quid
[ˈkʷɪd]
The Latin word for "what" is quid.
quid is an interrogative pronoun used to ask "what".
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Which one should you use?
Do not confuse quid (what) with quis (who), which is the interrogative pronoun used for people.
Did you know?
- In legal and philosophical English, the phrase 'quid pro quo' uses a form of this word to mean 'something for something'.
- In philosophical contexts, the term 'quiddity' derives from quid and refers to the 'whatness' or the essential nature of an object.
- The word quid comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷid, which is a distant relative of the English word 'what'.
Examples in context
- Quid id ad me?What does that have to do with me?This sentence is useful for seeing how to ask what something has to do with a specific person using quid.Tatoeba #10202640 by soridsolid, translation #954532 by CK
- Quid id ad nos?What does this have to do with us?This sentence is useful for seeing how to ask what something has to do with a group using quid.Tatoeba #10248667 by soridsolid, translation #2641785 by CK
- Quid eis dicam?What should I say to them?This sentence is useful for asking what should be said to a group using quid.Tatoeba #9763421 by soridsolid, translation #3906912 by CH
- Quid est?What is it?
- Quid faciunt?What are they doing?
- Quod vērum est, iucundum est.What is true is pleasant.
- Quidnam nōn vidēs?What on earth do you not see?
- Quidnam novī?What's new?
- Quid est tibi?What's going on with you?
- Salve! Quid agis?Hello! How are you?
- Quid agitis hodiē?What are you all doing today?
- 961 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucia and Marcus are talking about a mysterious package.
- LuciaQuid in hac capsa est?What is in this box?
- MarcusNescio, Lucia.I do not know, Lucia.
- LuciaQuid putas?What do you think?
- MarcusFortasse donum est.Perhaps it is a gift.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries quid, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quid, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
