LESSON X.


INDEFINITE PRONOUNS.- The following, though belonging to the vocabulary, are mentioned here on account of their very frequent use:
ula, ulu, ulo = some (indeterminate quality).
Ula is an adjective:
ula libro, some book.
Ulu is a pronoun:
ulu dicis, someone (a certain person) said.
Ulo is a noun (thing):
ulo mankas, something is wanting.
Irga, irgu, irgo, (used in the same way as ula, ulu, ulo) = any whatever:
irgo konvenos, anything whatever will do.
Kelka, kelko, = some (an indeterminate number or quantity):
kelka homi, some men.
donez ad me kelko, give me some (quantity of it).
Note the difference between kelka and poka; kelka means some, a certain amount, a few (opposed to nula, none); poka means some, but little, few (opposed to multa, much).
Omna, omnu, omno, all, every:
omna homi, all men.
Plural omni, all:
omni dicis, they all said.
omnu kantis, everyone sang.
omno esas hike, everything is here.
Altra, altru, altro, other:
altra foyo, another time.
altru parolos, someone else will speak.
altro montros, ke ... , another thing will show that ...
Nula, nulu, nulo, none, nobody, nothing (the opposite of ulu, etc.).
Singla, single, each.
singla karti, single cards.
li venis single, they came singly.
dek centimi po singla, a penny apiece.
The difference between omna and singla is slight, but clear; omna means every (collectively), while singla means each (distributively):
Omnu parolis, singlu en sua linguo.
Everyone spoke, each in his own language.
Observe that each other can be translated ula la altra (in the plural uni la altri) when the prefix inter- is unsuitable:
Amez uni la altra,
Love one another.
Li interparolis longe,
They talked together (with each other) long.
Li donis donaci uni a l'altri,
They gave each other gifts (gave gifts each to the others).

AFFIXES.- -aj with a verbal root, marks the object of the action expressed by the verb (transitive or mixed):
manj-ajo, food (what is eaten).
drink-ajo, drink (what is drunk).
chanj-ajo, thing changed.
With an intransitive verb it marks the subject of the action:
rezult-ajo, result (what results).
rest-ajo, rest (what remains).
With a non-verbal root, it signifies a thing made of a certain matter, or possessing a certain quality:
lan-ajo, woollen article bel-ajo, beauty, beautiful thing.
mol-ajo, soft part.
By extension it expresses "act of ...":
amik-ajo, friendly act. infant-ajo, childish prank.
-ur marks the concrete result of the action expressed by the verb:
pikt-uro, a painting.
imit-uro, an imitation (made). (Compare imit-ajo, the thing imitated).
imprim-uro, printed work, letterpress.
fotograf-uro, a photograph (picture).
-ar, collection of:
hom-aro, mankind. vort-aro, vocabulary.
"One of a mass" is expressed by -un:
grel-uno, a hailstone.
Where the elements are pieces, rather than individuals, use peco:
sukro-peco, lump of sugar.
ex-, ex-, former:
ex-konsulo, ex-consul. ex-oficiro, ex-officer.
-um is an indefinite suffix with no fixed meaning. Consult the dictionary for words in which it occurs:
mond-umo, The World, smart society.
foli-umar, to thumb, turn over the leaves of.
kol-umo, (shirt-) collar.
nuk-umo, neck-flap.

CONVERSATION.

Are you a chess-player?Ka vu esas shak-ludero?
I used to know the moves.Olim me savis la stroki.
I have forgotten the names of the men.Me obliviis la nomi di la peci.
I couldn't even castle right.Me ne povus mem roquar korekte.
Should you prefer to go out and enjoy the fresh air?Ka vu preferus ekirar e juar la fresha aero?
Yes, indeed; the rain is over.Yes, certe; la pluvo cesis.
Very well; we'll take our umbrellas, in case it begins again.Bone; ni prenos nia parapluvi, kaze ke ol rikomencus.
If you are cold, we won't stay long.Se vu sentos vu kolda, ni ne restos longatempe.

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James Chandler 1997