inter nos
[ˈɪn.tɛr ˈnoːs]word by word
The English phrase "among us" is translated into Latin as inter nos.
inter nos is used to describe something that is shared or happening within a specific group of people.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition inter (among/between) and the first-person plural accusative pronoun nos (us).
Which one should you use?
To say "among themselves" or "among each other" instead of "among us", use the reflexive pronoun se to form inter se.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'among themselves' or 'among each other', use the reflexive pronoun se instead of nos.
Did you know?
- In Latin legal and scholarly texts, inter nos often functioned as a marker for 'confidential' or 'private' communication, similar to the English 'between you and me'.
- The Latin inter is a distant relative of the German word unter, which means 'under'.
Examples in context
- Pax inter nos sit.Let there be peace among us.
- Amicitia inter nos crescit.Friendship is growing among us.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a shared secret in a garden.
- AureliaNum hoc verum est, Gai?Is this true, Gaius?
- GaiusIta, sed inter nos manet.Yes, but it stays among us.
- AureliaTunc nolo aliis dicere.Then I do not want to tell others.
- GaiusBene est, Aurelia.That is good, Aurelia.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (inter, nos) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries inter, nos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
