I have found in my journey in Latin speaking that the most difficult thing for me (other than, good heavens, convoluted clauses within clauses) has by far been speaking Latin. We tend, especially as tirones, to start speaking English but using Latin words. It's a really easy thing to do, and it's a harder thing to do to start acquiring real Latin. I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but hours and hours and hours of input is the only real way to do that - for us or for our students. Sometimes, though, a list of nice idioms can help, so I'm putting forth a small list here of idioms I've found to be useful, ways we can start saying things more Latinly, if you will - either with our students or simply ourselves.
Quomodo res se habent - how things are going
Velim te/ex te aliquid interrogare - I'd like to ask you something (a quaestio is philosophical; a rogandum is what we consider a question)
Rem acu tetigisti - you hit the nail on the head
Pro pudor! - For shame
Pro dolor - How sad
Mihi excidit - I've forgotten, it escapes me
Memoriā teneo - I remember, I have it in my memory
Quid interest inter... (+ acc) - what's the difference between... (Terence has, alternately, 'quid stulto intellegens interest?')
Salve! - bless you (in response to a sneezer)
Munere fungitur - it works, he does a job
Succurrite - help (y'all)!
Male/bene succedit - it goes well/badly
Fieri potest - it's possible
Primo quoque tempore - at the first possible time
Gratias -nti - thank you for doing something (auxilio venienti, roganti, offerenti, etc.)
Allurgia (et aliis affectibus) afficior - I'm affected by an allergy/anger/happiness/boredom
Pro certo habeo - I'm absolutely certain (also, pro certo non habeo)
Haud scio an - I'm almost sure that
Veresimilius/veri simile - more likely, probably
Manum do; hastas abicio - I give up
Me incluso(a)/excluso(a) - Including/excluding me
Ain'? - really? (but this only pertains if someone has actually said something. it's a contraction from aisne)
Tecum sto - I'm with you, I agree
Sub divo - outside
Secedendum mihi est - a polite way of indicating a need to go to the bathroom
Haeret secessu - He's in the bathroom
In discrimine sum/in luto haereo - I'm in trouble
Calleo (+ abl) - I am experienced in something (or I have calluses...)
Digna patitur - he's getting what he deserves
Mea/tua/sua sponte - Of my/your/his own will, voluntarily
Meo/tuo/suo marte - of my own exertions/strength; I did it myself
Nisi fallor - unless I'm wrong
Animo fingo - I'm imagining
Favete linguis - hush
Infitias eo ( acc inf) - I doubt
Non dubito quin (subjunctive) - I don't doubt
Quoad sciam - as far as I know
Male narras - I'm pretty sure that this is relatively close to 'that sucks.'
Bene narras - good story!
Itane? - oh, really? (mildly sarcastic)
Ain' vero? Ain' tu? - really? (the way that we ask with some surprise when someone says, "I have thirty-seven siblings!" and someone says, "Really?!")
Dorice concinunt - those go together well. (the kids keep asking for 'on point,' and I suspect this is a good equivalent)
Susque deque mihi - doesn't matter to me, doesn't make a difference, whatever
Iam hic ero - I'll be right back
Apud novercam queror - I'm complaining to my stepmother. I.e. I'm complaining to someone who just couldn't care less.
Da veniam - a polite sort of 'excuse me.' Da veniam, I know I'm interrupting. Da veniam, I know I've asked your name thirty times, but what is it?
Lupus in fabula! - speak of the devil!
This is in no way exhaustive - simply a beginning. I also have a document full of idioms in the "materials" section. It is easy to download, print, and laminate, and then you can throw it on your walls. My classes each pick an idiom of the week from my idiom wall, and it has improved their Latin measurably!
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