quis / quid: cuius, cui, quem (Whose, To Whom, Whom)
Who and What in Every Case
Use cuius for whose, cui for to whom, quem for whom and quo for by whom or what.
How It Works
| Case | who (m. and f.) | what (n.) |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | quis | quid |
| genitive | cuius | cuius |
| dative | cui | cui |
| accusative | quem | quid |
| ablative | quo | quo |
The plural is the same as the plural of the relative: qui, quorum, quibus, quos. So cum quibus means with whom, when more than one person is meant.
The case follows the job of the question word in its own clause. Quem vides? asks Whom do you see? because the person is the object of vides.
A preposition comes in front of the form: cum quo (with whom).
Examples (5)
- Cuius est liber?
Whose book is it?
Cuius is the genitive and shows who owns the book.
- Cui librum das?
To whom are you giving the book?
Cui is the dative.
- Cum quo loqueris?
Who are you talking with?
Quo is the ablative after cum.
- Quem quaeritis?
Whom are you looking for?
From John 18:4. Quem is the accusative.
- Mulier, quid ploras? Quem quaeris?
Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?
From John 20:15. Quem is the accusative.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the question word in the nominative.
Quis vides?Quem vides?Quis is nominative, the form for the subject. The person you see is the object, so the question word is quem.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Quis and quid change case like the relative.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice quis / quid: cuius, cui, quem (Whose, To Whom, Whom) in Bubblegum
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