Ch 15 · Lesson 10Esperanto · Chapter 15 · Lesson 10 · Grammar primer
Anstataŭ and krom: whose role?
means I was the one left out; with means besides, in a negative sentence except. Two prepositions that leave the role open.
The short version
and are not the same
.
Why?Hide
The -n after is not a slip. does not say whose role was taken, so -n can show it was the object's. : the writing was my job. : I am the one who went uninvited. can take it too, but there it is almost never needed. Where nothing is unclear, plain is all you need.
, .
Why?Hide
means both except and besides, and the sentence decides. : everyone except him. , : besides him, she came too. With , or it means besides; in a negative sentence without them, except. and are the unmistakable long forms.
anstataŭ: whose place?
(instead of) says that something else took the role, but not which role. With a subject and an object both in play, -n can show that the replaced person was the object:
.- He wrote the letter instead of me (I would have written it)..- She invited him instead of me (I would have been invited).
Zamenhof's own pair, quoted in PMEG:
Petro Paŭlon Vilhelmo.- Petro, not Vilhelmo, hit Paŭlo.Petro Paŭlon Vilhelmon.- Petro hit Paŭlo, not Vilhelmo.
Another preposition can do the same job: . - He did it for her sake instead of mine. Where nothing is unclear, plain is all you need: , .
krom: except or besides
means both except and besides. The rest of the sentence decides:
| Signal | Example | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| . | except: he did not come |
| a negative | . | except: only she knows |
| , . | besides: both came |
When it must be unmistakable, use the long forms: is only except him, only besides him.
A -n after is possible for an object ( ), but PMEG calls it practically always superfluous, though not wrong: context almost never leaves doubt.
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| | no -n after |
| | |
. | . | he would be a subject: no -n |
| | |
Going further: je: the preposition with no meaning and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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