Correlatives in the wild: tiu, kiu and the comma

In a paragraph, the correlatives are the joints. A ti- word holds a place in the main clause, and the matching ki- word opens the clause that fills it. The correlatives table builds the 45 words; this page puts them to work.

A ti- word holds the slot, a ki- word fills it

The two words match in kind: a person with a person, a place with a place, a time with a time.

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1. 1tiu, kiu
2. 2tie, kie
3. 3tiam, kiam
4. 4tiom, kiom

A person: tiu, kiu (the one who). A place: tie, kie (where). A clock: tiam, kiam (when). Coins: tiom, kiom (as much as).

The ki- word takes its -n from its own clause. In ĉio, kion li diris, the -n is there because it is the object of said, while everything is the subject of was true.

The ti- half can go when the sentence is short and clear. Most writers keep it:

• Mi faros, kion vi diros. - I will do what you say.
• Mi faros tion, kion vi diros. - I will do what you say.

The direction -n runs right through: tie is there, tien is to there, as in en la domon.

Where the commas go

The usual convention, and Zamenhof's own practice, is a comma before every ki- clause, however short. The Fundamento sets no comma rules:

• Mi ne scias, kion fari. - I do not know what to do.
• Kiam li venis, ni manĝis. - When he came, we ate.

English never puts a comma in I do not know what to do, so this is the comma learners drop most.