Qui audet adipiscitur
“Who dares, wins.”
Latin motto
What does “Qui audet adipiscitur” mean?
Qui audet adipiscitur translates as “Who dares, wins.”
Courage brings results; those who take risks achieve their goals.
“Qui audet adipiscitur” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Qui | who | nominative singular masculine of the relative pronoun qui, quae, quod; here it means “he who” or “whoever” |
| audet | dares | 3rd person singular present indicative active of audeo, audere, “to dare” (a semi-deponent verb: active form in the present, passive form in the perfect) |
| adipiscitur | wins, gains | 3rd person singular present indicative of adipiscor, adipisci, “to obtain, to reach” (a deponent verb: passive form, active meaning) |
How to pronounce “Qui audet adipiscitur”
The main difference is the c in adipiscitur: a hard k in the classical sound (pis-kih) and sh in the church sound (peesh-ee). In audet the au is said like “ow” in both, with the stress on the first syllable.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “who dares, obtains”: adipiscor means to get, reach or attain something, so “wins” is a free but fair rendering. It is a modern motto, not a quotation from an ancient author.
The Latin is a rendering of the English motto “Who Dares Wins”, best known as the motto of the British Special Air Service (SAS), founded in 1941. Several other military and sporting groups use the same saying, and some of them give it in Latin.
Latin lines of this kind are often built from classical vocabulary but have no single classical source. That does not make this one wrong, but it means you should not credit it to Cicero, Virgil or any other Roman writer.
How to use “Qui audet adipiscitur”
Fits a tattoo, a team or club motto, a message in a card for someone starting a risky venture, or a line above your desk for a day you need nerve. It suits anything about taking a chance, from a career move to a sporting challenge.
- Latin
- Qui audet adipiscitur
- English
- Who dares, wins.
- Source
- Latin motto
- Era
- Modern
- Theme
- Courage
Common mistakes
- It is not a quote from a Roman author. It is a modern Latin version of an English motto, so do not attribute it to Caesar or anyone else in antiquity.
- Adipiscitur is deponent: the ending looks passive but it means “he wins”, not “is won”.
- Audet is the verb audeo, “I dare”. It has nothing to do with audio, “I hear”, although the two look alike.
- Qui audet adipiscitur is the usual form. You may see variants such as “Qui audet vincit” online; they are different wordings, not the same line.
Questions about “Qui audet adipiscitur”
What does “Qui audet adipiscitur” mean literally?
“Who dares, obtains.” In natural English it becomes “Who dares, wins.” Adipiscor means to get or reach something, so the Latin stresses gaining the goal.
Who said “Qui audet adipiscitur”?
No ancient author. It is a modern Latin rendering of the English motto “Who Dares Wins”, famous as the motto of the British SAS.
How do you pronounce “Qui audet adipiscitur”?
Classical: kwee OW-det ah-dih-PIS-kih-toor. Church Latin: kwee OW-det ah-dee-PEESH-ee-toor. The stress in adipiscitur falls on the third syllable, pis.
Is “Qui audet adipiscitur” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is sound: a relative clause “who dares” followed by a deponent verb “gains”. Just be aware it is a modern motto and not an ancient quotation.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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