Per ardua surgo
“Through difficulties I rise.”
Latin motto
What does “Per ardua surgo” mean?
Per ardua surgo translates as “Through difficulties I rise.”
Hardship is not the end but the means of growth; obstacles become steps upward. The motto encourages resilience.
“Per ardua surgo” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Per | through | preposition that takes the accusative case |
| ardua | difficulties, steep places | accusative plural neuter of the adjective arduus, “steep, hard”, used here as a noun; “hard things” |
| surgo | I rise | first person singular present indicative active of surgo, surgere, “to rise, get up” |
How to pronounce “Per ardua surgo”
Both pronunciations sound the same here, since there is no c, g, v or ae in a position that changes. Stress the first syllable of ardua and of surgo.
The story behind it
Word for word the motto says “through hard things I rise”. Arduus originally means steep, as in a steep slope, and later hard or difficult, so the picture is of climbing upward through effort.
It belongs to the family of mottos built on per ardua, the best known being Per ardua ad astra, “through hardship to the stars”. That longer form is famous as the motto of the British Royal Air Force.
Per ardua surgo is a modern Latin motto rather than a line from an ancient author. Its message of resilience makes it a natural choice for people marking a recovery or a hard-won achievement.
How to use “Per ardua surgo”
A fitting tattoo or engraving for someone who has come through illness, loss or a long struggle, or a card to mark a recovery milestone. It also works as a personal or team motto about perseverance.
- Latin
- Per ardua surgo
- English
- Through difficulties I rise.
- Source
- Latin motto
- Era
- Modern Latin
- Theme
- Courage
Common mistakes
- It is not a line from Cicero, Virgil or any ancient author, so do not cite it as one. It is a modern motto.
- Surgo is first person singular (“I rise”). To say “we rise”, the form is surgimus.
- Do not confuse it with Per ardua ad astra, which means “through hardship to the stars”; the phrases are related but not the same.
- Ardua is a plural noun here (“difficulties”). Writing the singular arduum changes the sense to “a difficulty”.
Questions about “Per ardua surgo”
What does “Per ardua surgo” mean literally?
“Through hard things I rise.” Ardua are steep or difficult things, and surgo means “I rise” or “I get up”.
Is “Per ardua surgo” the same as “Per ardua ad astra”?
No. They share the opening per ardua, but “Per ardua ad astra” means “through hardship to the stars” and is the RAF motto.
How do you pronounce “Per ardua surgo”?
Classical: per AR-doo-ah SOOR-goh. Church Latin sounds the same.
Is “Per ardua surgo” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is grammatical Latin: a preposition with an accusative plural, then a first person verb. Just keep the spelling 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.