← Latinum Institute Latin Reading Course
126.1 Quīdam a certain homō man in in forō forum clāmābat was shouting
126.2 Vīdī I saw quandam a certain fēminam woman aquam water ferentem carrying
126.3 Nārrābō I will tell vōbīs to you dē about quōdam a certain mīlite soldier
126.4 Quoddam a certain animal animal per through silvam forest currēbat was running
126.5 Audīvimus we heard quōsdam certain puerōs boys cantantēs singing
126.6 Māter mother mea my quāsdam certain rēs things emere to buy vult wants
126.7 In in viā road quaedam certain arborēs trees cecidērunt fell
126.8 Scrīpsit he wrote mihi to me dē about quibusdam certain perīculīs dangers
126.9 Herī yesterday quīdam certain senātōrēs senators convēnērunt met
126.10 Cūr why quaedam certain verba words nōn not intellegis do you understand
126.11 Rēx king quibusdam to certain cīvibus citizens praemia rewards dedit gave
126.12 Nocte at night quoddam a certain lūmen light appāruit appeared
126.13 Cognōvī I knew quendam a certain virum man doctissimum most learned
126.14 Quaedam certain puella girl flōrēs flowers pulchrōs beautiful legēbat was gathering
126.15 Dīxit he said sē himself quōrundam of certain amīcōrum friends memorem mindful esse to be
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126.1 Quīdam homō in forō clāmābat. A certain man was shouting in the forum.
126.2 Vīdī quandam fēminam aquam ferentem. I saw a certain woman carrying water.
126.3 Nārrābō vōbīs dē quōdam mīlite. I will tell you about a certain soldier.
126.4 Quoddam animal per silvam currēbat. Some animal was running through the forest.
126.5 Audīvimus quōsdam puerōs cantantēs. We heard some boys singing.
126.6 Māter mea quāsdam rēs emere vult. My mother wants to buy certain things.
126.7 In viā quaedam arborēs cecidērunt. Some trees fell in the road.
126.8 Scrīpsit mihi dē quibusdam perīculīs. He wrote to me about certain dangers.
126.9 Herī quīdam senātōrēs convēnērunt. Yesterday certain senators met.
126.10 Cūr quaedam verba nōn intellegis? Why don't you understand certain words?
126.11 Rēx quibusdam cīvibus praemia dedit. The king gave rewards to certain citizens.
126.12 Nocte quoddam lūmen appāruit. At night a certain light appeared.
126.13 Cognōvī quendam virum doctissimum. I knew a certain very learned man.
126.14 Quaedam puella flōrēs pulchrōs legēbat. A certain girl was gathering beautiful flowers.
126.15 Dīxit sē quōrundam amīcōrum memorem esse. He said that he was mindful of certain friends.
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126.1 Quīdam homō in forō clāmābat.
126.2 Vīdī quandam fēminam aquam ferentem.
126.3 Nārrābō vōbīs dē quōdam mīlite.
126.4 Quoddam animal per silvam currēbat.
126.5 Audīvimus quōsdam puerōs cantantēs.
126.6 Māter mea quāsdam rēs emere vult.
126.7 In viā quaedam arborēs cecidērunt.
126.8 Scrīpsit mihi dē quibusdam perīculīs.
126.9 Herī quīdam senātōrēs convēnērunt.
126.10 Cūr quaedam verba nōn intellegis?
126.11 Rēx quibusdam cīvibus praemia dedit.
126.12 Nocte quoddam lūmen appāruit.
126.13 Cognōvī quendam virum doctissimum.
126.14 Quaedam puella flōrēs pulchrōs legēbat.
126.15 Dīxit sē quōrundam amīcōrum memorem esse.
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For English speakers learning Latin, "quīdam, quaedam, quoddam" presents several important features: -
Basic Meaning and Function: -
Indefinite pronoun/adjective meaning "a certain one, someone, something" -
More specific than "aliquis" (someone) but less specific than naming -
Often implies the speaker knows the identity but chooses not to specify -
Declension Pattern: The word is formed from "quī, quae, quod" (who, which) + suffix "-dam"
Singular: -
Masculine: quīdam, cuiusdam, cuidam, quendam, quōdam -
Feminine: quaedam, cuiusdam, cuidam, quandam, quādam -
Neuter: quoddam, cuiusdam, cuidam, quoddam, quōdam
Plural: -
Masculine: quīdam, quōrundam, quibusdam, quōsdam, quibusdam -
Feminine: quaedam, quārundam, quibusdam, quāsdam, quibusdam -
Neuter: quaedam, quōrundam, quibusdam, quaedam, quibusdam -
Special Forms to Note: -
Accusative singular masculine: "quendam" (not "quemdam") -
Genitive plural: "quōrundam, quārundam" (long ō/ā) -
The suffix "-dam" remains unchanged throughout -
Usage Patterns: -
As pronoun: "Quīdam dīxit..." (Someone said...) -
As adjective: "Quīdam homō..." (A certain man...) -
With prepositions: "dē quōdam" (about a certain...) -
In indirect statement: "sē quōrundam memorem esse" (that he was mindful of certain...) -
Position in Sentence: -
Usually precedes its noun when used as adjective -
Can stand alone as pronoun -
Often appears at beginning for emphasis or narrative introduction
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For English speakers, understanding how Romans used "quīdam" requires cultural insight: -
Social Discretion: -
Romans often used "quīdam" to avoid naming someone directly -
Could indicate social delicacy or political caution -
Sometimes used when the specific identity was unimportant to the story -
Literary Usage: -
Common in narratives to introduce new characters -
Created sense of realism ("a certain man I know") -
Historians used it when sources were uncertain -
Legal Context: -
Used in legal documents to refer to unnamed parties -
Preserved anonymity in sensitive cases -
Common in hypothetical legal examples -
Philosophical Writing: -
Philosophers used it for hypothetical persons -
Allowed discussion of types without naming individuals -
Created universal rather than specific examples -
Modern English Parallels: -
Similar to "a certain person" or "someone" -
Like saying "this one guy" in casual speech -
Comparable to "some people say" in journalism
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From Cicero's "De Amicitia" (17.63):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Quīdam certain (men) autem however nōn not tam so id this reprehendendum to be blamed quam as alius another quidam certain error error est is tollendus to be removed, quī who in in amīcitiā friendship versārī to be engaged et and in in eā it vīvere to live nesciunt. do not know how.
Quīdam autem nōn tam id reprehendendum quam alius quidam error est tollendus, quī in amīcitiā versārī et in eā vīvere nesciunt.
However, certain people—not so much is this to be blamed as another certain error is to be removed—do not know how to engage in friendship and live in it.
Cicero uses "quīdam" twice here to create a careful distinction between two groups of people who misunderstand friendship. The repetition emphasizes the categorical nature of his philosophical analysis.
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First "quīdam": subject of implied verb, introducing a group -
"alius quidam error": "another certain error" - showing how "quidam" can modify nouns -
"quī": relative pronoun referring to those people -
"versārī" and "vīvere": complementary infinitives with "nesciunt"
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Genre Section: Detective Narrative
126.16 Vesperī in evening quīdam a certain cīvis citizen mortuus dead inventus est was found domī at home suae his
126.17 Vigil watchman quendam a certain hominem man fugiēntem fleeing ē from locō place vīdit saw
126.18 Quaedam a certain ancilla slave woman dīxit said sē herself strēpitum noise audīvisse to have heard
126.19 In on mēnsā table quoddam a certain pōculum cup venēnī of poison plēnum full erat was
126.20 Interrogāvī I questioned quōsdam certain vīcīnōs neighbors dē about rē matter terribilī terrible
126.21 Uxor wife mortua of dead man quibusdam with certain mercātōribus merchants negōtium business habēbat had
126.22 Quīdam certain testēs witnesses nihil nothing vidisse to have seen affirmābant were affirming
126.23 Invēnimus we found quāsdam certain litterās letters in in cubiculō bedroom celātās hidden
126.24 Frāter brother mortuī of dead man cum with quōdam a certain homine man ignōtō unknown locūtus erat had spoken
126.25 Quoddam a certain vestīgium trace sanguinis of blood in on pavīmentō floor relictum erat had been left
126.26 Suspicābar I suspected quendam a certain servum slave pecūniam money abstulisse to have taken away
126.27 Māne in morning quaedam certain fenestra window aperta open reperta est was found
126.28 Quīdam a certain medicus doctor corpus body inspiciēns examining venēnum poison dētēxit detected
126.29 Tandem finally quārundam of certain rērum things vēritās truth patefacta est was revealed
126.30 Culpābilis guilty one quōdam in a certain modō way stupendō amazing comprehēnsus est was caught
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126.16 Vesperī quīdam cīvis mortuus inventus est domī suae. In the evening a certain citizen was found dead at his home.
126.17 Vigil quendam hominem fugiēntem ē locō vīdit. The watchman saw a certain man fleeing from the place.
126.18 Quaedam ancilla dīxit sē strēpitum audīvisse. A certain slave woman said that she had heard a noise.
126.19 In mēnsā quoddam pōculum venēnī plēnum erat. On the table there was a certain cup full of poison.
126.20 Interrogāvī quōsdam vīcīnōs dē rē terribilī. I questioned certain neighbors about the terrible matter.
126.21 Uxor mortuī quibusdam mercātōribus negōtium habēbat. The wife of the dead man had business dealings with certain merchants.
126.22 Quīdam testēs nihil vidisse affirmābant. Certain witnesses were affirming that they had seen nothing.
126.23 Invēnimus quāsdam litterās in cubiculō celātās. We found certain letters hidden in the bedroom.
126.24 Frāter mortuī cum quōdam homine ignōtō locūtus erat. The brother of the dead man had spoken with a certain unknown man.
126.25 Quoddam vestīgium sanguinis in pavīmentō relictum erat. A certain trace of blood had been left on the floor.
126.26 Suspicābar quendam servum pecūniam abstulisse. I suspected that a certain slave had taken the money.
126.27 Māne quaedam fenestra aperta reperta est. In the morning a certain window was found open.
126.28 Quīdam medicus corpus inspiciēns venēnum dētēxit. A certain doctor examining the body detected poison.
126.29 Tandem quārundam rērum vēritās patefacta est. Finally the truth of certain things was revealed.
126.30 Culpābilis quōdam modō stupendō comprehēnsus est. The guilty one was caught in a certain amazing way.
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126.16 Vesperī quīdam cīvis mortuus inventus est domī suae.
126.17 Vigil quendam hominem fugiēntem ē locō vīdit.
126.18 Quaedam ancilla dīxit sē strēpitum audīvisse.
126.19 In mēnsā quoddam pōculum venēnī plēnum erat.
126.20 Interrogāvī quōsdam vīcīnōs dē rē terribilī.
126.21 Uxor mortuī quibusdam mercātōribus negōtium habēbat.
126.22 Quīdam testēs nihil vidisse affirmābant.
126.23 Invēnimus quāsdam litterās in cubiculō celātās.
126.24 Frāter mortuī cum quōdam homine ignōtō locūtus erat.
126.25 Quoddam vestīgium sanguinis in pavīmentō relictum erat.
126.26 Suspicābar quendam servum pecūniam abstulisse.
126.27 Māne quaedam fenestra aperta reperta est.
126.28 Quīdam medicus corpus inspiciēns venēnum dētēxit.
126.29 Tandem quārundam rērum vēritās patefacta est.
126.30 Culpābilis quōdam modō stupendō comprehēnsus est.
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In this detective narrative, "quīdam, quaedam, quoddam" serves several narrative functions: -
Creating Mystery and Suspense: -
"quīdam cīvis" - an unnamed victim preserves anonymity -
"quendam hominem" - an unidentified fleeing figure -
"quōdam homine ignōtō" - mysterious stranger -
Witness Testimony Patterns: -
"Quaedam ancilla dīxit..." - introducing witness accounts -
"Quīdam testēs affirmābant..." - multiple unnamed witnesses -
Shows how Romans recorded testimony without full identification -
Evidence Description: -
"quoddam pōculum" - an unspecified cup (suspicious item) -
"quāsdam litterās" - certain letters (partial evidence) -
"quoddam vestīgium" - a trace (indefinite clue) -
Passive Voice Construction: -
"inventus est" - was found (typical for crime scenes) -
"relictum erat" - had been left (evidence of past action) -
"patefacta est" - was revealed (discovery of truth) -
Perfect and Pluperfect Tenses: -
"locūtus erat" - had spoken (prior action) -
"abstulisse" - to have taken (perfect infinitive in indirect statement) -
Shows sequence of events crucial to investigation -
Indirect Statement: -
"dīxit sē strēpitum audīvisse" - said she had heard -
"testēs nihil vidisse affirmābant" - witnesses affirmed they had seen nothing -
Common in recording testimony -
Ablative Constructions: -
"quōdam modō" - in a certain way (ablative of manner) -
"quibusdam mercātōribus" - with certain merchants (ablative with cum) -
Various uses showing circumstances of the crime
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