Breakdown of Ego certus sum te veritatem dixisse.
ego
I
esse
to be
tu
you
dicere
to say
veritas
the truth
certus
certain
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Questions & Answers about Ego certus sum te veritatem dixisse.
Why is ego there? Do I have to include it?
No. Latin usually leaves the subject pronoun out because the verb ending already shows the person: sum = I am. Ego is added for emphasis or contrast (e.g., I am sure, as opposed to someone else).
What does certus sum literally mean, and why is it two words?
Literally certus sum means I am certain. Latin often uses sum + an adjective where English might use a verb like I’m sure.
- certus = certain, sure (adjective)
- sum = I am
Why is it certus and not certa or certum?
Because certus agrees with the (understood) subject ego, which is masculine singular here. If a female speaker said it, she’d typically say certa sum. Neuter certum wouldn’t match a person as the subject.
Why does te appear instead of tu?
Because te is accusative, not nominative. In indirect statement Latin uses an accusative subject with an infinitive:
- tu = you (subject of a normal sentence)
- te = you (accusative, used as the “subject” of the infinitive in indirect statement)
What construction is te veritatem dixisse?
It’s the accusative-and-infinitive construction (often abbreviated AcI), the standard Latin way to report what someone is sure of, knows, says, thinks, etc. It corresponds to English that you told the truth (or that you have told the truth).
Is veritatem the object of sum or of dixisse?
It’s the direct object of dixisse. Inside the indirect statement:
- te = subject (accusative)
- dixisse = verb (infinitive)
- veritatem = what was said (object)
What tense is dixisse, and how should I understand it in English?
dixisse is the perfect active infinitive of dico, dicere (to say). It indicates the action happened before the time of the main verb (sum, present). So it’s typically to have said / to have told. In natural English you might just say you told the truth.
How is dixisse formed?
From the perfect stem dix- plus -isse (the marker of the perfect infinitive):
- dixi = I said (perfect)
- dixisse = to have said (perfect infinitive)
Why is sum present tense if the telling happened in the past?
Because sum describes your current state of certainty: I am sure now. The pastness is carried by dixisse inside the indirect statement. Latin keeps these separate: present certainty about a past action.
Could Latin use quod (that) instead of the accusative-and-infinitive here?
Sometimes, yes, especially in later Latin: certus sum quod veritatem dixisti (or similar). But the classical, most standard pattern is the AcI: certus sum te veritatem dixisse.
Why is the word order te veritatem dixisse and not something else?
Latin word order is flexible. This arrangement is common because it groups the indirect statement neatly, and often places the object (veritatem) before the infinitive (dixisse). Other orders are possible (e.g., te dixisse veritatem) with little change in meaning, though emphasis can shift.
Could veritatem dixisse be phrased differently (e.g., vera or verum)?
Yes. veritatem is the truth (noun). But Latin can also say vera (true things) or verum (what is true) depending on nuance:
- te veritatem dixisse = you told the truth (as a thing)
- te verum dixisse = you said what is true (more abstract)
How would I negate this sentence?
Common options:
- Ego certus sum te veritatem non dixisse. = I’m sure you did not tell the truth.
- Non certus sum te veritatem dixisse. = I’m not sure you told the truth.
Placement of non shows what you’re negating: the telling vs the certainty.