Dona nobis pacem

Grant Us Peace

Level 1

A short request for peace, often sung in a round.

How It Works

In Church Latin pacem sounds like PAH-chem. In classical Latin it is PAH-kem, because c before e sounds like ch in one and k in the other.

Choirs sing the line as a round: Dona nobis pacem, pacem, dona nobis pacem. The same three words end the Agnus Dei at Mass.

The same pattern works with other nouns: Dona nobis panem is give us bread. At funerals the plea becomes Dona eis requiem, give them rest.

Dona nobis pacem.
Grant us peace.
Dona is the command, nobis means to us, and pacem is peace.
Dona nobis pacem, Domine.
Grant us peace, Lord.
Domine is the form for calling the Lord.
Dona nobis panem.
Give us bread.
The same pattern with panem, the accusative of panis.
Pacem, pacem.
Peace, peace.
The repeated word of the round.
Dona eis requiem.
Give them rest.
Eis means to them. Requiem is the accusative.

Using the nominative for the thing asked.
Dona nobis pax.
Dona nobis pacem.
Pax is the nominative, the form for a subject. The thing given is the object of dona, so it takes the accusative pacem.

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

Dona nobis pacemLevel 1Grant Us Peace

Pacem is the object of dona, so the accusative comes first, and the line is sung with Church sounds.

donoegopax

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