LESSON IX.


PREPOSITIONS.- Each preposition has a well-defined meaning, and (like all words in the International Language) must be used only when the sense clearly requires it; e.g.:
I bought it of him, becomes: I bought it from him.
Me kompris ol de il.
He cut himself with his knife, becomes: by means of his knife, Il sekis su per sua kultelo.
The preposition ye, however, has no definite meaning, and is only to be used when no other preposition will do:
Ye la duesma (di) marto,
On the 2nd of March.
Il kaptis la kavalo ye la kolo per lazo,
He caught the horse by the neck with a lasso.
Me doloras ye la kapo,
I have head-ache (= I ache at the head).

CONJUNCTIONS.- Conjunctions are followed by whatever mood and tense are logically required:
(a) Se vu esus malada,
If you were (should be) ill.
(b) Se vu esos malada,
If you are (will be) ill.
(c) Imperez, ke il venez,
Order him to come (imperative).
(d) Restez til ke il venos,
Stay until he comes (will come).
(e) Kande il departos, dicez ad il...
When he leaves (= will depart), tell him -
(f) Segun ke me esos fatigita o ne, me iros kun vu,
According as I am (shall be) tired or not, I will go with you.
(g) Preparez chambro, pro la kazo se il venus,
Prepare a room in case he comes (should come).
(h) En la kazo ke il venos, en-duktez il,
In case he comes (will come), show him in.
Conjunctions are often formed from prepositions by adding ke:
pro, because of (prep.); pro ke, because (conj.)
por, for, in order to (prep.); por ke, in order that (conj.)
dum, during (prep.); dum ke, while (conj.)
de-pos, since (prep.); de-pos ke, since (conj.)
til, as far as, till (prep.); til ke, till until (conj.)
The prepositions (without ke) are used before a noun, pronoun, or infinitive; the conjunctions before a verb (except the infinitive):
De-pos mea mariajo, Since my marriage.
De-pos ke me esis mariajata, Since I got married.

AFFIXES.- pre-, fore-, pre-, ante-:
pre-dicar, to foretell, predict.
pre-avo, great-grandfather. [Compare pos-nepoto, great-grandson.]
pre-datizar, ante-date.
prim-, primitive:
prim-avi, forefathers.
retro-, back:
retro-venar, to return, come back.
retro-irar, to return, go back.
retro-sendar, to return, send back.
ri-, again:
ri-dicar, to repeat, say again.
ri-polisar, to repolish.
Retro is used as an adverb; the adverb corresponding to ri- is itere, again.
-iv forms adjectives signifying "able to", "capable of doing":
instrukt-iva, instructive. responsiva, responsible.
sugest-iva, suggestive.
-ebl, forms adjectives signifying "that can be", "capable of being", -able:
kred-ebla, credible. lekt-ebla, legible.
ne-sond-ebla, unfathomable.
-ari denotes the indirect object (with to expressed or understood) of verb:
legac-ario, (person to whom something is bequeathed).

CONVERSATION.

Do you like travelling?Ka vu prizas voyajado?
I seldom travel.Me rare voyajas.
It is too expensive.Ol esas tro kustoza.
Not so much as formerly.Ne tam multe kam olim.
Do you think so, really?Ka vu tale opinionas, vere?
According to my experience.Segun mea experienco.
Have you visited France or Germany?Ka vu vizitis Francia o Germania?
No, I don't know French or German.No, me ne savas la Franca nek la Germana.
They are so hard to master.Li esas tante desfacile aquirebla.
It is to be hoped that everyone will soon learn Ido. Espereble, omnu balde lernos Ido.

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James Chandler 1997