Adeste fideles

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Level 2

A Christmas hymn built on two commands, adeste and venite.

How It Works

LatinEnglish
Adeste, fideles,Come, faithful ones,
laeti triumphantes,joyful and triumphant,
venite, venite in Bethlehem.come, come to Bethlehem.
Natum videte regem angelorum.See the newborn king of the angels.
Venite, adoremus Dominum.Come, let us worship the Lord.

Bethlehem is a Hebrew name, and it does not change. Venite in Bethlehem means come to Bethlehem.

Adeste is a command to several people. It comes from adsum, I am present. Adoremus is a wish form (Level 5), learned with the refrain.

Laeti and triumphantes both describe the faithful, so they are plural and match fideles. Videte is a plural command from video, to see, just as venite is from venio.

Examples (4)

  1. Adeste, fideles.

    Come, faithful ones.

    Adeste is a command to several people. Fideles names who is called.

  2. Venite, venite in Bethlehem.

    Come, come to Bethlehem.

    Venite is the plural command. The name Bethlehem does not change.

  3. Natum videte regem angelorum.

    See the newborn king of the angels.

    Videte is a plural command. Angelorum means of the angels.

  4. Venite, adoremus Dominum.

    Come, let us worship the Lord.

    The refrain. Adoremus is a wish form, learned whole here.

Common Mistakes

  • Giving a singular command to many people.

    Veni, fideles, in Bethlehem.
    Venite, fideles, in Bethlehem.

    Fideles means several people, so the command needs the plural ending -te: venite.

How It Connects

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

Adeste fidelesLevel 2O Come, All Ye Faithful

Learn This First

Adeste is a command, and the hymn is sung with Church sounds.

Words in This Pattern

adsumfidelisvenio