Quid Sibi Vult

Here you can discuss all things Latin. Use this board to ask questions about grammar, discuss learning strategies, get help with a difficult passage of Latin, and more.
Post Reply
User avatar
Ursinus
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 493
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2015 4:06 am

Quid Sibi Vult

Post by Ursinus »

Quid sibi vult means "what does it mean." Can you say quid tibi vis to mean what do you mean? Either way, what is the best way in Latin to say, "what do you mean."
In hoc enim fallimur, quod mortem prospicimus" -- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Vestibulum: Revised and Expanded

Διορθοῦ με εἰ πλανῶμαι, παρακαλῶ.

Gratia et Pax,

Joannes Ursinus

RandyGibbons
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 465
Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:10 pm

Re: Quid Sibi Vult

Post by RandyGibbons »

I'm taking these from Andreas Fritsch's Index Sententarium Ac Locutionum: Handbuch lateinischer Sätze und Redewendungen. I haven't looked up the citations, just passing them on:

quid tibi vis, insane? HOR. sat. 2,6,29
quid tibi vis, Marce Cato? SEN. epist. 14,13
quid tibi vis? TER. Eun. 559; 804; 1007

User avatar
Ursinus
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 493
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2015 4:06 am

Re: Quid Sibi Vult

Post by Ursinus »

Gratias tibi ago secundo tuum ob adiutorium, mi amice.
In hoc enim fallimur, quod mortem prospicimus" -- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Vestibulum: Revised and Expanded

Διορθοῦ με εἰ πλανῶμαι, παρακαλῶ.

Gratia et Pax,

Joannes Ursinus

Nesrad
Textkit Fan
Posts: 315
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:10 pm

Re: Quid Sibi Vult

Post by Nesrad »

It's more than just "what does it mean". Idiomatically it could be " what is he getting at? or even "WTF?" :)

Post Reply