Direct Questions
A statement can be turned into a question in Latin simply by adding a question mark.
servi hodie laborant?
Are the slaves working today?
For an open question, –ne is usually attached to the first word in the question.
visne mecum ad forum venire?
Do you want to come with me to the forum?
A question which expects the answer “yes” uses nonne.
nonne nomen tuum in epistula scripsisti?
Surely you wrote your name on the letter?
A question which expects the answer “no” uses num.
num illam epistulam iam misisti?
Surely you have not sent that letter already?
Often a specific question word is used to begin a question.
quid heri faciebatis?
What were you doing yesterday?
These are all the (direct) question words for GCSE:
Table
| quid | what? |
| quis | who? |
| quomodo | how? (in what way?) |
| quam | how? (to what extent?) |
| quando | when? |
| quantus, -a, -um | how big, great? |
| qualis, -e | what sort, kind? |
| quot | how many? |
| quo | to where? |
| ubi | where? |
| unde | from where? |
| cur | why? |
| num | surely not? |
| nonne | surely? |
| -ne | (open question) |
Match
- quis est miles ferocissimus?
- quando liberi hodie surrexerunt?
- visne nobiscum venire?
- nonne uxorem eius in foro vidisti?
- quomodo trans flumen duabus horis transire poterimus?
