Breakdown of Mater rogat: “Quo festinas, filia?”
mater
the mother
filia
the daughter
festinare
to hurry
rogare
to ask
Questions & Answers about Mater rogat: “Quo festinas, filia?”
Why is quo used here? Does it mean where?
Quo means to where? / where to?, not just where?
Latin often distinguishes:
- ubi = where? (location)
- quo = to where? (motion toward a place)
Since festinas means you hurry / you are hurrying, Latin uses quo because the daughter is being asked about her destination, not her current location.
So the sense is: Where are you hurrying to?
What form is festinas?
Festinas is:
- 2nd person singular
- present tense
- active voice
- indicative mood
It comes from festinare, meaning to hurry.
So festinas means:
- you hurry
- you are hurrying
- sometimes in context, you are hurrying off
Latin does not need a separate word for you, because the ending -as already tells you the subject is you (singular).
Why is there no word for you in Quo festinas?