Video sed non credo
“I see it, but I do not believe it.”
Latin phrase
What does “Video sed non credo” mean?
Video sed non credo translates as “I see it, but I do not believe it.”
An expression of astonishment at something that seems impossible but is plainly there. It fits surprising discoveries.
“Video sed non credo” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Video | I see | first person singular present active indicative of video, “I see” |
| sed | but | conjunction, “but” |
| non | not | negative adverb, “not”; it negates the verb that follows |
| credo | I believe | first person singular present active indicative of credo, “I believe” |
How to pronounce “Video sed non credo”
The only difference is the first sound: classical v is a w (WEE-doh), church v is a v (VEE-doh). The stress falls on the first syllable of video and credo.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “I see, but I do not believe.” It is a modern Latin rendering, not a line from an ancient Roman author.
It echoes a remark by the mathematician Georg Cantor. In 1877 he wrote to Richard Dedekind, in French, about one of his own proofs: “Je le vois, mais je ne le crois pas.”
Today the Latin version is mostly a mathematicians’ joke, quoted when a result is proven yet feels impossible, and it suits any surprising discovery in science.
How to use “Video sed non credo”
A fun caption for a math department poster, a science lecture slide or a talk about counterintuitive results. It also works as a witty reaction to any surprising fact you cannot quite accept.
- Latin
- Video sed non credo
- English
- I see it, but I do not believe it.
- Source
- Latin phrase
- Era
- Modern Latin
- Theme
- Truth
Common mistakes
- It is not classical Latin from Rome. It is a modern translation of Cantor’s French remark, so do not credit it to an ancient author.
- The Latin does not say “it”. The object is understood, so do not add a pronoun such as id.
- Do not drop non. “Video sed credo” means “I see, but I believe”, which loses the astonishment.
- Cantor wrote the original in French, not Latin, so “Cantor said it in Latin” is wrong.
Questions about “Video sed non credo”
What does “Video sed non credo” mean?
“I see it, but I do not believe it.” It expresses astonishment at something that is plainly true but seems impossible.
Who said “Video sed non credo”?
The idea comes from Georg Cantor, who wrote in French to Dedekind in 1877 about one of his proofs. The Latin wording is a later rendering.
How do you pronounce “Video sed non credo”?
Classical: WEE-doh sed nohn KREH-doh. Church Latin: VEE-doh sed nohn KREH-doh.
Is “Video sed non credo” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is correct: two first person verbs joined by sed, with non before credo. Just know it is modern Latin, not an ancient quotation.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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