whether (conj.) Copy link Outline I. In single questions1. nĕ (attached to the most important word in the question)2. num3. an (after verbs of doubting, not knowing, etc.)4. si (after verbs of seeing, trying)5. utrum (very rare in this use)II. In double questions, whether ... or1. utrum ... an, anne, ne2. ne ... an3. ... an, ne, the Latin word for whether being not expressedIII. Whether ... or, where a matter is left undecided, but a conclusion drawn whichever way it be • whether (conj.): I. In single questions: 1. nĕ (attached to the most important word in the question): w. Publilius will go, you will be able to know from Aledius, Publilius iturusne sit, ex Aledio cognosces, Cic. 2. num: I ask w. things would happen differently from what they do happen, quaero num aliter ac nunc eveniunt evenirent, Cic. 3. an (after verbs of doubting, not knowing, etc.): I do not know w. I may (not) better call it patience, nescio an melius patientiam possim dicere, Cic. Lig. 9, 26: there is really no ellipse of a negative here; it is only that I am not sure w., in Latin, conveyed a leaning to the affirmative, whereas in English it leans to the negative: I doubt w. I should (not) place (i. e. I am almost inclined to place) Thrasybulus the first of all men, dubito an Thrasybulum primum omnium ponam, Nep. Thras. 1. 4. si (after verbs of seeing, trying): I will go and see w. he is at home, ibo et visam si domi est, Pl.: the Helvetii tried w. they could break through, Helvetii si perrumpere possent conati, Caes. B. G. 1, 8. 5. utrum (very rare in this use): will you dare to say that it matters not w. the Sicilians think well of you? an hoc dicere audebis utrum de te Siculi bene existiment, ad rem non pertinere? Cic. Verr. 2, 69, 167. II. In double questions, whether ... or: 1. utrum ... an, anne, ne: w. he spoke in a Roman sense, or as the Stoics speak, I will hereafter inquire, utrum Romano more locutus sit, an, ut Stoici dicunt, postea videro, Cic.: w. they think this or pretend it, you will understand, id utrum illi sentiant anne simulent, tu intelliges, id.: w. you have bought it or not, utrum emeris necne, id. 2. ne ... an: w. in the whole compass of the speech, or in the beginning, or in the end, or in both, in totone circuitu orationis, an in principiis, an in extremis, an in utraque parte, Cic. 3. ... an, ne, the Latin word for whether being not expressed: w. wounded or whole, have I deserted your standard? saucius an sanus numquid tua signa reliqui? Ov.: so that it was uncertain w. they were conquerors or conquered, ut incertum fuerit vicissent victine essent, Liv. III. Whether ... or, where a matter is left undecided, but a conclusion drawn whichever way it be: sive ... sive, seu ... seu (the former Ciceronian, the latter, as also sive ... seu, seu ... sive, in Caes. and in the poets): w. I am thinking, or writing, or reading, I am wont to use that as my favourite place, sive quid mecum ipse cogito sive quid aut scribo aut lego, illo loco libentissime soleo uti, Cic.: w. it was done rightly or wrongly, I confess myself the doer, seu recte seu pervorse facta sunt, egomet fecisse confiteor, Pl.: w. by guile or w. the fates of Troy so willed it, sive dolo seu Trojae sic fata ferebant, Virg.: w. it is madness or any one has harmed you, seu furor est, sive aliquis nocuit, Ov.