Verbum Hodiernum: QUISQUAM

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QUISQUAM Dictionary Entry

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Today's word is the sneaky pronoun QUISQUAM, which is one of those compound pronouns where the first part - quis - declines, while the second part does not change, resulting in forms like quisquam, cuiquam, quibusquam and so on. For the neuter singular, you can find both quidquam and quicquam.

While it's easy to render this pronoun in English as "anybody, somebody," the problem is that there is a whole range of indefinite pronouns in Latin that end up being translated the same way - including some other compound pronouns such as quidam, quilibet, quivis, quispiam and aliquis, as well as the adjective ullus. Quite a range of words! The best way to learn about their usage in Latin is just by observing each word carefully in context as you read.

Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs to help you get familiar with some uses of quisquam:

Nec miser quisquam, qui bene vixit, obit.

Desinat elatis quisquam confidere rebus.

Nec ignorans nec invitus quisquam donat.

Nec quisquam ex amoris vulnere sanus abit.

Melius est quidquam possideri quam nihil.

Cave ne quicquam aspere loquaris.

Ne quidquam incipias, quod paeniteat, cave.

Nec metuam quidquam et cavebo omnia.

Tardo amico nihil est quidquam iniquius.

An est quidquam similius insaniae quam ira?

Iustitia numquam nocet cuiquam.

Peccare bis bello cuiquam non licet.

Ubi non licet tacere, quid cuiquam licet?

Neque dedi neque do fidem infideli cuiquam.

Non metuo nec ego cuiquam supplico.

Quod vis taceri, cave ne cuiquam dixeris.

Nemo se ipso diligit quemquam magis.

Quemquam amabit, qui ipse semet oderit?

Si quemquam verbo laedis, laederis et ipse.

Nemo ire quemquam publica prohibet via.

Ante mortem ne laudes hominem quemquam.

Vivere de vento quemquam non posse memento.