# Not to trust no one



## sono_io_bella

Hello everyone, I am going to attempt and ask this phrase in this forum. Hopefully, someone out there will kindly help me translate *"NOT TO TRUST NO ONE"* in *Latin*. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for all your help.


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## Kevin Beach

The phrase is ungrammatical in English because it contains two negatives that cancel each other out. It is impossible to translate it into any other language sensibly.

Do you mean *Not to trust anyone* or *To trust no one*?


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## sono_io_bella

Hello Kevin, *NOT TO TRUST NO ONE*. I understand it has a double negative. It's actually not for me. I did mentioned *NOT TO TRUST ANYONE AND/OR **TO TRUST NO ONE* to my friend. Hence, if you may translate both that will be great. Any help is greatly appreciated.


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## Kevin Beach

"To trust no one" is *nemo fidere*.

"Not to trust no one" is *nemo diffidere* or *nemo non fidere*.

You will notice that *diffidere* is a verb on its own - rather like *mistrust*, I suppose.

*Nemo diffidere* effectively means "Don't mistrust anybody", which really means "Trust _everybody_", but that is the logic of the phrase that your friend gave you.


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## jazyk

As far as I know, both fidere and diffidere should be followed by the dative, then we have: nemini fidere and nemini diffidere. Fidere can also be followed by the ablative: nullo/nemine fidere.


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## Kevin Beach

jazyk said:


> As far as I know, both fidere and diffidere should be followed by the dative, then we have: nemini fidere and nemini diffidere. Fidere can also be followed by the ablative: nullo/nemine fidere.


Of course. Thank you, jazyk. After a hard day's work, my brain forgot to move beyond the nominative.


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## sono_io_bella

Okay, I will try and post this again. In his case, he has been burnt one too many times from the people he thought he could trust. So how would you translate "NOT TO TRUST ANYONE"? I would like to express my gratitude for taking a minute of your time helping me translate these phrases. Thank you Kevin, and thank you jazyk. =)


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## jazyk

But your sentence could also be interpreted as imperative, in which case it'd be: Omnibus diffide or Nemini/nemine/nullo fide.


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## sono_io_bella

Indeed, thank you so much Jazyk. I am very grateful for your quick response. Latin is one of the most difficult language to learn in my opinion. I am fortunate I was able to get help translating the phrase from you and Kevin. Thank you once again. Have a wonderful weekend.


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