Gloria in excelsis Deo

Glory to God in the Highest

Level 1

The first lines of the angels' song, learned whole.

How It Works

LatinEnglish
Gloria in excelsis DeoGlory to God in the highest
et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.and on earth peace to people of good will.
Laudamus te, benedicimus te,We praise you, we bless you,
adoramus te, glorificamus te.we adore you, we glorify you.

Excelsis sounds like eks-KEL-sees in classical Latin and ek-SHEL-sees in Church Latin. In glorificamus the c comes before a, so it sounds like k in both.

The verbs after the opening all end in -mus, which means we: laudamus, benedicimus, adoramus, glorificamus. Each is followed by te, you.

The Gospel of Luke has in altissimis where the Mass has in excelsis. Both mean in the highest.

Examples (5)

  1. Gloria in excelsis Deo.

    Glory to God in the highest.

    Deo is dative: to God. In excelsis is in plus the ablative plural.

  2. Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

    And on earth peace to people of good will.

    Hominibus is dative plural. Bonae voluntatis is genitive: of good will.

  3. Laudamus te.

    We praise you.

    The ending -mus means we. Te is you, the thing praised.

  4. Benedicimus te.

    We bless you.

    Another -mus verb, with te again.

  5. Adoramus te.

    We adore you.

    A first conjugation verb, like amamus.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Gloria in excelsis DeoLevel 1Glory to God in the Highest

Learn This First

The hymn uses in with the ablative and is sung with Church sounds.

Words in This Pattern

gloriainexcelsusDeus