Expert: Maria - 9/15/2007

Question
I have recently come up with the creed "I doubt it" and I was wondering what it would be in Latin. Most online translators are utterly incompetent and give me a literal translation of I, doubt, and it. So I wanted to know how I would go about saying I doubt it in Latin.

Answer
Hello,

Here’s the correct Latin translation of “I doubt it”:

“Id dubito” or simply “Dubito”.

Please note that:

-I doubt = DUBITO (present indicative, 1st.person singular, of the verb DUBITO, 1st. conjugation).
The English pronoun I is omitted as in Latin each person of the verb changes ending and then indicates the different pronouns.For example DUBITO (I doubt), DUBITAS (you doubt), DUBITAT (he/she doubts), and so on.

-It = ID (accusative neuter of the demonstrative pronoun IS).  In Latin this pronoun can be omitted.

Hope this helps.
Best,
Maria
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PS. Automated online translators are worthless, especially  with inflected languages such as Latin and Greek, but also with other languages.