1. Many years ago we had a small house across the river. 2. We did not remain there during the entire year, but only in the warmer months of the summer. 3. Often we stayed until September or even until October. 4. My younger brothers and sisters amused themselves very well there from (the) morning until (the) evening. 5. They amused themselves among the flowers and trees, or went from there into the large fields. 6. Here the men work energetically, and harvest the ripe yellow grain. 7. Only on Sunday do they rest, because on that day one does not work. 8. Between August and November the men work more than in the winter. 9. In December and after that month they rest, for (83) from that time the frost, ice and snow cover the ground. 10. Because of the snow on the ground, long walks are not pleasant in the winter. 11. Recently (90) we went walking in the park across the river, but we were so tired after that walk! 12. The longer the walk is, the sooner one wishes to rest. 13. On Monday it rained, so (78) we read stories and wrote letters, in a pleasant light room in our house. 14. Before evening, however, the sun shone, and the streets were not so muddy. 15. On Tuesday these streets were almost dry, and soon the roads near the river and between the fields will also be dry. 16. A few years ago those roads were very good.
LESSON XXI.
THE ACCUSATIVE OF TIME.
91. Duration of time and a date or point in time may be expressed not only by use of the prepositions dum, during, and je, at, on, but also (as in English) without the use of any preposition. When no preposition is used, the word or words indicating time are put in the accusative case:
Li restis tie la tutan semajnon (dum la tuta semajno), he stayed there the whole week (during the whole week).
Ŝi estis feliĉa longan tempon (dum longa tempo), she was happy a long time (during a long time; for a long time).
Ni rajdos tagon kaj nokton (dum tago kaj nokto), we shall ride a day and a night (during a day and a night; for a day and a night).
Mi venis dimanĉon (je dimanĉo), I came Sunday (on Sunday).
Tiun horon (je tiu horo), li forkuris, that hour (at that hour) he escaped.
92. Although generally preferable, an accusative construction must be carefully placed, or avoided altogether, if confusion with other accusatives (expressing direction of motion, direct object, etc.) might result:
Mi volas iri Bostonon je lundo, I wish to go to Boston on Monday.
Mi volas iri al Bostono lundon, I wish to go to Boston Monday.
Lundon mi volas iri Bostonon, Monday I wish to go to Boston.
ADVERBS AND THE ACCUSATIVE OF TIME.
93. An accusative of time, as well as a temporal adverb, may further define or be defined by another expression of time:
Li venis longan tempon antaŭ tiu horo, he came a long time before that hour.
Jaron post jaro ili restis tie, year after year they stayed there.
hodiaŭ matene, this morning.
hodiaŭ vespere, this evening.
hodiaŭ nokte, tonight.
hieraŭ vespere, last evening.
hieraŭ nokte, last night.
dimanĉon matene, Sunday morning.
lundon vespere, Monday evening.
mardon nokte, Tuesday night.