Ubi libertas, ibi patria
“Where there is liberty, there is my country.”
Latin saying
What does “Ubi libertas, ibi patria” mean?
Ubi libertas, ibi patria translates as “Where there is liberty, there is my country.”
Freedom, not birthplace, defines one’s true home. It is the motto of people who chose a new homeland for its liberty.
“Ubi libertas, ibi patria” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ubi | where | adverb of place, introducing a clause: “where” |
| libertas | liberty, freedom | nominative singular feminine of libertas, “freedom”; subject of an understood “is” |
| ibi | there | adverb of place answering ubi: “there, in that place” |
| patria | homeland, native country | nominative singular feminine of patria, “fatherland, homeland”; Latin leaves out the verb “is” |
How to pronounce “Ubi libertas, ibi patria”
The two differ only in ibi: Classical IH-bee, Church EE-bee. The stress falls on the first syllable of ubi, on BEHR in libertas and on the first syllable of patria.
The story behind it
Word for word the saying runs “where liberty, there homeland”. Latin often drops the verb “to be”, so English has to add “is”, and the common translation adds “my” to make the sense personal.
The saying has no confirmed ancient source. It is a Latin maxim of uncertain origin that became popular in the early modern period, and various figures have been credited with it without a source that holds up. It is best cited simply as a Latin saying.
It echoes a remark attributed to the Roman poet Pacuvius, “patria est ubicumque est bene” (“home is wherever it is well”), but that is a different line. Today “Ubi libertas, ibi patria” is used by people who chose a new country for its freedom, and by those who hold that home is defined by liberty rather than by birth.
How to use “Ubi libertas, ibi patria”
A fitting line for a citizenship ceremony or an immigrant’s keepsake, a family motto about choosing a new homeland, or a speech or essay on freedom and belonging. It also works as a tattoo for anyone who sees freedom as the true measure of home.
- Latin
- Ubi libertas, ibi patria
- English
- Where there is liberty, there is my country.
- Source
- Latin saying
- Era
- Early modern
- Theme
- Freedom
Common mistakes
- Do not credit it to a famous author with confidence. Its origin is uncertain and the usual attributions are unverified.
- There is no verb in the Latin. “Is” and often “my” are added in translation, so “Where liberty is, there is my country” is a fair rendering, not a literal one.
- Patria means homeland or fatherland, not simply “country” as a territory. It carries a sense of belonging and loyalty.
- Spelling mistakes are common: it is libertas, with an r, and ibi, not “ubi” twice.
Questions about “Ubi libertas, ibi patria”
What does “Ubi libertas, ibi patria” mean literally?
“Where liberty, there homeland.” Latin leaves out the verb, so English adds “is”: where there is freedom, there is home.
Who said “Ubi libertas, ibi patria”?
No one can say for sure. It is a Latin saying of uncertain origin, popular in the eighteenth century and credited to various people without a confirmed source.
How do you pronounce “Ubi libertas, ibi patria”?
In Classical Latin: OO-bee lee-BEHR-tahs IH-bee PAH-tree-ah. In Church Latin the only change is ibi, said EE-bee.
Is “Ubi libertas, ibi patria” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is short, grammatical Latin with the verb understood, as is normal for proverbs. Just keep the spelling exactly as given.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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