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Vos equum non videtis, sed vos iter facitis.

Vos equum non videtis, sed vos iter facitis.
You [plural] do not see the horse, but you undertake a journey.
FromLesson 3inHardcore Latin

Questions & Answers about Vos equum non videtis, sed vos iter facitis.

Why is vos used twice? Isn’t the verb ending already enough to mean you?

Yes. In Latin, the endings of videtis and facitis already tell you the subject is you plural.

So the sentence could simply be:

Equum non videtis, sed iter facitis.

When vos is included, it adds emphasis or contrast. Here it can feel like:

You do not see the horse, but you are making a journey.

Repeating vos in the second clause strengthens the contrast and keeps the focus on you.

Why is it equum and not equus?

Because equum is the direct object of videtis.

  • equus = horse as the subject
  • equum = horse as the object

Since the sentence says you do not see the horse, the horse is receiving the action of seeing, so Latin uses the accusative case:

  • nominative: equus
  • accusative: equum
Why is non placed before videtis?

Non is the ordinary Latin word for not, and it usually goes directly before the word or idea it negates.

So:

equum non videtis = you do not see the horse

This is the most natural placement. Latin word order is flexible, but non often comes right before the verb.

What form is videtis?

Videtis is:

  • present tense
  • active voice
  • indicative mood
  • second person plural

It comes from videre = to see.

So videtis means you all see or you see when speaking to more than one person.

The ending -tis is a very common sign of you plural in the present tense.

What form is facitis?

Facitis is also:

  • present tense
  • active voice
  • indicative mood
  • second person plural

It comes from facere = to make / do.

So facitis literally means you all make or you do.

In this sentence, though, it appears in the expression iter facitis, which is best understood idiomatically rather than word-for-word.

What does iter facitis mean literally, and why is it used?

Literally, iter facitis means you make a journey.

But in natural English, that usually becomes:

  • you are traveling
  • you are on the way
  • you are marching
  • you are making your way

This is a standard Latin expression. Latin often uses facere with a noun to express an action. So instead of one simple verb meaning exactly to journey, Latin can say iter facere.

Why is it iter and not something like iterum or another form?

Iter is a noun meaning journey, route, or march.

In iter facitis, it is the object of facitis. Its form is still iter because it is a neuter third-declension noun, and in the singular its nominative and accusative forms are the same:

  • nominative singular: iter
  • accusative singular: iter

So even though it is the object, the form does not change visibly.

Why is sed used here?

Sed means but.

It joins the two clauses and marks a contrast:

  • Vos equum non videtis
  • sed vos iter facitis

So the idea is:

You do not see the horse, but you are traveling.

It signals that the second statement is being contrasted with the first.

Is the word order fixed in this sentence?

No. Latin word order is much more flexible than English word order because the endings show the grammatical roles.

This sentence could be rearranged in several ways without changing the basic meaning, for example:

Equum non videtis, sed iter facitis.
Vos non videtis equum, sed vos iter facitis.

Different orders can change emphasis, but not the core meaning.

In the given sentence, putting vos first gives it emphasis, and equum non videtis keeps the object prominent.

Why are there no words for the or a?

Classical Latin does not have articles like English the and a/an.

So:

  • equum can mean a horse or the horse
  • iter can mean a journey or the journey

You figure out which is meant from the context.

That is why a Latin sentence can look shorter than its English translation.

Does vos mean one person or more than one?

Vos means you plural: you all, you people, or you both.

So both videtis and facitis are talking to more than one person.

If Latin were addressing just one person, it would use:

  • tu = you singular
  • vides = you see
  • facis = you do / make
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