Latin quote · Loyalty

Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet

“Loyal she began, loyal she remains.”

Motto of Ontario, Canada

Translation

What does “Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet” mean?

Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet translates as “Loyal she began, loyal she remains.”

The motto celebrates constancy: staying faithful to one’s origins and commitments over time. It works for any person or community proud of enduring loyalty.

Word by word

“Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet” word by word

Latin	English	Grammar
Ut	as, just as	conjunction (here comparative, ‘as’), introducing the first half of the comparison
incepit	she began	3rd person singular perfect active indicative of incipio, ‘to begin’; the unstated subject is ‘she’ (the province)
fidelis	loyal, faithful	nominative singular feminine adjective (fidelis, fidele), agreeing with the unstated ‘she’
sic	so, thus	adverb, pairing with ut: ‘as… so…’
permanet	she remains	3rd person singular present active indicative of permaneo, ‘to remain, to stay on’

Pronunciation

How to pronounce “Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet”

Classical Latinoot in-KEH-pit fih-DEH-lis sik per-MAH-net

Church Latinoot in-CHEH-pit fee-DEH-lees seek per-MAH-net

The differences are in incepit (hard c in Classical, ch in Church), the long i of fidelis, and the c of sic. Stress falls on the second syllable of incepit and fidelis, and on the second-to-last syllable of permanet.

Origin & context

The story behind it

Word for word the motto reads ‘As she began loyal, so she remains’. The unstated subject is feminine, since the province is imagined as a woman, and the sentence is built as a pair: ut (‘as’) balanced by sic (‘so’).

It is the official motto of the Canadian province of Ontario and appears on its coat of arms. It recalls the United Empire Loyalists, who left the United States after the American Revolution and settled in what is now Ontario.

Because it is a modern motto, not a line from an ancient author, it uses ordinary Latin in a simple, balanced form. Outside Ontario it is quoted as a short statement of steadfastness.

When to use it

How to use “Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet”

Fits an Ontario keepsake, a family or community motto about long-standing loyalty, or a card marking an anniversary or long service. As a tattoo it suits someone who wants to express lasting faithfulness, though the feminine wording points to a ‘she’ or a place.

Latin: Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet
English: Loyal she began, loyal she remains.
Source: Motto of Ontario, Canada
Era: Modern Latin
Theme: Loyalty

Good to know

Common mistakes

The verb incepit is perfect tense (‘she began’), not present. Do not read it as ‘she begins’.
The subject is feminine. For a man or a group the adjective changes: fidelis is the same in the masculine, but the ‘she’ is only implied, so the English meaning shifts and the plural would need incepērunt fideles and permanent.
It is not an ancient Roman saying. It is a modern provincial motto, so avoid attributing it to a classical author.
Do not shorten it to ‘Ut incepit fidelis’ alone, which leaves the sentence half finished.

FAQ

Questions about “Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet”

What does “Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet” mean?

It means ‘Loyal she began, loyal she remains’, or more literally ‘As she began loyal, so she remains’. It praises constant loyalty over time.

Whose motto is “Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet”?

It is the motto of the Canadian province of Ontario. It recalls the Loyalists who settled there after the American Revolution.

How do you pronounce “Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet”?

In Classical Latin: oot in-KEH-pit fih-DEH-lis sik per-MAH-net. In the Church style the c in incepit becomes ch: in-CHEH-pit.

Is “Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet” good Latin for a tattoo?

The Latin is correct, but it is worded for a feminine ‘she’. If you mean it about yourself or a group, consider whether the original meaning fits or ask a Latinist to adapt it.

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