inquam
From Old Latin īnseque, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁enskʷet, *h₁en-prefixed form of the thematic aorist of Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to say”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /ˈin.kʷam/, [ˈɪŋkʷä̃ˑ]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈin.kwam/, [ˈiŋkwäm]
Verb
inquam (perfect active inquiī); irregular conjugation, irregular, highly defective
Usage notes
- Used to introduce a quotation, platitude, or logical argument.
Conjugation
This verb is largely conjugated as if it were *inquiō (3rd conjugation) in present tenses and *inquō (also 3rd conjugation) in perfect tenses except 1st person singular. However, there is an unusual first person singular present form inquam (cf. the athematic verb sum). This form was possibly derived from *h₁enskʷom, the 1st person singular indicative form of Proto-Indo-European *h₁enskʷet (an aorist verb).