ūnus
masculine
The Latin word for one is ūnus. Wiktionary also lists ūna and ūnum.
Meaning: cardinal number 1 (num)
Ways to say it
| Latin | Note |
|---|---|
| ūnus | masculine |
| ūna | feminine |
| ūnum | neuter |
The primary meaning is the cardinal number one. When used as an indefinite pronoun to mean 'a person' or 'someone', it functions similarly to the English use of 'one' in a sentence like 'one must do one's duty'.
Which one should you use?
The word changes form based on the gender of the noun it modifies. Use ūnus for masculine nouns, ūna for feminine nouns and ūnum for neuter nouns.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of one must agree in gender with the noun it modifies: use ūnus for masculine, ūna for feminine and ūnum for neuter.
Did you know?
- The Latin word ūnum is the root of the English word 'unanimous', which literally means 'of one mind'.
- When Latin speakers wanted to say 'alone', they often used sōlus, which is a distinct word from ūnus despite both referring to a single person.
- The Latin word ūnus is the ancestor of English words like 'unit', 'union' and 'unique'.
Examples in context
- Ūnus frāter mihi est.I have one brother.This sentence shows how to use the masculine form ūnus to count a person.Tatoeba #10494883 by Zagreides, translation #256071 by CK
- Ūnum mihi emendum est.I need to buy one.This sentence demonstrates the use of the neuter form ūnum.Tatoeba #11043126 by alexmarcelo, translation #955009 by CM
- Estne Thōmās ūnus ē frātribus tuīs?Is Tom one of your brothers?This sentence shows the masculine form ūnus used to identify one person among a group.Tatoeba #11533033 by Wezel, translation #9192566 by CK
- unus vir bonusOne good man
Example conversation
Julia and Quintus are counting guests for a dinner.
- JuliaQuot virī ad cēnam veniunt?How many men are coming to dinner?
- QuintusŪnus tantum vir venit.Only one man is coming.
- JuliaEstne is amīcus tuus?Is he your friend?
- QuintusIta, amīcus meus est.Yes, he is my friend.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “one” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
