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grammarlatinquestions

Page history last edited by Laura Gibbs 15 years, 3 months ago

 

HOME | Latin Language Help

 

Asking Questions in Latin

 

  Visit the Latin Discussion Page to leave your comments and get answers to your questions.

 

YES-OR-NO QUESTIONS:

 

To indicate a yes-or-no question, you can simply write a question mark at the end of the sentence. Many questions in Latin have no special indication that they are in the form of a question.

 

  • Lupus agnum devoravit? Did the wolf eat the lamb?

 

You can also put the particle -ne at the end of the first word in the question, indicating that this word is the focus of the question:

 

  • Lupusne agnum devoravit? Did the wolf eat the lamb? (i.e., was it the wolf or was it some other creature that ate the lamb?)

  • Agnumne lupus devoravit? Did the wolf eat the lamb? (i.e., was it the lamb that was eaten by the wolf, or some other creature that was eaten?)

 

You can also use the particle -ne to indicate a double question:

 

  • Lupus agnum devoravit, liberavitne? Did the wolf eat the lamb, or did he let him go?

 

The word an can be used to indicate an either-or alternative following a -ne question:

 

  • Lupusne agnum devoravit, an agnus lupum? Did the wolf eat the lamb, or did the lamb eat the wolf?

 

The word utrum can also be used to indicate an either-or alternative with an expressing the alternative (or annon expressing a negative alternative):

 

  • Utrum leo an lupus agnum devoravit? Did the lion eat the lamb, or did the wolf?

 

Sometimes word an can be used to indicate a questions that is a follow-up to a previous statement:

 

  • Quid ais? An lupus agnum devoravit? What are you saying? Did the wolf eat the lamb?

 

If the question anticipates an affirmative answer, you can begin the question with nonne

 

  • Nonne lupus agnum devoravit? Didn't the wolf devour the lamb? (Yes, he did!)

 

If the question anticipates a negative answer, you can begin the question with num:

 

  • Num lupus agnum devoravit? The wolf didn't devour the lamb, did he? (No, he did not!)

 

There is no Latin word exactly equivalent to English "yes." If you want to answer a question affirmatively, make a statement that conveys the correct information. (In addition, to affirm what has been said, you can use a word or phrase such as vero, ita, ita vero, sic, etiam, profecto, plane, admodum, immo, immo vero, sane, certe, maxime, etc.)

 

  • Lupus agnum devoravit? Did the wolf eat the lamb? Devoravit. Yes, he did.

 

Similarly, there is no Latin word exactly equivalent to English "no." If you want to answer a question negatively, make a statement that conveys the correct information. (In addition, to negate what has been said, you can use a word or phrase such as non ita, non vero, minime, minime vero, haudquaquam, etc.)

 

  • Lupus agnum devoravit? Did the wolf eat the lamb? Non devoravit. No, he did not.

 

QUESTION WORDS:

 

In addition to questions seeking simply affirmation or negation, there are many other types of questions which seek unknown information. Interrogative pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs are used to solicit this information. Here is a list of the most commonly found interrogative words used in Latin:

 

quis - who?

quid - what?

qui / quae / quod - which?

uter / utra / utrum - which? (of two)

cur / quare / quamobrem / quapropter / quid - why?

ubi - where?

quo - where to?

qua - which way? by which route?

unde - where from?

quando / ubi - when?

quomodo / quemadmodum - in what way? how?

qualis - what sort of? how?

quam - how? to what degree?

quam diu - for how long?

quantus - how big? how great?

quantum - how much? (often with partitive genitive)

quanto - by how much? for how much?

quot - how many?

quotus - which in number? which in order? (e.g., hora quota est?)

quotiens - how often?

 

ANSWERING A WHY QUESTION:

 

You can answer a "why" question by a simple direct statement, or by using an introductory word or phrase, such as quia, quod, propter (+ acc.), ob (+ acc.), etc. If the answer needs to be expressed as a purpose, you can use  ut or ne (+ subjunctive).

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