Sum quod eris
“I am what you will be.”
Traditional epitaph
What does “Sum quod eris” mean?
Sum quod eris translates as “I am what you will be.”
Spoken by the dead to the living: death comes for everyone. It is a sober reminder to live well while there is time.
“Sum quod eris” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Sum | I am | first person singular present indicative of sum, “to be” (irregular verb); the pronoun “I” is built into the ending |
| quod | what | neuter singular accusative relative pronoun (from qui, quae, quod); here “that which, what” |
| eris | you will be | second person singular future indicative of sum, “to be”; “you” is built into the ending |
How to pronounce “Sum quod eris”
Both pronunciations sound the same here. Sum is one syllable, and the stress falls on the first syllable of eris.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “I am what you will be”. It is spoken by the dead person to whoever stops to read the inscription, a voice from the grave addressing the passer-by.
It is a short form of a longer funerary formula, “Quod tu es, ego fui; quod ego sum, tu eris” (“What you are, I was; what I am, you will be”). Roman tombs often spoke to passers-by in this way, and the tradition carried on into later Christian burial inscriptions.
The sentiment lives on in memento-mori art and in cemetery and church inscriptions, where the dead speak to the living about the shortness of life.
How to use “Sum quod eris”
Well suited to a memento-mori artwork, a gravestone or cemetery study, a gothic or historical writing project, or a tattoo for someone who wants a sober reminder of mortality. It reads best as a message from the dead to the living.
- Latin
- Sum quod eris
- English
- I am what you will be.
- Source
- Traditional epitaph
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Death
Common mistakes
- Do not read quod as “because”. Here it is a relative pronoun meaning “what” or “that which”.
- The words are not interchangeable with “I am who you will be”. Quod is neuter, so the idea is a condition (being dead), not a person.
- The line is only half of a traditional formula. If you want the full epitaph, use “Quod tu es, ego fui; quod ego sum, tu eris”.
- Eris is “you will be”. It is easily confused with eras (“you were”, imperfect) or es (“you are”).
Questions about “Sum quod eris”
What does “Sum quod eris” mean literally?
“I am what you will be.” Sum is “I am”, quod is “what”, and eris is “you will be”.
Who said “Sum quod eris”?
No single author. It is a traditional epitaph, a voice-from-the-grave formula used on tombs from Roman times onward.
How do you pronounce “Sum quod eris”?
Classical and Church pronunciation are the same: “soom kwod EH-ris”, with the stress on the first syllable of eris.
Is “Sum quod eris” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is sound and it is a recognised traditional formula. Just be aware it is spoken as if by a dead person to the viewer.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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