Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?
“Why should I listen to words when I can see deeds?”
Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes 3.48
What does “Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?” mean?
Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam? translates as “Why should I listen to words when I can see deeds?”
Actions speak louder than words. Judge people by what they do.
“Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Quid | why, what | interrogative pronoun, accusative singular neuter (quis, quid), used adverbially to mean “why” |
| verba | words | accusative plural neuter of verbum, “word”; object of audiam |
| audiam | should I listen to | first person singular present subjunctive active of audio, “to hear, listen”; a deliberative question |
| cum | when, since | conjunction (“when” or “although”), here followed by the subjunctive |
| facta | deeds | accusative plural neuter of factum, “deed, act”; object of videam |
| videam | I can see | first person singular present subjunctive active of video, “to see”; subjunctive after cum |
How to pronounce “Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?”
The two differ mainly in the v (w in Classical, v in Church) and in the vowels of the first syllable of video (WEE-deh-ahm vs VEE-deh-ahm). Stress falls on the second-to-last syllable of audiam and videam.
The story behind it
Word for word the line asks “Why should I hear words, when I may see deeds?” It is a rhetorical question: if the facts are in front of you, talk adds nothing.
It comes from Cicero’s Tusculan Disputations, a set of philosophical dialogues from the mid-first century BC on how to face pain, grief and death. In Book 3 he discusses the emotions, and the line is quoted where people’s true feelings show in what they do rather than in what they say.
The thought is much older than Rome, and in English it lives on as “actions speak louder than words”. The Latin gives it a sharper, more skeptical edge.
How to use “Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?”
A good fit for a motto about integrity, a desk reminder to judge people by their conduct, a speech or essay on leadership or trust, or a tattoo for someone who values proof over promises.
- Latin
- Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?
- English
- Why should I listen to words when I can see deeds?
- Source
- Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes 3.48
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Action
Common mistakes
- The verbs are subjunctive (audiam, videam), not plain present. Changing them to audio and video turns a rhetorical question into a flat statement of fact.
- Do not read it as “I hear words when I see deeds”. It is a question with “why”, not a statement.
- Quid here means “why”, not “what”. The question is not “what words?”.
- Keep the cum clause intact. Shortening it to “Quid verba audiam?” loses the contrast with deeds.
Questions about “Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?”
What does “Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?” mean literally?
Literally, “Why should I hear words, when I may see deeds?” It is a rhetorical question meaning that actions are better evidence than speech.
Who said “Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?”
It is from Cicero’s Tusculan Disputations 3.48, a philosophical work written in the 40s BC.
How do you pronounce “Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?”
In Classical Latin: kwid WAIR-bah ow-DEE-ahm koom FAHK-tah wee-DEH-ahm. In Church Latin the v sounds like an English v.
Is “Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam?” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is sound, with a deliberative subjunctive in the question and a subjunctive after cum. Keep the full wording and punctuation, as shortening it changes the sense.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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