Potius sero quam numquam
“Rather late than never.”
Livy, Ab Urbe Condita, Book 4
What does “Potius sero quam numquam” mean?
Potius sero quam numquam translates as “Rather late than never.”
It is better to do something late than not to do it at all.
“Potius sero quam numquam” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Potius | rather, sooner | comparative adverb (from potis, “able, possible”); it expresses preference, “more willingly, rather” |
| sero | late | adverb meaning “late, after the proper time”; it is not a verb, and the same form is also the ablative of the adjective serus, “late” |
| quam | than | conjunction used after a comparative to introduce what is being compared |
| numquam | never | adverb made from ne- (“not”) and umquam (“ever”), so literally “not ever” |
How to pronounce “Potius sero quam numquam”
The two differ only in the t of potius: a plain t in Classical Latin, a ts sound (“tsee”) in Church Latin. In both, potius is stressed on the first syllable, sero on the first, and numquam on the first.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “rather late than never”. It is a short comparison: late is set against never, and late wins.
The wording is credited to the Roman historian Livy, who wrote a history of Rome from its founding, Ab Urbe Condita, in the late first century BC. The phrase appears in Book 4 in the slightly longer form “potiusque sero quam numquam”, with the -que (“and”) joining it to the sentence before.
Livy’s line is often named as the source of the English proverb “better late than never”. The idea itself is older and common to many languages, but the compact Latin wording is the version people quote today.
How to use “Potius sero quam numquam”
A good fit for a card to someone who is behind on a task or has finally got around to calling, apologising or starting. It also works as a desk motto against procrastination, an essay quote about action, or a tattoo for a late start.
- Latin
- Potius sero quam numquam
- English
- Rather late than never.
- Source
- Livy, Ab Urbe Condita, Book 4
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Action
Common mistakes
- The word order matters: “Potius sero quam numquam” keeps the comparison clear. “Sero potius quam numquam” is understandable but is not the form usually quoted.
- Livy’s original has the extra -que (“potiusque sero quam numquam”). Both forms circulate, but the shorter one is the standard quotation.
- sero is an adverb meaning “late”. Do not confuse it with the verb sero (“I sow”), which is spelled the same but is a different word.
- Numquam is often misspelled “nunquam”. Both spellings exist in Latin, but numquam is the usual classical form.
Questions about “Potius sero quam numquam”
What does “Potius sero quam numquam” mean literally?
“Rather late than never.” Potius means “rather”, sero “late”, quam “than” and numquam “never”.
Who said “Potius sero quam numquam”?
It comes from the Roman historian Livy, in Book 4 of his Ab Urbe Condita, in the slightly longer form “potiusque sero quam numquam”.
How do you pronounce “Potius sero quam numquam”?
In Classical Latin: POH-tee-oos SEH-roh kwahm NOOM-kwahm. In Church Latin the t in potius sounds like “ts”: POH-tsee-oos.
Is “Potius sero quam numquam” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is a real Latin quotation with correct grammar and no endings to change, so it is safe to use as it stands.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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