Quae volumus, et credimus libenter
“What we want, we also gladly believe.”
After Caesar, De bello Gallico 3.18
What does “Quae volumus, et credimus libenter” mean?
Quae volumus, et credimus libenter translates as “What we want, we also gladly believe.”
Wishful thinking is powerful. We accept good news too easily when it is what we hoped for.
“Quae volumus, et credimus libenter” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Quae | the things which | neuter plural accusative (relative pronoun, from qui, quae, quod); object of volumus |
| volumus | we want | first person plural present indicative active of volo, “I want, I wish” |
| et | also, too | here a particle meaning “also”, not the simple “and” |
| credimus | we believe | first person plural present indicative active of credo, “I believe” |
| libenter | gladly, willingly | adverb, from libens, “willing” |
How to pronounce “Quae volumus, et credimus libenter”
Classical says quae like “kwy” with a hard c in credimus. Church Latin says “kweh”, a soft “ch” in credimus and an Italian-style v. The stress is the same in both: VOH-loo-moos, KREH-dih-moos, lih-BEN-tehr.
The story behind it
Word for word the saying runs “the things which we want, we also gladly believe”. It is a compact observation about human psychology: our hopes tilt our judgment.
It goes back to Julius Caesar’s account of his campaigns in Gaul, De bello Gallico 3.18, where he remarks that people mostly believe what they want to be true. The wording above is a later, condensed form of that remark rather than Caesar’s own sentence.
The thought has been repeated ever since, and today it is usually quoted as a neat description of wishful thinking and confirmation bias.
How to use “Quae volumus, et credimus libenter”
It fits a caption or essay point about wishful thinking, rumours and biased judgment. As a tattoo or desk motto it works as a reminder to double-check news you are eager to believe.
- Latin
- Quae volumus, et credimus libenter
- English
- What we want, we also gladly believe.
- Source
- After Caesar, De bello Gallico 3.18
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Truth
Common mistakes
- Et here means “also”, not “and”. Reading it as “what we want and we believe” loses the point.
- It does not say we believe whatever we want. It says we believe more readily what we hope is true.
- Do not present it as Caesar’s exact words. It is a short form after Caesar, and the original wording in De bello Gallico differs.
Questions about “Quae volumus, et credimus libenter”
What does “Quae volumus, et credimus libenter” mean literally?
“The things which we want, we also gladly believe.” It describes wishful thinking: we accept what we hope for more easily.
Who said “Quae volumus, et credimus libenter”?
It is attributed after Julius Caesar, De bello Gallico 3.18. The short form is a later paraphrase of his remark, not his exact wording.
How do you pronounce “Quae volumus, et credimus libenter”?
In Classical Latin: kwy WOH-loo-moos et KREH-dih-moos lih-BEN-tehr. In Church Latin: kweh VOH-loo-moos et CHREH-dih-moos lee-BEN-tehr.
Is “Quae volumus, et credimus libenter” good for a tattoo?
The Latin is correct as it stands. Just be aware that it is a paraphrase after Caesar, and that the meaning is a warning about bias, not an encouragement to believe what you wish.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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