se in Reported Statements
He Says That He
Write se for the speaker and eum, eam or eos for someone else.
How It Works
Se is the word for himself, herself or themselves. In a reported statement it points back to the person who is speaking, thinking or believing.
| Latin | English |
|---|---|
| Marcus dicit se venire. | Marcus says that he (Marcus) is coming. |
| Marcus dicit eum venire. | Marcus says that he (another man) is coming. |
To mean someone else, use eum, eam or eos. Se is the same for one person or many, and a word that describes it agrees with the speaker: Iulia putat se esse laetam (laetam is feminine because Iulia is).
English often says only he, and the reader cannot tell who. Latin makes the difference clear with se and eum.
Examples (5)
- Marcus dicit se venire.
Marcus says that he is coming.
Se is Marcus himself.
- Marcus dicit eum venire.
Marcus says that he is coming (another man).
Eum is another person, not Marcus.
- Iulia putat se esse laetam.
Iulia thinks that she is happy.
Se is Iulia, so laetam is feminine.
- Pueri credunt se bene scribere.
The boys believe that they write well.
Se means the boys themselves.
- Qui dicit se in ipso manere, debet, sicut ille ambulavit, et ipse ambulare.
Whoever says that he remains in him ought to walk as he walked.
From 1 John 2:6. Se is the one who says it.
Common Mistakes
Using eum when the subject is the speaker.
Marcus dicit eum venire.Marcus dicit se venire.Marcus dicit eum venire is good Latin, but eum is another man. To say that Marcus says he himself is coming, use se.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Se points back to the speaker in a reported statement.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice se in Reported Statements in Bubblegum
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