Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet
“The heard word perishes, the written letter remains.”
Medieval Latin proverb
What does “Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet” mean?
Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet translates as “The heard word perishes, the written letter remains.”
Spoken words are soon forgotten, but what is written lasts. Put important things in writing.
“Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Vox | voice, spoken word | nominative singular feminine of vox, “voice, word”; the subject of perit |
| audita | heard | perfect passive participle of audio, “I hear”; nominative singular feminine, agreeing with vox |
| perit | perishes, is lost | third person singular present indicative active of pereo, “I perish, I am lost” |
| littera | letter, written character | nominative singular feminine of littera, “letter”; the subject of manet |
| scripta | written | perfect passive participle of scribo, “I write”; nominative singular feminine, agreeing with littera |
| manet | remains, endures | third person singular present indicative active of maneo, “I remain, I stay” |
How to pronounce “Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet”
The main differences are v (w in Classical, v in Church) and the c-sounds, which do not occur here. Stress falls on the second syllable of audita and on the first syllable of perit, littera, scripta and manet. Pronounce the double t in littera as two distinct t sounds.
The story behind it
Word for word the proverb says “the heard voice perishes, the written letter remains”. It sets two ways of communicating against each other: speech, which vanishes the moment it is heard, and writing, which stays.
It is a medieval proverb with no known individual author, so it should not be credited to a named Roman writer. It is closely related to the better known verba volant, scripta manent (“spoken words fly away, written words remain”), and the two are often mixed up or treated as one saying.
The thought itself is old, since people in antiquity already knew that writing outlasts speech. Today the saying is often quoted in discussions of contracts, record-keeping and the value of putting agreements and ideas on paper.
How to use “Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet”
It suits a note to a writer or a student, a motto for an office, archive or library, or a reminder to get an agreement in writing. It also works as a tattoo or print for anyone who loves books and the written word.
- Latin
- Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet
- English
- The heard word perishes, the written letter remains.
- Source
- Medieval Latin proverb
- Era
- Medieval
- Theme
- Communication
Common mistakes
- Do not credit it to Cicero, Seneca or any other classical author. It is a medieval proverb of unknown origin.
- It is not the same wording as verba volant, scripta manent, though the meaning is nearly identical. Mixing the two produces a phrase that is not found in either form.
- The singular forms vox and littera matter. Turning littera into the plural litterae changes the meaning to “letters” in the sense of literature or correspondence, and the verb and participle must change too.
- Dropping the comma or the second half leaves only “the heard word perishes”, which loses the contrast that gives the proverb its point.
Questions about “Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet”
What does “Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet” mean literally?
“The heard voice perishes, the written letter remains.” Spoken words are lost once they are heard, while writing endures.
Who said “Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet”?
No one in particular. It is a medieval Latin proverb of unknown authorship, not a line from a named classical author.
Is it the same as “Verba volant, scripta manent”?
They are different wordings of the same idea. Verba volant, scripta manent is the more widely known version, but this one is also an established proverb.
How do you pronounce “Vox audita perit, littera scripta manet”?
In Classical Latin: wohks ow-DEE-tah PEH-rit LIT-teh-rah SKRIP-tah MAH-net. In Church Latin the v sounds like an English v, and scripta is closer to SKREEP-tah.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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