Chapter 4: Personal Endings; the Present Tense

Habēmus aquam, habēmus polentam. — Seneca, Epistles 110.18
Translation

We have water, we have porridge.

Details

(So let’s count ourselves happy.) Habēmus is the first person plural form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. Aquam is the accusative singular form of aqua, aquae (1f): water. Habēmus is the first person plural form of habeō, habēre, habuī, habitum (2): to have. Polentam is the accusative singular form of polenta, polentae (1f): crushed grain (esp. barley); porridge.


Durum et durum non faciunt murum. — Latin proverb
Translation

Hard and hard do not make a wall.

Details

(You need the soft stuff, too—mortar, not just bricks.) Dūrus/dūra/ dūrum (1/2): hard; rough, harsh. Et (conj.): and. Dūrus/dūra/ dūrum (1/2): hard; rough, harsh. Nōn: not. Faciunt is the third person plural form of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Mūrum is the accusative singular form of mūrus, mūrī (2m): wall.


Non amō illum nisi offendo. — Seneca, Epistles 25.1
Translation

I do not love this one if I am unwilling to hurt his feelings.

More literally: I do not love him unless I offend (him).

Details

Nōn: not. Amō, amāre, amāvī, amātum (1): to love. Illum is the masculine accusative singular form of ille/illa/illud (pron.): that; he, she it. Nisi (conj.): if not, unless; except. Offendō, offendere, offendī, offēnsum (3): to strike; offend.


Iniuriam vocātis finem servitutis. — Seneca the Elder, Controversies 2.1.36
Translation

You (pl.) call the ending of slavery an insult.

Details

Iniūriam is the accusative singular form of iniūria, iniūriae (1f): injury, wrong, insult. Vocātis is the second person plural form of vocō, vocāre, vocāvī, vocātum (1): to call; summon. Fīnem is the accusative singular form of fīnis, fīnis (3m): end; limit; purpose. Servitūs, servitūtis (3f): slavery, servitude.


Cauda tenēs anguillam. — Erasmus, Adagia (1536)
Translation

You (sg.) are holding an eel by the tail.

Details

Caudā is the ablative singular form of cauda, caudae (1f): tail. Tenēs is the second person singular form of teneō, tenēre, tenuī, tentum (2): to hold; keep; restrain. Anguillam is the accusative singular form of anguilla, anguillae (1f): eel.


Qui vos a udit, me audit. — Luke 10:16
Translation

He who hears you, hears me.

Details

Quī /quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Vōs is the accusative form of vōs: you (pl.). Audit is the third person singular form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear. is the accusative singular form of ego. Audit is the third person singular form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear.


Nihil fortunae crēdit. — Seneca, On the Firmness of the Wise Man 5.4
Translation

He trusts nothing to fortune.

Details

Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. Fortūnae is the dative singular form of fortūna, fortūnae (1f): fortune, chance, luck. Crēdit is the third person singular form of crēdō, crēdere, crēdidī, crēditum (3): to entrust; trust; believe.


Non enim dēbētis hoc cogitare. — Cicero, Against Verres 2.3.199
Translation

For you must not reckon thus:

More literally: For you (pl.) ought not to think this.

Details

Nōn: not. Enim (particle): for, indeed. Dēbētis is the second person plural form of dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe; ought. Hoc is the neuter accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Cōgitō, cōgitāre, cōgitāvī, cōgitātum (1): to think.


Putat se cupere. — Seneca, Epistles 112.3
Translation

He thinks that he desires it.

More literally: He supposes himself to desire (it).

Details

Putat is the third person singular form of putō, putāre, putāvī, putātum (1): to think, regard, suppose. is the accusative form of the reflexive pronoun. Cupiō, cupere, cupīvī/cupiī, cupītum (3, –iō): to desire, wish.


Nam fide stātis. — 2 Cor. 1:24
Translation

For by faith you (pl.) stand.

Details

Nam (particle): for. Fidē is the ablative singular form of fidēs, fideī (5f): faith; reliance; loyalty. Stātis is the second person plural form of stō, stāre, stetī, statum (1): to stand.


Haec cum ictu quodam audīmus. — Seneca, Epistles 94.43
Translation

We receive a sort of shock when we hear such sayings.

More literally: We hear these with a certain sting.

Details

Haec is the neuter accusative plural form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Cum (prep.): with (takes the ablative). Ictū is the ablative singular form of ictus, ictūs (4m): blow; sting. Quōdam is the m/n ablative singular form of quīdam/quaedam/quoddam (adj.): some, a certain, a(n). Audīmus is the first person plural form of audiō, audīre, audīvī/audiī, audītum (4): to hear.


Iam venīs. — Catullus 61.195
Translation

Already you (sg.) come.

Details

Iam (adv.): now; already. Venīs is the second person singular form of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum (4): to come.


Dant nec intellegunt. — Seneca, On the Shortness of Life 8.4
Translation

They do give it, without realizing it.

More literally: The give (it) and they do not realize (it).

Details

(He’s talking about people who give away their time.) Dant is the third person plural form of dō, dare, dedī, datum (1, irreg.): to give; assign, attribute. Neque/ nec (conj.): and not, neither, nor. Intellegunt is the third person plural form of intellegō, intellegere, intellēxī, intellēctum (3): to understand; realize.


Quod s ciō nesciō. — Erasmus, Adagia (1536)
Translation

I do not know what I know.

Details

(A pledge to keep quiet.) Quod is the neuter accusative singular form of quī/quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know. Nesciō, nescīre, nescīvī/nesciī, nescītum (4): to not know.


Facere dēbēmus an non? — 2 Sam. 17:6
Translation

Shall we do it or not?

More literally: Ought we to do (it) or not?

Details

Faciō, facere, fēcī, factum (3, –iō): to do; make. Dēbēmus is the first person plural form of dēbeō, dēbēre, dēbuī, dēbitum (2): to owe, ought. An (interrog. particle): whether; or (in a question); it can also start a direct question. Nōn: not.


Quid rīdētis? — Plautus, The Pot of Gold 717
Translation

Why do you laugh?

Alt. : What are you laughing at?

Details

Quid is the neuter accusative singular form of quis/quis/quid (interrog. pron.): who? what? —the neuter accusative form can be used as an adverb meaning why? Rīdētis is the second person plural form of rīdeō, rīdēre, rīsī, rīsum (2): to laugh.


Plura non dīcō. — Cicero, In Defense of Publius Quinctius 76
Translation

I say no more.

More literally: I do not say more (things).

Details

Plūra is the neuter accusative plural form of plūrēs/plūrēs/plūra (3): more numerous, more (in number); many. Nōn: not. Dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum (3): to say.


Hoc vos scīre omnes sciunt. — Seneca, Epistles 94.26
Translation

Everyone knows that you know it.

More literally: All know you to know this.

Details

Hoc is the neuter accusative singular form of hic/haec/hoc (pron.): this; he, she, it. Vōs is the accusative form of vōs: you (pl.). Sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know. Omnēs is the m/f nominative plural form of omnis/omnis/omne (3): every, all; (m. pl. used substantively) all people, everyone. Sciunt is the third person plural form of sciō, scīre, scīvī/sciī, scītum (4): to know.


Qui nimium probat nihil probat. — useful saying
Translation

He who proves too much proves nothing.

Details

Quī /quae/quod (rel. pron.): who, which, that, what. Nimium is the accusative singular form of nimium, nimiī (2n): an excessive amount, too much (a common substantive use of nimius/nimia/nimium (1/2): excessive). Probat is the third person singular form of probō, probāre, probāvī, probātum (1): to try, test; approve; prove, demonstrate. Nihil (n, indeclinable, nom. or acc. only—here acc.): nothing. Probat is the third person singular form of probō, probāre, probāvī, probātum (1): to try, test; approve; prove, demonstrate.

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