Laudemus

Laudemus is a Latin verb form derived from laudare, meaning to praise. It is the first-person plural present active subjunctive of laudare and is commonly translated as “let us praise” or, in certain contexts, “we may praise.” Its present indicative counterpart is laudamus, which means “we praise” and is not the same form.

Grammatical notes: The subjunctive mood in Latin is often used for exhortation in independent clauses, making laudemus typical of hortatory or exhortative expressions. The form is built from the present stem laud- with the subjunctive endings, yielding the first-person plural ending -emus. In usage, laudemus signals a collective invitation or wish rather than a straightforward statement of fact.

Usage and context: Laudemus appears in classical Latin texts, in religious hymns, and in liturgical or ceremonial language where a speaker invites a group to praise. In everyday prose, speakers more commonly employ the imperative laudate (“praise, you all”) for direct commands. Laudemus thus occupies a niche as a rhetorical device to foster communal praise or supplication.

Examples: Typical renderings include Laudemus Deum (“Let us praise God”) and Laudemus te, Domine (“Let us praise you, Lord”). The exact sense—let us praise or we may praise—depends on the surrounding context and translation choices.

See also: Latin subjunctive mood; hortatory subjunctive; laus, laudare (to praise).