Expert: Maria - 7/27/2008

Question
Hi!
 I was wondering if you could translate "nothing comes from nothing" into
Latin for me. I have been told that it is "de nihilo nihil" but I don't completely
trust my source and would greatly appreciate your input!

   Thanks so much,
     Natalie

Answer
Hello,

“De nihilo nihil” is correct as well as “Ex nihilo nihil” .

In full, however, the phrase reads:
”Ex nihilo nihil fit” or "De nihilo nihil fit"
just meaning “Nothing comes from nothing” / “ From nothing nothing is produced/created“.

Best regards,
Maria
________________________________________
Note that:

-Nothing = NIHIL (nominative neuter)

-comes = FIT (from the verb  FIO, I am produced/ created/ made)

-from = EX or DE (prepositions which take the ablative case)

-nothing = NIHILO (ablative of NIHIL)

“Ex / De nihilo nihil” is the shortened version of “Ex/De nihilo nihil fit”.