Classics: Essential Q-words

qui quae quod

1. Relative pronoun: (antecedent) who or (antecedent) which
2. Interrogative adjective: which (noun) ...?
3. Connective relative: and ... this

quis quid

1. Iinterrogative pronoun: who...? what...?
2. Indefinite pronoun after si nisi ne and num: for aliquis, aliquid anyone anything

quam

1. Relative pronoun in acc fem sg (from qui quae quod)
2. interrogative adj. in acc fem sg ( )
3. interrogative adv. how ... ? or how ... ! (usually modifies an adj or adv, i.e. quam bonum or quam bene)
4. with comparative than
5. with superlative as (adj or adv) as possible
6. correlative adverb with tam as ... as (usually used with adj or adv see c above)
7. after si nisi ne and num, for aliquam

quod

1. relative pron in nom/acc sg neu (from qui quae quod)
2. interrogative adj. in nom/acc sg neu
3. clause starter because
4. clause starter the fact that
5. sentence starter but (especially with si)
6. after si nisi ne and num, for aliquod

quo

1. Relative pronoun in abl sg masc/neu (from qui quae quod)
2. interrogative adj
3. interrogative pron (from quis quid)
4. interrogative adv to where..?
5. clause starter with comparative in order that ...
6. after si nisi ne and num, for aliquo

Special Categories of Q-words

Indefinites

(pronouns generally use quis quid, adjectives qui quae quod)

1. quis, quid (after si, nisi, ne, num) someone something
2. aliquis, aliquid someone something
3. equis, equid someone...? something...?
4. quisquam, quicquam anyone anything
5. quispiam, quidpiam anyone anything
6. quivis, quaevis, quidvis
7. quilibet, quaelibet, quidlibet
8. nescioquis, nescioquid

Relatives

1. qui, quae, quod who, which
2. quicumque, quaecumque, quodcumque whoever, whatever
3. quisquis, quidquid

Interrogatives

1. quis, quid who? what?
2. qui, quae, quod which?
3. quare why? wherefore?
4. quando when?
5. quemadmodum how? to what degree?
6. quomodo how? in what manner?
7. quam how ? how ?
8. qualis, quale what kind of?
9. quantus, a, um how much?
10. quot how many?
11. quotiens how often?

Correlatives

Interrogative Q-words are sometimes used in parallel construction with their respective T-words as correlatives (e.g. tot ... quot) in which case they are translated: as ... as (e.g. as many .... as...).

Other Important Q-words

que and

quoque also

quisque, quidque each

quondam formerly once (upon a time)

quidam, quaedam, quiddam a certain

quidem; at least, to be sure
equidem at least, to be sure
ne...quidem not even

quippe for indeed, of course

quamquam clause starter although

quamvis

1. clause starter although
2. adverb to any degree you like, no matter how, however

quin

1. sentence starter why even in fact moreover
2. interrogative adverb why ... not...?
3. clause starter but that (after negative expressions of fear or doubt)

quia because

quoniam since because

quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitum ask for, seek

queo, quire, quivi or quii be able

queror, queri, questus sum complain, protest

Prof. Daniel V. McCaffrey
Randolph-Macon College