?ad scholam means to school, with the object form after ad.Tatoeba #8503152 by alexmarcelo, translation #7432822 by Amastan
- Ubi est schola tua?Where is your school?schola tua means your school.Tatoeba #1160166 by Hans07, translation #17283 by CK
- Mea soror et ego ludos frequentamus.My sister and I attend school.
- 177 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucia and Lucius are walking to their classes.
- LuciaEstne haec schola tua, Luci?Is this your school, Lucius?
- LuciusIta, haec schola est magna.Yes, this school is large.
- LuciaUbi est porta scholae?Where is the gate of the school?
- LuciusPorta scholae ibi est.The gate of the school is there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “school” translations and entries schola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries schola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
