Quo pacto epistulas scribas Latinas
Opening:
Ioannes Reginaldo / Mariae salutem plurimam dicit.
Begin with your (the author’s) name in the nominative, then the addressee’s name in the dative, followed by some form of salutem plurimam dicit This can also be abbreviated as S. P. D., or S. D., or just sal. At first, you should write everything out, and only later use initials, after you have learned what they stand for.
After the greeting, many letters have the following abbreviation, or some variation of it: S.V.B.E.V., which stands for “si vales bene ego valeo.” If you write out the phrase, you can modify it with all kinds of adverbs, etc., e.g., si optime vales, ego quoque optime valeo.
If this letter is a response, you may refer to a letter that you have or have not received from the addressee. Sentences include:
Litterae tuae (epistola tua) valde me delectaverunt (delectavit).
Nuper litteras tuas recepi, et gratias plurimas ago.
Tam diu litteras tuas non recepi.
Iam litteras tuas expecto (I am still waiting for your letter)
Then you may want to respond to what was said in the letter:
Magno cum gaudio perlegi quod…
Say something about yourself, and how things are going.
Ego sum discipulus / discipula in primo / secundo / tertio / quarto anno scholae superiorae (lycaei).
Habito Quercupoli / Alamedae / Berkeleiae / Albaniae (note locative case. You can also use in + ablative)
XV annos natus / nata sum.
Studia mea semper colo / gero.
Studia mea valde mihi placent / non placent OR me delectant / non me delectant
(nota bene: placet + dative; delectat + accusative)
Ask what the addressee does and likes to do:
Ubi habitas?
Ubi natus / nata es?
Quid studias in schola?
Placetne tibi magister tuus / magistra tua?
Qua in universitate vis studere?
Before finishing the letter, request a response:
Valde expecto litteras tuas / responsum tuum.
Responsum mitte quam primum.
End the letter with vale or some variation:
Bene / optime vales
Valeas
Cura ut valeas
Fac valeas