Expert: Maria - 1/27/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi there!  How would I translate 'be true' into latin???

ANSWER: Hi,

“Be true” translates as follows:

-“Esto sincerus”, if this command is addressed to a male person in the singular.

-“Esto sincera”, if this command is addressed to a female person in the singular.

-“Estote sinceri”, if this command is addressed to a male person in the plural.

-“Estote sincerae”, if this command is addressed to a female person in the plural.

Regards,
Maria
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Note that:

-Be = ESTO (2nd.person singular, imperative of SUM, I am) / ESTOTE (2nd.person plural)

-true = SINCERUS (nominative masculine singular) / SINCERA (nominative feminine singular) / SINCERI (nominative masculine plural) / SINCERAE (nominative feminine plural)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Maria,

Thanks for the prompt answer to my question!  I have a brief follow up.  Instead of 'Be True', what would the translation of 'be TRUTHFUL' be in latin?  I have found 'Esto Verax' addressed to the male person in the singular - is this correct?

Answer
Hello,

“Esto verax” is grammatically correct, but the adjective “verax” is not so often used as it is recurs mostly in some phrases like the following:
-“Oraculum verax fuit” (the oracle  was truthful);
-“Herodotum cur veraciorem ducam Ennio?” ( Why  should I consider Herodotus more trustworthy than Ennius?).

Therefore I’d prefer to use another adjective like e.g. “verus”(addressed to the male person in the singular) as well as  “sincerus” which means either “true” or “truthful” in the sense of “consistently telling the truth”.

All the best,
Maria