Mia hundo, vi estas tre fidela. Li estas mia onklo, ĉar mia patro estas lia frato. El ĉiuj miaj infanoj, Ernesto estas la plej juna. Lia patro kaj liaj fratoj estas en la ĝardeno. ŝia onklo estas en la domo. Kie estas viaj libroj? Niaj libroj kuŝas sur la tablo; iliaj krajonoj kaj ilia papero ankaŭ kuŝas sur la tablo.
Kiu estas en la ĉambro? Kiuj estas en la ĉambro? La sinjoro, kiu legas, estas mia amiko. La sinjoro, al kiu vi skribas, estas tajloro. Kio kuŝas sur la tablo?
LESSON 5.
The use of final n.
In order to understand the meaning of a sentence it is necessary to be able to recognise clearly and unmistakably what it is that is spoken about, that is, what the subject of the sentence is. In English this is often to be recognised only by its position in the sentence. For instance, the three words—visited, John, George, can be arranged to mean two entirely, different things, either "John visited George," or "George visited John." [Footnote: In teaching Esperanto to children it is well to make sure before going further that they thoroughly understand, what the subject is. The subject is that which we think or speak about. The word which stands for it is the subject of the sentence. The children may be required to underline the subject of each sentence in a suitable piece of prose or verse.] In Esperanto the sense does not depend on the arrangement—" Johano vizitis Georgon" and "Georgon vizitis Johano" mean exactly the same thing, that John visited George, the n at the end of "Georgon" showing that "Georgon" is not the subject. There is no want of clearness about the following (Esperanto) sentences, absurd as they are in English:—
| La | patron | mordis | la | hundo. |
| The | father | bit | the | dog. |
| La | infanon | gratis | la | kato. |
| The | child | scratched | the | cat. |
| La | birdojn | pafis | Johano. | |
| The | birds | shot | John. | |
| La | musojn | kaptis | la | knabo. |
| The | mice | caught | the | boy. |
| La | kokidon | manĝis | la | onklo. |
| The | chicken | ate | the | uncle. |
| La | bildon | pentris | la | pentristo. |
| The | picture | painted | the | painter. |
| La | fiŝojn | vendis | la | fiŝisto. |
| The | fish | sold | the | fisherman. |
In these sentences the subjects are at once seen to be hundo, kato, Johano, knabo, onklo, pentristo, fiŝisto, for the final n in patron, infanon, birdojn, musojn, kokidon, bildon, fiŝojn, distinguishes these words from the subject.
This use of n renders clear sentences that are not clear in English. "John loves Mary more than George" may mean "more than John loves George" or "more than George loves Mary." In Esperanto it is quite clear. "Johano amas Marion, pli ol Georgo" means "more than George loves Mary," because "Georgo" is the subject of the second (elliptical) sentence, but "Johano amas Marion, pli ol Georgon" means "more than John loves George," because the final n in Georgon shows this to be not the subject.
There are cases, however, in which it is not necessary to add n, the noun or pronoun being distinguished from the subject in another way. Examples are found in the first exercise:—Sur la tero kuŝas ŝtono, On the ground lies a stone. Antaŭ la pordo staras arbo, Before the door stands a tree. Notwithstanding their position, "ground" and "door" are seen to be not the subject, because before them are the words "on," "before," which connect them with the rest of the sentence—it is "on the ground," "before the door." So with other sentences.
The words on, before, and others given [in Lesson 26] are called prepositions