Ego te absolvo
“I absolve you.”
Catholic rite of penance
What does “Ego te absolvo” mean?
Ego te absolvo translates as “I absolve you.”
The words of forgiveness spoken by a priest in confession. They express release from guilt and a fresh start.
“Ego te absolvo” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ego | I | nominative singular of the pronoun ego; in Latin the subject pronoun is normally left out, so using it here adds emphasis |
| te | you | accusative singular of tu, “you”; the direct object, addressed to one person |
| absolvo | I absolve, I release | first person singular present indicative active of absolvo, “to release, set free, acquit” (from solvo, “to loosen”) |
How to pronounce “Ego te absolvo”
The only difference is the v in absolvo: w in Classical, v in Church Latin. The stress falls on the first syllable of ego and on the second syllable of absolvo.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “I release you”. The verb absolvo is a legal word from Roman courts, where it meant to acquit someone or to free a person from a charge or obligation.
The Church took the word over for the sacrament of penance, also called confession. In the traditional Latin rite the priest says the full formula “Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis”, “I absolve you from your sins”, usually followed by the invocation of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Outside the rite, the phrase turns up in fiction, film and church teaching as shorthand for forgiveness. Since the Second Vatican Council the sacrament is usually celebrated in the local language, so the Latin is now mostly heard in traditional liturgies.
How to use “Ego te absolvo”
Best suited to a scene in a novel or screenplay with a confession, to a catechism or church history lesson, or to writing about guilt and forgiveness. As a tattoo or motto it carries a strongly Catholic, sacramental meaning.
- Latin
- Ego te absolvo
- English
- I absolve you.
- Source
- Catholic rite of penance
- Era
- Church Latin
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- The phrase is only the core of the formula. The full words continue with “a peccatis tuis” (“from your sins”) and the invocation, so quoting it alone gives just the central sentence.
- Speaking to more than one person requires vos instead of te: “Ego vos absolvo”.
- It is not “I forgive you” in the everyday sense. Absolvo means a formal release or acquittal, and in the rite it is spoken by a priest, not by just anyone.
- Spelling: it is absolvo, not “absolvio” or “absolvo te” with a doubled v.
Questions about “Ego te absolvo”
What does “Ego te absolvo” mean literally?
“I release you”. In the rite of confession this is understood as “I absolve you”, meaning I free you from your sins.
Who says “Ego te absolvo”?
A Catholic priest, in the sacrament of penance (confession). The line belongs to the formula of absolution and is not from classical literature.
How do you pronounce “Ego te absolvo”?
Classical: EH-goh teh ab-SOL-woh. Church Latin: EH-goh teh ab-SOL-voh. Only the v changes.
Is “Ego te absolvo” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is correct for addressing one person. Keep in mind that it is a priest’s sacramental formula, which gives it a specific religious meaning.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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