Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
“I will either find a way or make one.”
Attributed to Hannibal
What does “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam” mean?
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam translates as “I will either find a way or make one.”
Nothing will stop you – if there is no road, build one.
“Aut viam inveniam aut faciam” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Aut | either | a conjunction; the first half of the pair aut … aut, “either … or”, which sets two options against each other |
| viam | a way, a road | accusative singular (direct object) of via, “road, way”, feminine |
| inveniam | I will find | first person singular future active indicative of invenio, “to come upon, find” |
| aut | or | the second half of the aut … aut pair |
| faciam | I will make | first person singular future active indicative of facio, “to make, do”; the object viam is understood from the first half |
How to pronounce “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam”
The main difference is in v (w in Classical, v in Church) and in the c of faciam (hard k in Classical, ch in Church). The stress falls on the second-to-last syllable of viam, inveniam and faciam in the Classical reading.
The story behind it
Word for word the line reads “either I will find a way or I will make one”. The verb faciam is given without its object, because viam from the first half carries over.
It is traditionally put in the mouth of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general who led an army with war elephants over the Alps into Italy in 218 BC. The story goes that when he was told the crossing was impossible, he answered with these words.
The attribution is traditional, not proven. No ancient historian of Hannibal’s campaign is known to record this sentence, so it is best treated as a later tradition. Today it is widely used as a motto of determination.
How to use “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam”
A good fit for a tattoo, a graduation or leaving card, or a motto for a project or career change where the path is not yet clear. It also works as an essay epigraph on perseverance or initiative.
- Latin
- Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
- English
- I will either find a way or make one.
- Source
- Attributed to Hannibal
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Perseverance
Common mistakes
- Do not present it as a certain quote of Hannibal. It is attributed to him, with no firm ancient source.
- Both verbs are future tense (“I will find … I will make”). Using the present forms invenio and facio would change the meaning.
- The form inveniam is first person singular. For “we”, the forms would be inveniemus and faciemus.
- The two aut are a pair, so do not drop one: “aut viam inveniam faciam” is not correct.
Questions about “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam”
What does “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam” mean literally?
“Either I will find a way or I will make one.” The two verbs are in the future tense and share the single object viam.
Who said “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam”?
It is traditionally attributed to Hannibal, supposedly said when told elephants could not cross the Alps. There is no firm ancient source, so the attribution is uncertain.
How do you pronounce “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam”?
Classical: owt WEE-am in-WEH-nee-am owt FAH-kee-am. Church Latin sounds a little different: owt VEE-ahm in-VEH-nee-ahm owt FAH-chee-ahm.
Is “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is sound: aut … aut with two first person future verbs. It is spoken by one person, so it suits a personal motto.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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