How to Cite a Quote From a Person: Famous Sayings and Direct Sources
To cite a quote from a person, cite the source where you found the words, not the person alone. A quote you read in a book gets a book citation; one you heard in a speech gets a speech citation; a famous saying you found in a quote collection gets cited to that collection. The name of the speaker goes in your sentence for context, but the citation always points to a source a reader can check. Here is how that works for direct quotes and for famous sayings, in both MLA and APA.
Cite the source, not just the speaker
The core rule is that you cite where the quote came from. Attributing a line to “Einstein” tells the reader who said it, but the citation has to tell them where you got it, the book, article, speech, or website. This is why “how to cite a quote from a person” almost always turns into citing a specific type of source. Find the most direct source you can, ideally the original, and cite that.
How to cite a direct quote from a person you read or heard
Match the citation to the medium. If you read the quote in a book, use a book citation: the group was “resistant to change” (Smith 42) in MLA, or (Smith, 2020, p. 42) in APA. If you heard it in a speech or interview, cite the speaker and the event. If it was in an article or on a website, cite that. For the details of each medium, see how to quote someone in an essay and how to cite a quote from a website.
How to cite a famous quote or saying
Quote it as it appears in a real source, then cite that source. If a famous line appears in a book of quotations or a reputable article, cite that book or article the same way you would cite any book or webpage. Quoting from the original source is stronger than a quote collection because it gives the reader context, so track down the speech, essay, or interview where the person actually said it when you can.
MLA note: a well-known saying with no traceable source can sometimes be treated as common knowledge and worked into your sentence without a formal citation, but if you found it somewhere specific, cite that place. When in doubt, cite.
What about a quote you cannot trace?
Many famous quotes are misattributed. If you cannot find a legitimate source, either drop the quote or label it as attributed rather than confirmed. Writing “a line often attributed to Mark Twain” is honest and avoids putting a fake citation on the page. Sites often repeat quotes the named person never actually said, so verifying the source protects your credibility.
How to cite a quote from a person in a speech
For a spoken quote, MLA uses the speaker’s last name in parentheses, adding a timestamp for a recording: (Delilo) or (Delilo 12:45). The Works Cited entry lists the speaker, the speech title in quotation marks, the event, the date, and the location. APA cites a recorded talk by the speaker and year. For the full format, see how to handle sources without page numbers and the broader how to cite a quote in APA and MLA.
FAQ
How do you cite a quote from a person?
Cite the source where you found the words, a book, article, speech, or website, and name the speaker in your sentence for context.
How do you cite a famous quote?
Quote it as it appears in a real source and cite that source. The original speech or book is stronger than a quote collection, so use it when you can find it.
Do you need a citation for a famous saying?
If you found it in a specific source, yes, cite that source. A widely known saying with no traceable origin can sometimes be treated as common knowledge, but citing is the safer choice.
What if I can’t find who really said a quote?
Label it as “attributed to” the person rather than stating it as confirmed, or leave the quote out. Many famous quotes are misattributed.