ARE: Lesson - Questions

The image shows a bronze figurine of a gladiator.

Questions

There are a variety of ways to ask a question in Latin, with the two main question types being simple and interrogative.

Simple Questions

Often the enclitic -ne is added to the first word of the sentence, usually the verb. The -ne simply means that the statement is a question. These are called Simple Questions. Examples:

  • Saluitne gladiator?
    • Did the gladiator jump?
  • Vincitne gladiator?
    • Is the gladiator winning?

Simple questions are answered with:

  • Yes (Ita, Vere, Recte, Certe, Ita Vero)
  • No (Minime, Non)

Expected Response Questions

Surely you've asked a question before and had an expectation of what the answer should be, right? Of course you have!

What we've just demonstrated is called an expected response question. The question was asked in such a way that made clear that the answer was supposed to be yes. Latin also has the ability to form expected response questions (expecting yes or expecting no), but instead of changing the word order, Latin adds two words to the start of the sentence: nonne or num.

  • Use nonne when the answer expected is yes:
    • Nonne gladiator citus?
      • Surely the gladiator was swift, wasn't he?
      • Answer: Ita vero! - Yes!
  • Use num when the answer expected is no: 
    • Num gladiator vincit?
      • Surely the gladiator isn't winning, is he?
      • Answer: Minime! - No!

Note carefully the structure of the English expected response questions. What do we do to a question to suggest an answer?

Interrogative Questions

An interrogative question is one that is started with a question word, which is called an interrogative. Below is a list of some of the most common interrogatives which you should learn in Latin I. 

Examples:

  • Cur gladiator vincit?
    • Why did the gladiator win?
  • Quocum gladiator pugnavit?
    • With whom did the gladiator fight?
  • Ubi gladiatores pugnaverunt?
    • Where did the gladiators fight?
Latin I - Interrogative List

Latin Interrogative Word

English Definition

Cur?

Why?

Qualis? sing.

Quales? pl.

What sort of? What kind of? sing.

What sort of? What kind of? pl.

Quando?

When?

Interrogative Pronoun/Adjective:

  • Quis? m/f sing.
  • Qui? m. pl.
  • Quae? f. pl.
  • Quem?
  • Quos? m. pl.
  • Quas? f. pl.
  • Quocum? sing.
  • Quacum? sing.
  • Quibuscum? pl.
  • Quid? sing.
  • Quae? pl.
  • Quod? sing.
  • Quae? pl.

Translation/Gender Number Case:

  • Who? m/f sing. nom
  • Who? m. pl. nom
  • Who? f. pl. nom
  • Whom? m/f sing. acc
  • Whom? m. pl. acc
  • Whom? f. pl. acc
  • With whom/what? m/n sing.
  • With whom/what? f. sing.
  • With whom/what? m/f/n pl.
  • What? n. sing. pronoun nom
  • What? n. pl. pronoun nom
  • Which/What? n. sing. adjective nom
  • Which/What? n. pl. adjective nom

Quomodo?

How?

Quot?

How many?

Quid accidit?

What happens? What happened?

Ubi?

Where?

Quo?

To what place? To where?

Unde?

From where?

Additional Information about Interrogatives

Let's take a moment to dive just a little deeper and learn more about interrogatives.

  • The interrogative is almost always placed at the start of the question. This is true in both Latin and English!
  • Interrogatives are famously referred to (in English) as the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where and why (oh, and the one h - how).
    • In Latin, many of the interrogatives start with Q: quis, quid, quando, quo, quomodo (and one c - cur). 
  • An interrogative pronoun stands alone and introduces an interrogative sentence.
    • Quis cenam venit? - Who is coming to dinner?
    • Quem vidit? - Whom did you see?
    • Quocum dicis? - Who are you talking with? (With whom are you speaking?)
  • An interrogative adjective modifies a noun in the same gender and introduces an interrogative sentence.
    • Qui viri cenam veniunt? - Which men are coming to dinner?
    • Quem militem vidit? - What soldier did you see?
    • Quibuscum feminis dicis? - What women are you talking with? (With what women are you speaking?)
  • There are three ways to ask "Where?" - ubi, quo and unde. Ubi asks about position, quo asks about destination, and unde asks about origin:
    • Ubi est Marcus? - Where is Marcus? (In what place is Marcus)
    • Quo Marcus cedit? - Where is Marcus going? (To what place is Marcus going)
    • Unde Marcus venit? - Where is Marcus coming from? (From what place is Marcus coming)
  • Interrogative adjectives and pronouns have gender, case (nominative, accusative and ablative only for Latin I) and number.
    • You will learn the complete declensions of the interrogative pronoun and adjective in Latin II.

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