vēnī, vīdī, vīcī
The English phrase "I came, I saw, I conquered" is expressed in Latin as vēnī, vīdī, vīcī.
This phrase is used to describe a swift, decisive and total victory.
Meaning: I gained a total swift victory (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of three first-person singular perfect indicative active verbs: vēnī (I came), vīdī (I saw) and vīcī (I conquered).
Which one should you use?
In certain adaptations, superavi is substituted for vīcī.
How does it change in a sentence?
Each verb in the phrase ends in the suffix -ī, which denotes the first-person singular perfect tense in Latin.
Did you know?
- While vīcī means 'I conquered', it shares a root with the English word 'convict'. Both derive from the Latin verb vincere, meaning to conquer or overcome.
- Julius Caesar reportedly wrote these three words in a letter to the Roman Senate to brag about his victory at the Battle of Zela, which lasted only five days.
- The word vīdī comes from the same root as 'video' and 'vision'. In Caesar's time, it implied not just seeing with the eyes, but understanding the tactical situation of the battlefield.
Examples in context
- Post bellum dixit: vēnī, vīdī, vīcī.After the war he said: I came, I saw, I conquered.
- Nunc de victoria tua: vēnī, vīdī, vīcī!Now about your victory: I came, I saw, I conquered!
Example conversation
A Roman officer tells a woman about his recent triumph.
- GaiusVēnī, vīdī, vīcī in bello.I came, I saw, I conquered in the war.
- JuliaOptime, Gai, triumphum habes.Excellent, Gaius, you have a triumph.
- GaiusGratias tibi ago, Julia.I thank you, Julia.
- JuliaGloria tibi sit.May glory be yours.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I came, I saw, I conquered” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
