credo
The Latin phrase for "I believe" is credo.
credo is used to express a personal conviction or a statement of faith.
Which one should you use?
The way you use credo depends on what kind of belief you are expressing. If you want to say "I believe [that…]" to express an opinion that something is true, you follow credo with an accusative and an infinitive. However, if you want to express religious or spiritual faith, you use credo in followed by the accusative case.
How does it change in a sentence?
credo is the first-person singular present indicative active of the verb credere. When expressing faith in the existence or power of something, use the construction credo in followed by the accusative case.
Did you know?
- The word credo is the root of 'credible' and 'credit', because the Romans viewed financial lending as a matter of trust.
- Credo is a cognate of the Sanskrit word śraddadhāti, which also means 'to trust' or 'believe'.
- In the Catholic Church, the 'Creed' is often called the Symbolum, a word meaning 'token' or 'sign' of recognition.
Examples in context
- Credo te novisse eum.I believe you know him.This sentence shows how to use credo to express the opinion that someone knows a person.Tatoeba #6166060 by CarpeLanam, translation #3913879 by CH
- Credo te novisse eam.I believe you know her.Tatoeba #6166061 by CarpeLanam, translation #3913880 by CH
- Credo in Iesu Christo.I believe in Jesus Christ.This sentence demonstrates using credo in to express religious faith.Tatoeba #1524712 by alexmarcelo, translation #1518727 by marcelostockle
- Credo in Deum.I believe in God.
- Credo quidem hoc fieri posse.I believe this can be done indeed.
- Credo quidem tibi.I believe you, indeed.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet garden in ancient Rome where two friends discuss the future.
- QuintusCredo nos victoriam habere.I believe we will have victory.
- AureliaSpero, sed labor difficilis est.I hope so, but the work is difficult.
- QuintusCredo te valde laborare.I believe you work very hard.
- AureliaGratias tibi ago, Quinte.Thank you, Quintus.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries credo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
