Expert: Maria - 7/2/2008

Question
I was wondering if you could translate 'Anything is possible' to Latin for me.

Answer
Hello,

“Anything is possible” can be translated as follows:

1-“ Quidvis est possibile” or “Quicquid est possibile” ( “Anything is possible”).

2-“ Quidvis accidere potest” or “Quicquid accidere potest”(‘Anything can happen’).

3-“Omnia accidere possunt”( ‘All things can happen’).

4-”Omnia sunt possibilia”(‘All things are possible’)

All the above translations are correct, of course, and then you can choose the one you like best.

See below for grammatical analysis.

Best regards,
Maria
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Note that in the 1st. translation which is literal :

-Anything = QUIDVIS (neuter of the pronoun  QUIVIS) or QUICQUID
(neuter of the pronoun  QUISQUIS)

-is = est (from SUM, I am)

-possible= POSSIBILE (neuter of the adjective POSSIBILIS)
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In the 2nd.translation (“Quidvis accidere potest” or “Quicquid accidere potest”) note that:

-QUIDVIS (neuter singular of the pronoun  QUIVIS) or QUICQUID ( neuter singular  of the pronoun  QUISQUIS) = anything

-ACCIDERE (infinitive of ACCIDO) = happen

-POTEST  (3rd.person singular, present indicative of POSSUM, I can) = can

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Finally as for “Omnia accidere possunt” or “Omnia sunt possibilia” note that:

-OMNIA (nominative neuter plural of OMNIS )  = all things

-ACCIDERE (infinitive of ACCIDO) = happen

-POSSUNT (3rd.person plural, present indicative of POSSUM, I can) = can.



-OMNIA (nominative neuter plural of OMNIS )  = all things

-SUNT (from SUM ) = are

-POSSIBILIA (nominative neuter plural) = possible