sum
[ˈsũː]
The English phrase "I am" is translated into Latin as sum.
sum is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb esse, which means "to be".
Which one should you use?
sum is specifically the first-person singular form used to mean "I am". This differs from es, which means "you are" and est, which means "he/she/it is".
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the ending of sum already indicates that the subject is first-person singular, the verb is often used without an explicit subject pronoun. If you choose to add the pronoun ego to create ego sum, it is done to add emphasis to the subject "I".
Did you know?
- In Latin, the phrase sum can be used as a complete sentence to mean 'I exist'. This philosophical usage is famously central to René Descartes' later Latin phrase cogito ergo sum.
- The root of sum is a distant relative of the English word 'am'. Both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁es-.
- The verb esse is irregular. Present forms like sum come from one root, while past forms like fuī come from another root that meant 'to become'.
Examples in context
- A te amatus sum.I am loved by you.Tatoeba #4357199 by soweli_Elepanto, translation #4359811 by Tjagotje
- Ego sum, qui sum.I am who I am.Tatoeba #1339757 by al_ex_an_der, translation #1339771 by CM
- Sine te nihil sum.Without you, I am nothing.Tatoeba #1566498 by alexmarcelo, translation #1566323 by Feba
- Ego sum Marcus.I am Marcus.
- Ego sum doctor.I am a doctor.
- Sum Claudia.I am Claudia.
- Sum senator.I am a senator.
- 280 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Lucius meet for the first time.
- JuliaSalve! Ego sum Julia.Hello! I am Julia.
- LuciusSalve, Julia. Ego sum Lucius.Hello, Julia. I am Lucius.
- JuliaUnde venis, Luci?Where do you come from, Lucius?
- LuciusRomanus sum.I am from Rome.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sum, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
