DI: Lesson - Additional Pronouns

Image: a portrait bust of Marcellus Additional Pronouns

Download the More Pronoun Forms Links to an external site. handout to see each of the additional pronouns fully declined. Basic descriptions are included below.

The image depicts a portrait of Marcellus himself. The pronoun himself is called an intensive or emphatic demonstrative pronoun.

Latin has many additional pronouns, which can be categorized as follows:

  • Intensive Demonstratives
    • ipse, ipsa, ipsum - himself, herself, itself
      • This particular demonstrative pronoun is used for emphasis rather than proximity.  Ipse can be used as an adjective or can be an emphatic pronoun.  There is a great deal of flexibility in translating this emphatic pronoun: on one’s own accord, in person, with one’s own eyes, the one and only.  The translator should use the context of the sentence to aid in an appropriate translation.
    • idem, eadem, idem - the same
      • This last demonstrative pronoun is used to point out when the speaker is referring back to something said before.  The same can be used as an adjective or as a pronoun by itself, with no difference in form between the two.  In looking at the forms of this pronoun, it becomes clear that this is a compound with the pronoun is, ea, id + dem. 
  • Indefinite Pronouns - Indefinite pronouns are some of the most complex forms of all the pronouns and their coverage here will be brief.  Indefinite pronouns express someone or a certain one - basically, saying that the person being referred to is not clearly known.  In English, we express the difference between indefinite and definite with our articles:
    • a, an = indefinite
    • the = definite
  • So, when thinking of indefinite pronouns, think of the difference between saying a girl and the girl.
    • aliquis, aliquid - someone, somebody, something
      • Aliquis is the first indefinite you should be aware of. It is the most common indefinite pronoun, and has familiar forms: it is a compound of the prefix ali + the forms of the interrogative pronoun.
    • quidam, quaedam, quiddam - a certain
        • Quidam is formed by combining the relative pronoun with the suffix -dam. Note: the neuter is quid- rather than quod-.
  • Indefinite Adjectives - the indefinite pronouns have corresponding adjective forms, but unlike most of the other pronouns (hic, ille, ispe, idem, etc.), there are slight differences between the pronoun and adjective form (similar to the difference between the interrogative pronoun and adjective). Refer to the handout for the specific differences in form.
    • aliqui, aliqua, aliquod - some, any
    • quidam, quaedam, quoddam - a certain

Note on aliquis and aliqui

Both the indefinite pronoun (aliquis) and the indefinite adjective (aliqui) drop the ali in certain situations. The most common example is when they follow si - if or nisi - unless, if not:

  • Si quis venerit, celebrabimus.
    • If anyone comes, we will celebrate.
  • Si qua puella audiverit, multum discet.
    • If any girl listens, she will learn much.

Examples of Additional Pronouns/Adjectives in Translation

  • Ipse aquam portavit.
    • He himself carried the water.
    • That very man carried the water. 
    • He carried the water of his own accord.
  • Eandem vidi.
    • I saw the same woman.
  • Scisne aliquid?
    • Do you know something?
  • Vir mihi quiddam narravit.
    • The man told me a certain thing.
  • Aliqui puer ibi est.
    • Some boy is here.
  • Est periculum in scientia quarundam rerum.
    • There is danger in the knowledge of certain matters.