Per ardua ad astra
“Through adversity to the stars.”
Motto of the Royal Air Force
What does “Per ardua ad astra” mean?
Per ardua ad astra translates as “Through adversity to the stars.”
Great things are reached by struggling through difficulties.
“Per ardua ad astra” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Per | through | preposition taking the accusative case |
| ardua | difficulties, steep places | accusative plural neuter of arduus, “steep, hard”, used as a noun (“hard things”) |
| ad | to, towards | preposition taking the accusative case |
| astra | the stars | accusative plural neuter of astrum, “star” |
How to pronounce “Per ardua ad astra”
Both pronunciations sound the same here. Stress the first syllable of ardua and astra; per and ad are single syllables.
The story behind it
Word for word the motto says “through hard things to the stars”. It is a modern motto written in classical Latin, not a line from an ancient author.
It is best known as the motto of the Royal Air Force, which took it over from the Royal Flying Corps, where it was adopted in 1912. Several Commonwealth air forces use it as well.
Its meaning has stretched far beyond aviation. Schools, teams and individuals use it for the idea that anything worth reaching has to be earned through effort and setbacks.
How to use “Per ardua ad astra”
A fitting tattoo, motto or card message for someone who has come through a hard stretch, such as an illness, a long course of study or a career change. It also suits a team or school motto, a speech about perseverance, or a gift for a pilot or aviation fan.
- Latin
- Per ardua ad astra
- English
- Through adversity to the stars.
- Source
- Motto of the Royal Air Force
- Era
- Modern
- Theme
- Perseverance
Common mistakes
- It is not an ancient Roman saying. It belongs to the modern era, even though the Latin is classical.
- Ardua is a neuter plural noun meaning “difficulties”. Do not change it to a singular form like arduum to mean “one difficulty”, which changes the sense.
- Do not write it as one word or leave out the per. Per ardua alone is only “through difficulties”.
- Some sources give “Sic itur ad astra” (“thus one goes to the stars”) as the source. That is a different phrase, from Virgil’s Aeneid.
Questions about “Per ardua ad astra”
What does “Per ardua ad astra” mean literally?
“Through hard things to the stars.” Ardua is a neuter plural noun meaning steep or difficult things, so the natural English is “through adversity to the stars”.
Who said “Per ardua ad astra”?
It is not from an ancient author. It is the motto of the Royal Air Force, taken over from the Royal Flying Corps, which adopted it in 1912.
How do you pronounce “Per ardua ad astra”?
In Classical Latin: per AR-doo-ah ad AS-trah. The Church pronunciation is the same for this phrase.
Is “Per ardua ad astra” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. The grammar is sound: per and ad both take the accusative, and ardua and astra are accusative plurals. You can use it exactly as written.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
One Latin line. Every Monday.
A quote, its translation and the story behind it, free in your inbox.