# SPQR Latin Dictionary and Reader

> Latin dictionary, reader, and learning tools for students and educators. (iPhone/iPad app by Paul Hudson.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spqr-latin-dictionary-and-reader/id407340562 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Paul Hudson](https://appshunter.io/developer/333613446)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: $29.99
- Rating: 4.16/5 from 77 App Store ratings · 109 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 347 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2010-12-10
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spqr-latin-dictionary-and-reader/id407340562/reviews.md

## What is SPQR Latin Dictionary and Reader?

SPQR is the ultimate learning tool for Latin students who want to immerse themselves in the language, presenting the most comprehensive Latin dictionary on the App Store, dozens of Latin texts with English translations, a grammar tester, flashcards, quiz, numeral converter, quotes of ancient wisdom, language learning tools and more.

*** TEACHERS: You can save 50% off the price of SPQR by using Apple's App Store Volume Purchase Program for education - visit http://www.romansgohome.com/education for more information ***

Here are just some of the features:
- Full, fast and searchable copy of the Lewis & Short Latin lexicon - it searches as you type, showing either short definitions or full definitions along with citations.

- Parse any Latin word to English, regardless of conjugation - includes full breakdown of the word's form.

- Full copies of classic texts in their original Latin, grouped either by author or genre, including: the Gallic War and Civil War by Julius Caesar, Res Gestae by Augustus, the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius, the Amores by Ovid, the poems of Catullus, the Aeneid, Georgicon and Eclogues by Virgil, Pliny the Elder and Younger, the Metamorphoses by Apuleius, five landmark speeches by Cicero (including In Verrem!), plus Horace, Juvenal, Vitruvius and more!

- Most of our Latin texts come with parallel English translations, which means you can be reading Caesar's original Latin description of his battles in Gaul, then tap a button and jump to an English translation exactly where you left off - flip between languages to check your translation as often as you want!

- New "Church fathers" mode that gives you the Bible in English and Latin, plus Augustine's Confessions and Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People.

- Students can use the built-in grammar test to check their skill at Latin conjugation; teachers can use the new exam mode to generate tests for classes in seconds.

- When you find a new word, use SPQR's flashcards system to practice your vocabulary as you learn.

- Our built-in classics quiz has over 4000 questions on the ancient world to test your knowledge.

- Included in the app are full copies of Allen & Greenough's New Latin Grammar, plus Fabulae Faciles, Bennet's New Latin Grammar and The Comic Latin Grammar - we've even added Edward Gibbon's epic work The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire for good measure.

- Dozens of quotes from ancient Roman sources, along with their English translations.

- Set Access Controls to restrict features based on student needs.

- PLUS: take advantage of the integrated Roman numeral converter, experience Caesar's Gallic War in word-for-word mode, try your hand at the Sortes Virgilianae, get up close to Ancient Rome with our exclusive photo collection, and more!


SPQR is the app no serious Latin student should be without!


*** WHAT USERS ARE SAYING ***
"I teach both high school and college Latin classes. This is a great tool. To the creator: gratias multas! Everything he/she writes on the app advertisement page is accurate." - Magister McNair

"Wow... This has to be the best app I've ever spent money on. You could spend months just reading all the content it has, and the dictionary is just as useful as any official one." - Toop777

"The sheer volume of material is nearly overwhelming.  Definitely worth the price." - Kevbo SF

"I bought this app a couple of days ago, and am still coming to terms with how fabulous it is... If you love (or even like) Latin, I can't imagine you could be disappointed with this app. It does all that the creator promises, and it does it oh so well." - TuTubusLatinus

"This app is a Swiss Army Knife of Latin resources. As it is it's good enough for anyone who is comfortable reading Latin and wants to keep his classic texts all in one convenient app." - Jerrykim

## Key features

- Comprehensive Latin dictionary
- Classic Latin texts with English translations
- Grammar tester and flashcards
- Vocabulary practice and quizzes
- Roman numeral converter
- Exam generation for teachers

## What do users think of SPQR Latin Dictionary and Reader?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 📚 Comprehensive Latin literature library with hundreds of texts
- 🔍 Powerful word parser with grammatical analysis
- 📖 Side-by-side Latin and English translations
- ✏️ Flashcard generation and study tools
- 📝 Complete Lewis & Short dictionary included
- 🎓 Grammar quizzes and educational resources
- 💰 Excellent value for extensive content
- 🧠 Useful for all Latin proficiency levels
- ⚡ Offline functionality without internet required
- 👍 Intuitive interface for dictionary lookups

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes when opening Latin authors
- ⚠️ Not updated for iOS 17 compatibility
- 🔄 App crashes when accessing text reader
- 📱 Poor optimization for iPad and larger screens
- 🎨 Outdated user interface design
- ⏱️ Long app loading times
- 🚫 Lack of developer support and communication
- 📍 No bookmarking or position memory between sessions
- ❌ Missing annotation and highlighting features
- 🔧 Minimal maintenance over 7+ years

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes when clicking on Latin authors
- Dictionary crashes on iOS 17
- Text reader feature broken and inaccessible
- App doesn't remember last reading position
- Look-up feature defaults to Siri instead of built-in dictionary
- Grammar quiz displays answers without showing questions
- Roman numeral converter accepts invalid input
- Content panel cannot be hidden in portrait mode
- Word-in-text lookup doesn't work properly
- Corrupted text in some author works (e.g., Apuleius)
- Quiz feature non-functional on some devices
- Inconsistent dictionary search for word forms

**Most requested features**

- Bookmark functionality for saving reading positions
- Highlighting and annotation tools for texts
- Audio pronunciation for Latin words
- Modern UI overhaul for contemporary devices
- Line number matching between Latin and English translations
- Direct flashcard creation from dictionary lookups
- Split-view support for iPad
- Modern English translations instead of archaic versions
- Note-taking capabilities while reading
- Word lookup history feature
- Restoration of Latin games (Latin Match, Speed Latin)
- Full-screen reading mode
- Better dictionary search for inflected forms
- Confirmation dialog before deleting flashcards

## Recent user reviews (10 of 109)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spqr-latin-dictionary-and-reader/id407340562/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Where did the readings go?

*2025-01-12*

It is already great as a dictionary; adding the Authors made it Outstanding. Now, as soon as I click on an author, I am dumped back on the screen page. What happened? I think it’s all in the public domain, right?

### 5/5 — Loved it… No longer

*2024-12-02*

I used this app daily for years, but it has been crashing when I try to open Latin authors since upgrading to iOS 17. 
Dictionary is still great, but I miss the text reader.

### 5/5 — Awesome but…

*2024-11-09*

Great app, but please update it!!!!

### 5/5 — Love it, but please try to fix the bug!

*2024-02-18*

This the most used and appreciated app on my phone. It’s really remarkable in breadth and depth, but as others have noted, the app has recently started crashing whenever I click on one of the Lain authors. Deleting and re-downloading the app did not help.

### 5/5 — 5 stars for the old days

*2024-01-18*

This app seems dead. Crashes to home screen any time you try and click an author. It’s a 1 star rating for this, but I’m giving it 5 stars as a legacy rating for well over 5 years of excellence when it did function properly.

### 2/5 — Formerly Great App Lost its Library

*2023-12-21*

Title says it all. SPQR until recently was a fantastic collection of Latin literature that also included a useful dictionary functionality. The dictionary still works but any attempt to open one of the works by the Latin authors causes the app to crash. I infer that the developer has fallen behind on maintenance for compatibility with iOS updates

### 5/5 — Fantastic Reference App

*2023-10-05*

His has absolutely everything I was looking for, including a side-by-side of the St Jerome’s Vulgate and the Douay-Rheims Bible.

My only criticism isn’t about the app itself but upkeep; It’s been 7 years since this has been updated, I hope the developer(s) is(are) still around. This deserves a modern UI overhaul for iPhone’s larger screens.

### 1/5 — Crashes repeatedly

*2023-03-22*

I have been using this app on my iPhone almost daily for about ten years. The last few months, the app crashes when I go to the dictionary. I have uninstalled and re-installed the app, looked for an update, and tried to locate contact information for the developer to no avail. Could you please fix it?

### 2/5 — Crashes repeatedly now

*2023-01-23, version 4.0*

I used to love this app and used it almost daily. Now it crashes every time I try to use it. I have deleted the app and reinstalled it. That did not help. I cannot figure out how to contact the developer, so I decided to write this review to bring awareness to the issue.

### 5/5 — This is your app, amici

*2022-12-07*

I used this app to supplement 2 years of college Latin and 10 years later it is still a source of interest and fascination.

A specific benefit is that the parser search result are easier to parse than other parsing Latin search engines.

## Frequently asked questions about SPQR Latin Dictionary and Reader

### What does the SPQR Latin Dictionary and Reader app do?

This app serves as a comprehensive learning tool for Latin students. It includes a vast Latin dictionary, a collection of classic Latin texts with English translations, a grammar tester, flashcards for vocabulary practice, quizzes, and a Roman numeral converter.

### What are the key features of the SPQR Latin Dictionary and Reader app?

Key features include a full, searchable copy of the Lewis & Short Latin lexicon, the ability to parse Latin words to English with full grammatical breakdown, access to classic Latin texts like Caesar's Gallic War and Virgil's Aeneid with parallel English translations, a grammar test, flashcards, and a classics quiz.

### How much does the SPQR Latin Dictionary and Reader app cost?

The app is a paid application. However, teachers can save 50% by using Apple's App Store Volume Purchase Program for education. More information can be found on the developer's website.

### What kind of Latin texts are included in the app?

The app includes full copies of numerous classic Latin texts, such as Julius Caesar's Gallic War and Civil War, Virgil's Aeneid, Ovid's Amores, Cicero's speeches, and works by Suetonius, Pliny, and Horace. It also features a 'Church fathers' mode with the Bible in English and Latin, and Augustine's Confessions.

### Who is the target audience for this app?

This app is ideal for anyone studying Latin, including high school and college students, as well as educators who teach the language. It provides a wealth of resources for both independent learning and classroom use.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.0 — 2016-03-16

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

SPQR v4.0, "Pliny: It rhymes with Mini", is here at last, bringing some new texts for your reading pleasure:

- New texts in English and Latin: Pliny the Younger's Letters, Pliny the Elder's Natural History.

- New texts in English: Livy's Ab Urbe Condita, Juvenal's Satires, Ovid's Ars Amatoria. (These were already in Latin, but have been updated to include English.)

- New texts in Latin: Propertius's Elegies, Tibullus's Elegies.

Additionally, SPQR now supports the full range of iOS devices, from iPhone 4s through to 6s Plus, and iPad mini through to iPad Pro. In order to work with such a wide range of devices, the quotes screen has been simplified a little – a small trade off, but one that enables a much wider range of device support. If you have any questions or feedback, you can contact me on Twitter: @twostraws.

Thank you for your continued support of SPQR, and I hope you enjoy reading the new authors!

### 3.3 — 2013-11-15

FIXED: Some grammar test users were seeing the "Submit Answer" button overlap one of the options.

If you enjoy SPQR, please try our other classical apps: Latin Hangman, Certamen, Latin Word Search, Mythology, Latin Builder, Latin Scramble, Ancient Greek and Latin Pairs!

### 3.2 — 2013-09-18

- NEW: Users who have upgraded to the new iOS 7 release from Apple will find SPQR has been redesigned to fit in with the new, flat look of the system. iOS 6 users will continue to see the classic design.

- IMPROVED: SPQR's automatic flashcard generation is now more accurate.

- IMPROVED: Searching author text will automatically search both Latin and English at the same time.

- FIXED: Some users were reporting a crash when going to the flashcards screen for the first time.

- FIXED: On iPads with iOS 6 the access controls screen could sometimes fail to close when the password was entered incorrectly.

Thank you for all your feedback and support!

### 3.1 — 2013-08-23

NEW: Added the ability to create flashcards from books or from authors - for example, this lets you find the top 100 words in the writings of Livy.

- PLEASE NOTE: For longer texts this new feature can take a couple of minutes and is very memory intensive. We strongly recommend you use at least a second-generation iPad or iPad Mini, or at least an iPhone 4.

IMPROVED: Added instant lookup and flashcards to all texts in "Church Fathers" mode.

IMPROVED: Added built-in flashcard decks for OCR GCSE Latin Foundation and Higher, plus OCR A-Level Latin.

IMPROVED: Added option to make flashcards using any number of words from the source text - the default is 100.

IMPROVED: Added "Retry" button to flashcards so that you can flip cards between Latin and English as often as you need before continuing.

IMPROVED: Added an option to choose whether the iPad contents list is shown in portrait orientation.

IMPROVED: Added the current chapter number when you're reading in single-chapter mode.

FIXED: Fixed a bug when trying to load saved reading location for long texts.

FIXED: Fixed a bug with moving between verses in the vulgate.

FIXED: The background for the Sortes Virgilianae was sometimes disappearing on iPhone 5.

### 3.0 — 2013-08-12

Thank you for all your feedback, encouragement and support! This update includes some amazing new features - have fun!

- NEW: Word parser dictionary search quickly and accurately recognises and describes Latin words in any format.

- NEW: Instant look-up of words while reading now uses the new word parser, dramatically increasing accuracy.

- NEW: The Latin Typist mode can now draw upon the word parsing system to parse entire paragraphs of text, offering detailed translation and usage info.

- NEW: All-new Access Controls allow schools to selectively disable features that students are learning without technology.

- NEW: When reading any section of a work in Latin, a new button will appear next to the "Translate" button. Tapping this will scan the text for its 100 most frequently used words and automatically convert them into flashcards to help you learn.

- IMPROVED: SPQR now starts dramatically faster, and remembers which part of the app you were last using. Hurray!

- IMPROVED: Martial is now included in the Latin texts. Because SPQR is used by many younger students, some of Martial's writing are left untranslated in English.

- IMPROVED: DCC Core Latin vocabulary is now included in the built-in flashcard decks.

- IMPROVED: Going to the dictionary screen on iPhone will automatically select the search box for faster us. (NB: this will only occur if you don't have a previous search)

- IMPROVED: iPad users now get to see the left-hand navigation menu in all orientations.

- FIXED: Some users reported the "Look up" menu disappearing on occasion; this should no longer happen.

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## More apps by Paul Hudson

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All apps by Paul Hudson: https://appshunter.io/developer/333613446

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*