Disce pati
“Learn to endure.”
Latin motto
What does “Disce pati” mean?
Disce pati translates as “Learn to endure.”
Patience is a skill you can learn.
“Disce pati” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Disce | learn! | a command (imperative) of disco, “I learn”; addressed to one person. To a group: discite |
| pati | to endure, to suffer | present infinitive of patior, “I suffer, I endure” (a deponent verb: passive form, active meaning) |
How to pronounce “Disce pati”
The difference is in disce: Classical has a hard c (DIS-keh), Church Latin has a soft ch sound (DEE-sheh). Pati is the same in both, with stress on the first syllable of each word.
The story behind it
Word for word the motto says “learn to suffer”, and patior covers both suffering and patient endurance, so “learn to endure” is the usual English rendering. The grammar is simple: a command followed by an infinitive.
No ancient author is known to have written these two words as a set phrase, so the source is best given as a Latin motto of uncertain origin. The thought sits close to Stoic teaching, which treated the ability to bear hardship calmly as something trained through practice.
As a motto it appears on coats of arms and bookplates, and it suits anyone who wants a short reminder that resilience is built rather than inborn.
How to use “Disce pati”
A good fit for a tattoo, desk motto or card message to someone going through a hard stretch. It also works as an essay epigraph on perseverance or patience.
- Latin
- Disce pati
- English
- Learn to endure.
- Source
- Latin motto
- Era
- Modern
- Theme
- Resilience
Common mistakes
- It does not mean “learn to suffer” in the sense of seeking pain. Patior here is closer to bearing something than to enjoying it.
- Do not confuse pati with patria (homeland) or pax (peace). It is the infinitive of patior.
- Speaking to several people, use the plural discite pati, not disce pati.
- Do not attribute it to Seneca or Marcus Aurelius. It is a motto in the Stoic spirit, not a quotation from either.
Questions about “Disce pati”
What does “Disce pati” mean literally?
“Learn to suffer”, with pati meaning to suffer or endure. In English it is usually put as “learn to endure”.
Who said “Disce pati”?
No ancient author is known for it. It is a Latin motto of uncertain origin, used on coats of arms and bookplates.
How do you pronounce “Disce pati”?
In Classical Latin it is DIS-keh PAH-tee. In Church Latin the first word becomes DEE-sheh.
Is “Disce pati” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. Disce is the singular imperative of disco and pati is the infinitive of patior, so the grammar is sound.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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