Per libertatem ad veritatem
“Through freedom to truth.”
Latin motto
What does “Per libertatem ad veritatem” mean?
Per libertatem ad veritatem translates as “Through freedom to truth.”
Truth is reached by free inquiry, not by compulsion. The motto defends open debate as the road to understanding.
“Per libertatem ad veritatem” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Per | through, by means of | preposition that takes the accusative case |
| libertatem | freedom | accusative singular of libertas, “freedom”; the case that follows per |
| ad | to, toward | preposition that takes the accusative case; here it marks the goal |
| veritatem | truth | accusative singular of veritas, “truth”; the case that follows ad |
How to pronounce “Per libertatem ad veritatem”
The two versions differ only in the vowels and the v: Classical has a hard w sound and a short i, Church Latin has a v and a longer ee. Stress falls on the second-to-last syllable of both long words: libertatem and veritatem.
The story behind it
Word for word the motto says “through freedom to truth”. Per marks the means and ad marks the goal, so freedom is the road and truth is where it leads.
The line is a modern Latin motto, not a quotation from an ancient author, and the source given for it is simply “Latin motto”. It is used by institutions of learning, which often choose Latin mottoes to state a founding idea in a few words.
The idea behind it is that people reach understanding by questioning, arguing and weighing evidence freely, not by being told what to believe. Because of that, it suits any group that wants to defend open debate.
How to use “Per libertatem ad veritatem”
A good fit for a university, a debating society, a free speech group or a school newspaper. It also works as a personal motto or a tattoo for someone who values independent thinking.
- Latin
- Per libertatem ad veritatem
- English
- Through freedom to truth.
- Source
- Latin motto
- Era
- Modern Latin
- Theme
- Freedom
Common mistakes
- It is not a classical Roman saying. It is a modern motto, so do not credit it to Cicero, Seneca or any other ancient author.
- Both nouns are in the accusative case after the prepositions, so the endings -em must stay. Writing “libertas” or “veritas” alone would be wrong after per and ad.
- The preposition per means “through”, not “for” or “with”. The phrase is about freedom as the route to truth, not about freedom and truth as two separate values.
Questions about “Per libertatem ad veritatem”
What does “Per libertatem ad veritatem” mean literally?
“Through freedom to truth.” Freedom is the means and truth is the goal.
Who said “Per libertatem ad veritatem”?
No single author is known. It is a modern Latin motto used by institutions of learning, not a line from an ancient writer.
How do you pronounce “Per libertatem ad veritatem”?
Classical: pehr lih-behr-TAH-tem ahd weh-rih-TAH-tem. Church Latin: pehr lee-behr-TAH-tem ahd veh-ree-TAH-tem. The stress is on TAH in both long words.
Is “Per libertatem ad veritatem” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. Per and ad both take the accusative, and libertatem and veritatem are the correct accusative forms. The grammar is sound.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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