Ch 20 · Lesson 17Esperanto · Chapter 20 · Lesson 17 · Grammar primer
Abbreviations and numbers: ktp, s-ron, 3,14
Ktp, t.e., ekz. and bv.; titles that take endings, s-ron and n-rojn; and the decimal comma, so pi is 3,14.
The short version
ktp, s-ro, and the decimal comma
s-ron, ges-, 3,14, 5-a
Why?Hide
The working shorthand is short: ktp is (and so on), t.e. is , ekz. is , bv. is , n-ro is , and the titles are s-ro, s-, f-, d-ro. A full stop usually marks a word cut short, as in ekz. and prof., and is left out where a hyphen stands in for the missing middle. Endings attach straight onto the abbreviation. The decimal separator is a comma, so pi is 3,14, and an ordinal in digits is 5-a or 5a, both fine.
The abbreviations
| Short form | Full form | English |
|---|---|---|
ktp | | and so on, etc. |
t.e. | | that is, i.e. |
ekz. | | for example |
bv. | | please |
k.a. | | and others |
k.s. | | and the like |
n-ro | | No. |
s-ro | | Mr |
s- | | Mrs, Ms |
d-ro | | Dr |
prof. | | Prof. |
The full stops vary: PMEG writes k.t.p. and calls ktp just as good. The hyphen forms are in PMEG too (d-ro, s-ro). The usual pattern is a stop where the end of the word is cut off, as in ekz., and none where a hyphen stands in for the middle, as in s-ro.
The hyphen forms take endings, exactly like the full word:
s-ron Zamenhof.- I saw Mr Zamenhof.n-rojn 3 4.- See numbers 3 and 4.
When an abbreviation ends the sentence, write one full stop, not two: , k.t.p.
Numbers on the page
| Point | Esperanto | English |
|---|---|---|
| decimal | 3,14 | 3.14 |
| thousands | 10 000 000 or 10.000.000 | 10,000,000 |
| ordinal | 5-a or 5a | the 5th |
| a date | 5- | on the 5th of May |
Pi is read komo . PMEG writes ordinals as 23-a and calls 23a a perfectly good spelling too. A comma never groups thousands, because it is already the decimal mark; PMEG prefers thin spaces. The numbers themselves are in numbers, the dates in time expressions.
Going further: The comma marks the clause and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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