← Latinum Institute Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
Definition for Autodidact Students:
The Latin verb vidērī (infinitive of videor) means “to seem” or “to appear.” This is the passive infinitive of videō (”I see”), but when used in the passive voice, it takes on the special meaning “to seem” or “to be seen as.” In scholastic Latin, vidētur (”it seems”) introduces theological objections and philosophical arguments, making this verb essential for reading St. Thomas Aquinas and medieval theological texts.
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FAQ: What does vidērī mean in Ecclesiastical Latin?
In Ecclesiastical Latin, vidērī means “to seem” or “to appear.” The verb videor, vidērī, vīsus sum functions as a deponent or semi-deponent verb, appearing passive in form but active in meaning. It frequently appears with a dative of reference (mihi vidētur = “it seems to me”) and with infinitive complements (vidētur esse bonus = “he seems to be good”). In scholastic theology, the formula Vidētur quod... (”It seems that...”) introduces objections in disputational texts.
In This Lesson:
The fifteen examples in Section A demonstrate vidērī in authentic ecclesiastical contexts: theological arguments, scriptural interpretation, moral reasoning, and liturgical reflection. You will encounter the characteristic scholastic formula Vidētur quod alongside Vulgate-inspired sentences showing divine providence, human perception of grace, and the distinction between appearance and reality—a theme central to Christian philosophy. Educational Category: Language Learning — Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
Key Takeaways: -
Principal parts: videor, vidērī, vīsus sum (2nd conjugation) -
Core meaning: “to seem, to appear, to be seen as” -
Dative construction: mihi vidētur (”it seems to me”) -
Scholastic formula: Vidētur quod + subjunctive (”It seems that...”) -
With predicate: vidētur + nominative adjective (”seems to be X”) -
With infinitive: vidētur + infinitive (”seems to do X”)
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vidērī /wi.ˈdeː.riː/ — The stress falls on the second syllable -dē-. In Ecclesiastical pronunciation, the initial v is pronounced as English /v/, not the Classical /w/.
vidētur /wi.ˈdeː.tur/ — “it seems” — third person singular present passive indicative
This is an excellent pedagogical presentation of vidētur ("it seems") constructions in Latin, demonstrating how this impersonal verb governs different syntactic patterns. Let me highlight the key structures:
208.1, 208.2, 208.6 - Mihi vidētur quod Deus sit summe bonus - "It seems to me that God is supremely good" - The dative (mihi, multīs) marks the experiencer
208.3, 208.4, 208.7 - Hoc opus vidētur esse difficile - "This work seems to be difficult" - Vidēris esse vir magnae fideī - "You seem to be a man of great faith"
208.5, 208.8, 208.10 - Mundus vidētur pulcher - "The world seems beautiful" - Peccātor qui paenitentiam agit vidētur Deō grātus - "A sinner who does penance seems pleasing to God"
- Nōn semper id quod vidētur bonum vērē bonum est - "What seems good is not always truly good" — philosophical observation on appearance vs. reality
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Pedagogical value: This selection beautifully illustrates that vidētur is remarkably flexible, accommodating subjective perception, apparent being, and moral/theological judgment.
These sentences illustrate different uses of vidēor and related constructions:
Vidēmur esse servī inūtilēs - Vidēor + infinitive construction - "We seem to be useless servants" - Subject of infinitive = subject of main verb (accusative→nominative shift)
Crux Christī vidētur stultitia - Nominative predicate with vidētur - "The cross of Christ seems (to be) foolishness" - No infinitive; direct equation
Sed est Deī virtūs - Contrasts with foolish perception - "But it is God's power"
Vīsī sunt angelī pastōribus - Perfect passive vidēor: "were seen/appeared" - Dative of person: "to the shepherds" - "Angels appeared to the shepherds"
Humilitās vidētur esse via ad caelum - Vidēor + infinitive - "Humility seems to be the way to heaven"
Quod vidēbātur malum...Deus convertit in bonum - Vidēbātur = imperfect passive, "what seemed (to be) evil" - Contrast: apparent evil → actual good - "What seemed evil, God turned into good"
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Key pattern: Vidēor expresses appearance/perception rather than reality; context often implies the appearance deceives.
208.1 Mihi vidētur quod Deus sit summe bonus. → “It seems to me that God is supremely good.”
208.2 Vidētur quod misericordia Deī nōn habeat fīnem. → “It seems that the mercy of God has no end.”
208.3 Hoc opus vidētur esse difficile, sed nōn impossibile. → “This work seems to be difficult, but not impossible.”
208.4 Verbum Dominī vidētur simplex, sed profundum est. → “The word of the Lord seems simple, but it is profound.”
208.5 Mundus vidētur pulcher, quod ā Deō creātus est. → “The world seems beautiful, because it was created by God.”
208.6 Multīs vidētur quod sānctī in caelō gaudeant. → “It seems to many that the saints rejoice in heaven.”
208.7 Vidēris esse vir magnae fideī. → “You seem to be a man of great faith.”
208.8 Peccātor quī paenitentiam agit vidētur Deō grātus. → “The sinner who does penance seems pleasing to God.”
208.9 Nōn semper id quod vidētur bonum vērē bonum est. → “Not always is that which seems good truly good.”
208.10 Via Dominī vidētur hominibus obscūra, sed Deus lūcem dat. → “The way of the Lord seems dark to men, but God gives light.”
208.11 Vidēmur esse servī inūtilēs, cum omnia fēcerimus. → “We seem to be useless servants, when we have done all things.”
208.12 Crux Christī stultīs vidētur stultitia, sed est Deī virtūs. → “The cross of Christ seems foolishness to fools, but it is the power of God.”
208.13 Vīsī sunt angelī pastōribus in nocte illā. → “Angels appeared to the shepherds on that night.”
208.14 Humilitās vidētur esse via ad caelum. → “Humility seems to be the way to heaven.”
208.15 Quod vidēbātur malum, Deus convertit in bonum. → “What seemed evil, God turned into good.”
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208.1 Mihi vidētur quod Deus sit summe bonus.
208.2 Vidētur quod misericordia Deī nōn habeat fīnem.
208.3 Hoc opus vidētur esse difficile, sed nōn impossibile.
208.4 Verbum Dominī vidētur simplex, sed profundum est.
208.5 Mundus vidētur pulcher, quod ā Deō creātus est.
208.6 Multīs vidētur quod sānctī in caelō gaudeant.
208.7 Vidēris esse vir magnae fideī.
208.8 Peccātor quī paenitentiam agit vidētur Deō grātus.
208.9 Nōn semper id quod vidētur bonum vērē bonum est.
208.10 Via Dominī vidētur hominibus obscūra, sed Deus lūcem dat.
208.11 Vidēmur esse servī inūtilēs, cum omnia fēcerimus.
208.12 Crux Christī stultīs vidētur stultitia, sed est Deī virtūs.
208.13 Vīsī sunt angelī pastōribus in nocte illā.
208.14 Humilitās vidētur esse via ad caelum.
208.15 Quod vidēbātur malum, Deus convertit in bonum.
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Grammar Rules for This Passage:
These are the grammatical rules illustrated in this lesson’s sentences.
The verb videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum means “to see” in the active voice. When conjugated in the passive voice, however, it takes on the special meaning “to seem” or “to appear.” This is one of the most important verbs in scholastic Latin.
Principal Parts: -
videor — I seem (1st person singular present passive indicative) -
vidērī — to seem (present passive infinitive) -
vīsus sum — I seemed, I have seemed (1st person singular perfect passive indicative)
The present tense conjugation runs as follows:
videor — I seem; vidēris — you seem; vidētur — he/she/it seems; vidēmur — we seem; vidēminī — you (plural) seem; videntur — they seem
In scholastic Latin, vidētur quod + subjunctive introduces an apparent fact or an objection in a theological argument. This is the standard formula in the Summa Theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas. The phrase means “It seems that...” and typically introduces an objection (obiectio) that will later be answered.
Example from Thomas Aquinas: Vidētur quod Deum esse nōn sit per sē nōtum. (”It seems that the existence of God is not self-evident.”)
When videor takes a dative, it expresses to whom something seems a certain way.
Mihi vidētur — “It seems to me” Multīs vidētur — “It seems to many” Hominibus vidētur obscūra — “It seems dark to men”
The verb videor frequently takes an infinitive to express what someone seems to be or to do.
Vidētur esse bonus — “He seems to be good” Vidēris esse vir magnae fideī — “You seem to be a man of great faith” Vidēmur esse servī inūtilēs — “We seem to be useless servants”
When videor appears with a predicate adjective or noun (without an infinitive), the predicate agrees with the subject in the nominative case.
Mundus vidētur pulcher — “The world seems beautiful” (pulcher is nominative masculine singular agreeing with mundus) Crux vidētur stultitia — “The cross seems foolishness” (stultitia is nominative feminine singular)
The perfect participle vīsus, vīsa, vīsum can mean “having seemed” or more commonly “having been seen, having appeared.” Combined with sum, it forms the perfect tense.
Vīsī sunt angelī — “Angels appeared” or “Angels were seen”
This construction appears frequently in the Vulgate to describe angelic appearances or divine visions.
A key philosophical theme in these sentences is the distinction between appearance (quod vidētur) and reality (quod est). Christian philosophy, following both Scripture and the classical tradition, emphasizes that human perception is limited and that what seems good or evil may not accord with divine providence.
Nōn semper id quod vidētur bonum vērē bonum est. — “Not always is that which seems good truly good.”
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The formula Vidētur quod is perhaps the most characteristic expression of medieval scholastic method. In the quaestiones disputatae format used by St. Thomas Aquinas, Peter Lombard, Duns Scotus, and other scholastic theologians, each article follows a precise structure. The phrase Vidētur quod introduces objections—arguments that seem compelling but which the author will ultimately refute or qualify.
This method reflects the medieval commitment to giving fair hearing to opposing views before establishing truth. The scholastic masters believed that truth emerged through rigorous dialectical engagement, not through authoritative pronouncement alone.
The distinction between appearance and reality runs throughout Scripture and Christian tradition. The Book of Wisdom warns that worldly goods may seem desirable but lead to destruction. St. Paul writes that the cross of Christ seems foolish to the world but is in truth the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). The examples in this lesson echo these themes.
In pastoral theology, the concept of vidētur cautions believers against hasty judgment. What seems evil—suffering, persecution, loss—may be transformed by divine providence into instruments of sanctification.
The phrase vīsī sunt angelī recalls the Nativity narrative (Luke 2:9-14), where angels appeared (vīsī sunt) to shepherds. The verb’s passive form emphasizes that the seeing was granted by divine initiative—the shepherds did not seek the vision, but received it.
In liturgical Latin, vidētur appears frequently in rubrics and theological commentaries. In legal contexts (canon law), the phrase ut vidētur (”as it seems”) introduces tentative judgments. The verb maintains a formal, elevated register appropriate to theological discourse.
Reminder: This lesson is designed for English speakers learning Ecclesiastical Latin.
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vidērī in authentic ecclesiastical contexts: theological arguments, scriptural interpretation, moral reasoning, and liturgical reflection. You will encounter the characteristic scholastic formula Vidētur quod alongside Vulgate-inspired sentences showing divine providence, human perception of grace, and the distinction between appearance and reality—a theme central to Christian philosophy.
Educational Category: Language Learning — Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
Key Takeaways:
Principal parts: videor, vidērī, vīsus sum (2nd conjugation)
Core meaning: “to seem, to appear, to be seen as”
Dative construction: mihi vidētur (”it seems to me”)
Scholastic formula: Vidētur quod + subjunctive (”It seems that...”)
With predicate: vidētur + nominative adjective (”seems to be X”)
With infinitive: vidētur + infinitive (”seems to do X”)
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Vidētur quod Deum esse sit per sē nōtum. Illa enim per sē nōta dīcuntur quōrum cognitiō nōbīs nātūrāliter inest, sīcut patet dē prīmīs prīncipiīs. Sed dīcit Damascēnus in prīncipiō librī suī, quod omnibus cognitiō existendī Deum nātūrāliter est īnserta. Ergō Deum esse est per sē nōtum.
→ “It seems that the existence of God is self-evident. For those things are said to be self-evident whose knowledge is naturally present in us, as is clear concerning first principles. But Damascene says at the beginning of his book that knowledge of God’s existence is naturally implanted in all. Therefore, the existence of God is self-evident.”
Vidētur quod Deum esse sit per sē nōtum. Illa enim per sē nōta dīcuntur quōrum cognitiō nōbīs nātūrāliter inest, sīcut patet dē prīmīs prīncipiīs. Sed dīcit Damascēnus in prīncipiō librī suī, quod omnibus cognitiō existendī Deum nātūrāliter est īnserta. Ergō Deum esse est per sē nōtum.
This passage from the Summa Theologiae illustrates the characteristic scholastic use of vidētur quod to introduce an objection. Thomas Aquinas presents the view that God’s existence is self-evident (per sē nōtum), citing John of Damascus as an authority.
Key grammatical points:
The phrase Deum esse is an accusative + infinitive construction functioning as the subject of sit...nōtum. English would express this as a that-clause: “that God exists.”
The subjunctive sit appears because the entire clause depends on vidētur quod, which introduces an apparent or debated proposition.
The phrase per sē nōtum (”known through itself”) is a technical philosophical term meaning self-evident—known without requiring proof.
The genitive existendī Deum is a gerund construction: “knowledge of existing God” = “knowledge that God exists.”
Thomas will later distinguish between something being self-evident in itself (quoad sē) versus self-evident to us (quoad nōs), arguing that while God’s existence is self-evident in itself, it is not self-evident to the human intellect and therefore requires demonstration through effects.
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The following fifteen sentences form a scholastic dialogue on the question: Utrum bonum semper vidētur bonum? (”Whether the good always appears good?”)
Educational Category: Language Learning — Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
Key Takeaways:
Principal parts: videor, vidērī, vīsus sum (2nd conjugation)
Core meaning: “to seem, to appear, to be seen as”
Dative construction: mihi vidētur (”it seems to me”)
Scholastic formula: Vidētur quod + subjunctive (”It seems that...”)
With predicate: vidētur + nominative adjective (”seems to be X”)
With infinitive: vidētur + infinitive (”seems to do X”)
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208.16 Magister interrogat discipulōs utrum bonum semper vidēātur bonum. → “The master asks the students whether the good always appears good.”
208.17 Prīmus discipulus respondet: “Vidētur quod sīc, quia bonum est quod omnia appetunt.” → “The first student responds: ‘It seems so, because the good is that which all things desire.’”
208.18 Sed magister obiicit: “Nōnne multa videntur bona quae rē vērā mala sunt?” → “But the master objects: ‘Do not many things seem good which are in truth evil?’”
208.19 Vidētur enim avārō quod pecūnia sit summum bonum. → “For it seems to the miser that money is the highest good.”
208.20 Secundus discipulus dīcit: “Vidētur mihi quod error in iūdiciō possibilis sit.” → “The second student says: ‘It seems to me that error in judgment is possible.’”
208.21 Nam quod ūnī vidētur bonum, alterī vidētur malum. → “For what seems good to one person seems evil to another.”
208.22 Magister approbat et addit: “Distīnguendum est inter bonum in sē et bonum ut vidētur.” → “The master approves and adds: ‘One must distinguish between the good in itself and the good as it appears.’”
208.23 Tertius discipulus quaerit: “Quōmodo ergō vērum bonum cognōscī potest?” → “The third student asks: ‘How therefore can the true good be known?’”
208.24 Magister respondet: “Per lūmen ratiōnis et per grātiam Deī vidētur vēritās.” → “The master responds: ‘Through the light of reason and through the grace of God, truth is seen.’”
208.25 Discipulīs vidētur haec respōnsiō sapiēns et pia. → “This answer seems wise and pious to the students.”
208.26 Ūnus ē discipulīs dīcit: “Videor mihi intellegere, sed dubitō.” → “One of the students says: ‘I seem to myself to understand, but I doubt.’”
208.27 Magister benignē respondet: “Vīsum est mihi quod tū prope vēritātem es.” → “The master kindly responds: ‘It has seemed to me that you are near the truth.’”
208.28 Nōn enim vidēmur omnēs statim perfectē intellegere. → “For we do not all seem to understand perfectly immediately.”
208.29 Paulātim autem, per studium et ōrātiōnem, quod obscūrum vidēbātur clārum fit. → “Gradually, however, through study and prayer, what seemed obscure becomes clear.”
208.30 Disputātiō fīnītur, et discipulī magistrō grātiās agunt, quī vīsus est eīs tamquam angelus lūcis. → “The disputation ends, and the students give thanks to the master, who appeared to them as an angel of light.”
208.16 Magister interrogat discipulōs utrum bonum semper vidēātur bonum.
208.17 Prīmus discipulus respondet: Vidētur quod sīc, quia bonum est quod omnia appetunt.
208.18 Sed magister obiicit: Nōnne multa videntur bona quae rē vērā mala sunt?
208.19 Vidētur enim avārō quod pecūnia sit summum bonum.
208.20 Secundus discipulus dīcit: Vidētur mihi quod error in iūdiciō possibilis sit.
208.21 Nam quod ūnī vidētur bonum, alterī vidētur malum.
208.22 Magister approbat et addit: Distīnguendum est inter bonum in sē et bonum ut vidētur.
208.23 Tertius discipulus quaerit: Quōmodo ergō vērum bonum cognōscī potest?
208.24 Magister respondet: Per lūmen ratiōnis et per grātiam Deī vidētur vēritās.
208.25 Discipulīs vidētur haec respōnsiō sapiēns et pia.
208.26 Ūnus ē discipulīs dīcit: Videor mihi intellegere, sed dubitō.
208.27 Magister benignē respondet: Vīsum est mihi quod tū prope vēritātem es.
208.28 Nōn enim vidēmur omnēs statim perfectē intellegere.
208.29 Paulātim autem, per studium et ōrātiōnem, quod obscūrum vidēbātur clārum fit.
208.30 Disputātiō fīnītur, et discipulī magistrō grātiās agunt, quī vīsus est eīs tamquam angelus lūcis.
This scholastic dialogue demonstrates several advanced uses of videor:
The reflexive videor mihi: In sentence 208.26, videor mihi intellegere (”I seem to myself to understand”) shows the reflexive use where the subject and the dative of reference are the same person. This construction expresses self-perception or self-awareness.
The perfect vīsum est mihi: In sentence 208.27, vīsum est mihi quod (”It has seemed to me that...”) shows the perfect tense of videor used to express a considered judgment or impression formed over time.
Subjunctive in indirect questions: In sentence 208.16, utrum bonum semper vidēātur bonum uses the subjunctive vidēātur because it appears in an indirect question after interrogat.
The gerundive distīnguendum est: In sentence 208.22, the gerundive construction expresses necessity: “It must be distinguished” or “One must distinguish.”
Comparison with tamquam: In sentence 208.30, tamquam angelus lūcis (”as if an angel of light”) recalls 2 Corinthians 11:14 and provides a striking image of how the master appeared (vīsus est) to his grateful students.
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Long vowels are marked with macrons in this lesson to aid correct pronunciation. In Ecclesiastical Latin, vowel length affects stress placement but not vowel quality. The stress falls on the penultimate syllable if it is long; otherwise on the antepenultimate. -
vidērī — stress on -dē- (long penult) -
vidētur — stress on -dē- (long penult) -
vīsus — stress on vī- (long first syllable)
In Ecclesiastical pronunciation: -
v is pronounced /v/ (not /w/ as in Classical) -
ae and oe are pronounced /e/ -
c before e, i, ae, oe is pronounced /tʃ/ (”ch”) -
ti before a vowel is pronounced /tsi/
Thus vidētur is pronounced /vi.ˈde.tur/ in Ecclesiastical Latin.
Some Ecclesiastical Latin texts use j for consonantal i (e.g., iūdiciō may appear as jūdiciō). This course uses classical orthography with i throughout, but students should recognize both conventions.
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The Latinum Institute has been creating online language learning materials since 2006. This Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course follows the Construed Reading Method (also known as the Duplex Method), which presents authentic Latin texts with granular interlinear glossing to enable autodidact learners to acquire reading fluency without relying on translation exercises or grammar drills.
Each lesson focuses on a single high-frequency vocabulary item, embedded in sentences drawn from or inspired by authentic ecclesiastical sources: the Vulgate Bible, the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Church Fathers, liturgical texts, and canon law.
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Lesson 208 Complete
vidērī — to seem, to appear
◊ᴺᵉˣᵃˡ Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course
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