The Esperanto Teacher: A Simple Course for Non-Grammarians Part 7

Sometimes we want to express a "supposition", to say that something "would" take place, supposing that something else, which is not likely to occur, were to do so, or that something "would have" taken place if something else which did not occur had done so. In this case the verb must end with "-us", as, If I were well (which I am not) I should be happy (which also I am not), "Se mi estus sana, mi estus felicxa". If he knew (supposition) that I am here (a fact) he would immediately come to me (supposition), "Se li scius, ke mi estas tie cxi, li tuj venus al mi". Compare the two following sentences:-- (i.). "Kvankam vi estas ricxa, mi dubas, cxu vi estas felicxa", Though you are (in fact) rich, I doubt whether you are (in fact) happy, (ii.). "Kvankam vi estus ricxa, mi dubas, cxu, vi estus felicxa", Though (supposing that) you were rich, I doubt whether you would be happy.

VOCABULARY.

lernanto : pupil. pen- : endeavour.

leciono : lesson. imit- : imitate, instruanto : teacher, kvazaux : as if.

sci- : know. io : something.

pun- : punish. efektive : really.

estim- : esteem. supren : upwards.

lev- : lift, raise. kvankam : though.

ten- : hold, keep. se : if.

Se la lernanto scius bone sian lecionon, la instruanto lin ne punus. Se vi scius, kiu li estas, vi lin pli estimus. Ili levis unu manon supren, kvazaux ili ion tenus. Se mi efektive estus bela, aliaj penus min imiti.

Ho! se mi jam havus la agxon de dekkvin jaroj!

LESSON 12.

When we tell of someone doing a certain action we often want to allude to some circ.u.mstance concerning that action, such as the time, or place, or manner in which it was done, that is, when, or where, or how it was done.

In the sentences--Yesterday I met your son, "Hieraux mi renkontis vian filon"; He will go in the evening, "Li iros vespere"; They sat there, "Ili sidis tie"; She will remain at home, "Sxi restos hejme"; Good children learn diligently, "Bonaj infanoj lernas diligente"; I will do it with pleasure, "Mi faros gxin plezure", the words "hieraux, vespere", show the time, "tie, hejme", show the place, and "diligente, plezure", show the manner of the action.

(Because these words relate to the verb they are called ADVERBS).

Adverbs may be formed from any word whose sense admits of it, and especially from adjectives, by means of the termination "e", as "bona", good, "bone", well; "antaux" before, "antauxe", previously or formerly; "mateno", morning, "matene", in the morning; "sekvi", to follow, "sekve", consequently.

When we want the adverb to show "direction towards" any place, time, etc., either actually or figuratively, "n" is added, as "Li alkuris hejmen", He ran home. "Ili levis unu manon supren", They raised one hand upwards. "Antauxen"! Forward! ("n" is also added to nouns to show direction towards. "Li eniris en la domon", He entered into the house).

Some adverbs are used with adjectives and other adverbs to show the "degree" of the quality, quant.i.ty, etc., as The paper is "very" white, La papero estas "tre" blanka. "Too" much speaking tires him, La "tro"

multa parolado lacigas lin. I am "as" strong "as" you, Mi estas "tiel"

forta, "kiel" vi (estas forta). He came "very" early, Li venis "tre"

frue.

The following words are in themselves adverbs, and need no special ending:--

VOCABULARY.

hodiaux : to-day. tre : very.

hieraux : yesterday. tro : too.

morgaux : to-morrow. tute : quite.

baldaux : soon. nur : only.

ankoraux : yet. nepre : surely, without fail.

jam : already. preskaux : nearly.

jxus : just (time). apenaux : scarcely.

nun : now. almenaux : at least.

tuj : immediately. ambaux : both.

denove : again, anew. ankaux : also.

cxi denotes proximity. ne : not.

jen : here, there, lo, behold. jes : yes.

for : away, forth. ja : indeed.

pli : more. ecx : even.

plej : most. cxu : whether, asks a question.

plu : further. ju ... des : the more...the more.

Comparisons are made with--

"pli...ol", more than: "Lakto estas pli nutra ol vino", Milk is more nutritious than wine.

"malpli...ol", less than: "Vino estas malpli nutra ol lakto", Wine is less nutritious than milk.

"la plej", the most, "la malplej", the least: "El cxiuj liaj amikoj Johano estas la plej sagxa, kaj Georgo la malplej sagxa", Of all his friends John is the wisest, and George the least wise.

"Ju pli...des pli", the more...the more: "Ju pli li lernas, des pli li deziras lerni", The more he learns, the more he wishes to learn.

"Ju malpli...des malpli", the less...the less: "Ju malpli li laboras, des malpli li ricevas", The less he works, the less he gets.

"Ju pli...des malpli", the more...the less: "Ju pli li farigxas granda, des malpli li estas forta", The taller he becomes, the less strong he is.

"Ju malpli...des pli", the less...the more: "Ju malpli li pensas, des pli li parolas", The less he thinks, the more he talks.

For comparisons of equality, as...as, so...as, see Lesson 20.

VOCABULARY.

pordo : door. sav- : save.

kontrakto : contract. dauxr- : last, continue.

pastro : pastor, priest. trancx- : cut.

fero : iron. ekrigard- : glance.

bastono : stick (rod). flu- : flow.

stacio : station. ag- : act (do).

stacidomo : station. logx- : live, lodge.

hejmo : home. brul- : burn (as a fire).

furio : fury. vetur- : ride (in a vehicle).

sxipano : sailor. aper- : appear.

kolero : anger. postul- : require, demand.

honesto : honesty. pendig- : hang (something) dangxero : danger. mort- : die.

koro : heart. malsana : ill.

oficisto : an official. varma : warm.

regxo : king. varmega : hot.

balo : ball, dance. frua : early.

humoro : humour. plue : further.

tempo : time. returne : back.

sinjorino : lady, Mrs. cxar : because, whereas.

ferm- : shut.

Resti kun leono estas dangxere. La trancxilo trancxas bone, cxar gxi estas akra. Iru pli rapide. Li fermis kolere la pordon. Lia parolo fluas dolcxe kaj agrable. Ni faris la kontrakton ne skribe, sed parole.

Honesta h.o.m.o agas honeste. La pastro, kiu mortis antaux nelonge (antaux ne longa tempo), logxis longe en nia urbo. Cxu vi gxin ne ricevis returne? Li estas morte malsana. La fera bastono, kiu kusxis en la forno, estas brule varmega. Parizo estas tre gaja. Matene frue sxi alveturis [Footnote: See Lesson 27.] al la stacidomo.

Pardonu al mi, ke mi restis tiel longe. Lia kolero longe dauxris. Li estas hodiaux en kolera humoro. La regxo baldaux denove sendis alian bonkoran oficiston. Hodiaux vespere ni havos balon. Kie vi estas? For de tie-cxi!