quam (How Big! How Good!)
How Big! How Good!
Put quam in front of the word you want to stress.
How It Works
| Latin | Meaning |
|---|---|
| quam pulchra | how beautiful |
| quam magnus | how big |
| quam longa | how long |
| quam laeti | how happy |
| quam bene | how well |
| quam celeriter | how fast |
The usual order is quam, then the adjective, then the verb and the noun: Quam pulchra est Roma! The adjective still agrees with the noun, so it is feminine here because Roma is feminine.
A question uses another word. Quomodo asks in what way, as in Quomodo vales?
The psalm line Quam admirabile est nomen tuum! uses a neuter adjective, because nomen is neuter. The same word quam also appears in comparisons, which come at Level 4.
Examples (5)
- Quam pulchra est Roma!
How beautiful Rome is!
Pulchra agrees with Roma.
- Quam laeti pueri sunt!
How happy the boys are!
Laeti agrees with pueri.
- Quam bene Iulia cantat!
How well Iulia sings!
Quam stands before the adverb bene.
- Quam longa est via!
How long the road is!
Longa agrees with via.
- Quam admirabile est nomen tuum!
How wonderful is your name!
Admirabile is neuter, to match nomen. The words are from Psalm 8:2.
Common Mistakes
Using quomodo in an exclamation.
Quomodo pulchra est Roma!Quam pulchra est Roma!Quomodo asks in what way, as in Quomodo vales? An exclamation about a quality needs quam.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Quam in an exclamation goes with an adjective.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice quam (How Big! How Good!) in Bubblegum
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