Lesson 8:
Prepositions

Use

Exact Meaning

Each prepositions in Esperanto, except one, has one precise and fixed meaning.

Li skribis per plumo, NE kun plumo.

He wrote by means of a pen, NOT with a pen.

Je

Je is the preposition that doesn't have one precise, fixed meaning. It doesn't really have any meaning. It's the preposition to use when none of the other pronouns will work.

He laughed at me.

Li ridis je mi.

Governed Cases

In most cases the preposition governs the nominative case. The exception is when antaŭ, ĉe, en, sub, sur, kontraŭ, super, or trans incidates movement towards something, in which case, the preposition governs the accusative case.

Li promenis sur la herbo. Li promenis sur la herbon.

He walked on the grass. He walked onto the grass.

Omission

In Esperanto, prepositions (especially al) are frequently omitted an the noun which they govern is put in the accusative case.

Ni iru al Usono! Ni iru Usonon!

Let's go to America! Let's go to America!

Adverbs as Prepositions

Sometimes an adverb may be used with the force of a preposition.

Mi loĝas proksime de rivero.

I live near a river.

List