Doctus

I recently had the opportunity to try out Doctus, a software program designed to teach Latin on Mac computers. As of now, the primary focus of Doctus is verb drilling. This program covers all moods, tenses, conjugations, voices, persons, and numbers, including future and passive imperatives. While most infinitives and participles are included, Doctus does not currently cover irregular verbs.

One unique component of Doctus is its capability to quiz on pronunciation. Simply select the pronunciation quizzing option in the settings menu, and the program will prompt you to mark the stressed syllable. To add a macron or acute, use the semicolon or apostrophe key respectively. However, keep in mind that Doctus does not understand substitutes for macrons, such as tildes.

The settings menu may be overwhelming for beginners, but the default settings are typically the ones taught first. When Doctus asks for an indicative active verb, simply consider it as a normal verb. In short, Doctus is currently an excellent program for Latin verb drilling, with the unique addition of pronunciation quizzing. While there may be room for growth in its coverage of irregular verbs, Doctus is a valuable resource for Latin students on Macs.