Ego video et tu vides.

I see and you see.

Breakdown of Ego video et tu vides.

• ego: I
• tu: you
• et: and
• videre: to see

Questions & Answers about Ego video et tu vides.

Why is ego used here if Latin verbs typically imply the subject?

Latin verbs indeed generally include the subject in their endings (for instance, video indicates I see). However, Latin occasionally employs explicit pronouns like ego for emphasis or to contrast one subject with another. Here, ego video et tu vides emphasizes I see and you see, pointing out two different subjects distinctly.

Why are the verb endings -o and -es different in video and vides?

Latin verbs change their endings depending on the person and number. Video is the first-person singular present active indicative form (I see), whereas vides is the second-person singular present active indicative form (you see). These endings let us know who is doing the action.

What role does et serve in the sentence?

The word et is a conjunction meaning and. It simply connects the two clauses ego video (I see) and tu vides (you see).

Why isn’t tu at the beginning of the second clause like ego is at the beginning of the first?

Word order in Latin is quite flexible, and a pronoun doesn’t always have to come first. Here, putting tu after et focuses our attention on the connection (et) before highlighting the second subject (tu) who is doing the action.

Could this sentence be written without ego and tu as video et vides?

Yes, it could. The pronouns ego and tu aren’t strictly necessary in everyday Latin because the verb endings already indicate I and you. Still, adding ego and tu can lend clarity or emphasis, especially when contrasting two different subjects.

Is ego always translated as I in English?

Yes, generally ego corresponds straightforwardly to I in English, indicating the first person singular. However, sometimes in Latin texts it could be omitted if the verb form alone suffices to show the subject.