Questions & Answers about Nuntius dicit se verum dixisse.
Because dicit introduces an indirect statement (reported speech), and in Latin the subject of that reported clause is normally in the accusative.
- se is the reflexive accusative pronoun, meaning himself, and it refers back to the subject of the main verb (nuntius).
- Latin does not use ego in indirect statement here, because the speaker in reported speech is handled with se (if it refers to the main subject).
If the messenger were talking about someone else, you’d use a non‑reflexive accusative pronoun/noun, e.g. nuntius dicit eum verum dixisse = the messenger says he (someone else) told the truth.
It’s the standard Latin indirect statement construction: accusative + infinitive (often abbreviated AcI).
So se = accusative subject of the infinitive, and dixisse = the infinitive verb of the reported statement.
In indirect statement Latin uses an infinitive where English often uses that + a finite verb.
dixisse is the perfect active infinitive of dico, dicere. It means to have said / to have spoken (i.e., the saying happened before the time of dicit).
Use the perfect stem + -isse:
- dico has perfect dixi → perfect stem dix-
- dix- + isse → dixisse
So dixisse = to have said.
In indirect statement, the infinitive tense is relative to the main verb:
- present infinitive = same time as the main verb
- perfect infinitive = earlier than the main verb
- future infinitive = later than the main verb
So dicit ... dixisse means: “He says (now) that he said (earlier).”
verum is functioning as a substantive adjective: literally the true (thing), idiomatically the truth.
It’s neuter because Latin often uses the neuter singular of an adjective to mean an abstract idea or a thing in general (like true thing → truth).
Yes, veritatem (accusative of veritas) is another natural way to say the truth:
- nuntius dicit se veritatem dixisse = the messenger says he spoke the truth.
verum is a bit more “that which is true,” while veritas is the abstract noun “truth,” but in many contexts they overlap.
Because the reported verb here is dixisse (to have said), not esse (to be).
- se verum dixisse = he said the truth (truth is the object of “said”)
- se verum esse would mean that he is true / truthful (a different idea).
Yes. Latin word order is flexible, and both can be correct.
- se verum dixisse is a common, straightforward order.
- se dixisse verum can emphasize the act of speaking first, with verum added after.
The endings (accusative se, infinitive dixisse) make the structure clear even if the order shifts.
Direct speech would use a finite verb and first person, something like:
- nuntius dicit: verum dixi. = the messenger says: I spoke the truth.
Indirect speech turns that into: - nuntius dicit se verum dixisse. = the messenger says that he spoke the truth.