Fides facit fidem
“Trust creates trust.”
Latin proverb
What does “Fides facit fidem” mean?
Fides facit fidem translates as “Trust creates trust.”
If you show confidence in others, they tend to return it.
“Fides facit fidem” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Fides | trust, faith, good faith | nominative singular feminine of fides, “trust, faith, reliability”; the subject of the sentence |
| facit | creates, produces | third person singular present active indicative of facio, “I make, I do” |
| fidem | trust, belief | accusative singular feminine of fides; the direct object, so the same word appears twice in different cases |
How to pronounce “Fides facit fidem”
The two systems differ only in two places: the c of facit (hard k classically, ch in Church Latin) and the final syllable of fides (classical “ace”, Church “ess”). Stress falls on the first syllable of each word.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “trust makes trust”. The same noun, fides, stands as subject and as object, which gives the proverb its neat, mirror-like shape.
It is a Latin proverb with no known author or fixed source, and the Middle Ages is only a rough label for the period in which it was passed around. It is often paired with the English saying “confidence begets confidence”.
Fides was also a core Roman idea, covering trustworthiness, keeping your word and the good faith that holds agreements and friendships together. The proverb applies that idea to everyday relationships: trust given tends to be trust returned.
How to use “Fides facit fidem”
A fitting motto for friendships, teams and families, or a line for a card to someone you trust. It also works as a tattoo or desk motto about building relationships by trusting first.
- Latin
- Fides facit fidem
- English
- Trust creates trust.
- Source
- Latin proverb
- Era
- Middle Ages
- Theme
- Friendship
Common mistakes
- Fides does not mean “faith” only in a religious sense. Here it is trust and good faith between people.
- Do not read fidem as a different word. It is the same noun fides in the accusative case, because it is the object of facit.
- Do not pronounce it like English “fidelity” or “fiddle”. The first syllable is a long “fee”, and classical fides ends in “ace”, not “eez”.
- Do not attribute it to a famous author. It is an anonymous proverb.
Questions about “Fides facit fidem”
What does “Fides facit fidem” mean literally?
“Trust makes trust.” The sense is that showing trust in others tends to produce trust in return.
Who said “Fides facit fidem”?
No one in particular. It is an anonymous Latin proverb, and no ancient source is securely known.
How do you pronounce “Fides facit fidem”?
Classical: FEE-dace FAH-kit FEE-dem. Church Latin: FEE-dess FAH-chit FEE-dem. The stress falls on the first syllable of each word.
Is “Fides facit fidem” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is grammatical: fides is the subject, facit the verb and fidem the object. It is a short, balanced phrase that works well as a tattoo.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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