Kilo Lingo

Ch 2 · Lesson 16

Ĉi tiu, tiuj, tiun: this, and the endings

There is no word for this: pulls closer. And takes -j and -n like an adjective, , while takes -n only.

The short version

copies -j and -n like an adjective

.

I see those people.
Why?

Before a noun, behaves exactly like an adjective such as : it takes the plural -j and the accusative -n whenever its noun does. So it is for those people, and when that person is the object. takes -n but never -j.

ĉi: pulling that into this

There is no separate word for this. The particle drags a pointing word towards the speaker:

FarNear
that one this one
that this
there here
tiu homo (that person) becomes ĉi tiu homo (this person)
A speaker stands on the grass pointing at a cup right beside them; a listener a little way off has a second cup by their feet; a third, tiny cup sits far away on top of a green hill.

Two steps, not three: ĉi tiu for the cup by the speaker, plain tiu for the cup by the listener and the one on the hill alike.

can stand on either side. Both of these are correct:

  • . - This book is good.
  • . - This book is good.

on its own before a noun ( ) does turn up, but it is widely judged best avoided outside poetry. Give it its : .

Number and case: the part English does not prepare you for

takes the plural -j and the accusative -n, together when both apply. takes -n but never -j:

FormEsperantoEnglish
.Those gentlemen speak.
.I see that gentleman.
.I see those gentlemen.
.I did not say that.

The endings free the word order. Front the object for emphasis and the -n still says who sees whom:

Slot 1
Slot 2
Slot 3
.
.
  • . - I see that person.
  • . - THAT person is the one I see.

The rest of the ti- family

and are two cells of a column. The other common ones point at a place, a time, a manner or a kind:

WordEsperantoEnglish
.He is there.
.Then I came.
!Do not talk like that!
.I have never seen such a person.

All nine are in the correlative table.

Going further: Tiu: that one and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.

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Lesson 16 of 43 in this chapter

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