Latin phrase from the Roman poet Horace, contained in his Odes, I, 11. The original version is "Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero": apprehended the day ( present ) which ( therefore ) minimum credit to the subsequent ( 41 literal translation;. Summary, it means 'take advantage of the day'. With some slack, would be tantamount to «not leave for tomorrow what you can do today», or «live every moment as if it were the last». Carpe is the imperative of the verb "carpere": start capture gleaned, collect, take. Diem is the accusative case of the substantive «dies»: day.