Hi,

I'm just learning the language, and I'm only up to lesson 6, so apologies if I've missed something obvious.

In this passage:
http://en.lernu.net/kursoj/ap/teksto.php?parto=6

"se mi sukcesos eniri tiun universitaton."
"If I succeed in entering that university" (I think)
I was confused by the presence of Tiun.

My reasoning was that since Kiu is Who, Iu is Someone, etc that -u refers to a person, so Tiun would be "that person"

If I have that right, why is a university being referred to as if it were of the same class? To me it seems that Tion would be more appropriate.

What have I missed?
Thanks

Ellimist0:

"se mi sukcesos eniri tiun universitaton."
"If I succeed in entering that university" (I think)
I was confused by the presence of Tiun.

My reasoning was that since Kiu is Who, Iu is Someone, etc that -u refers to a person, so Tiun would be "that person"

It does not necessarily refer to a person, but to an individual of a class.

Mi studas en tiu universitato.
En kiu urbo vi loĝas?
Li ludas per ĉiuj klavoj.

The words like "iu"/"kiu"/"tiu" usually come with a noun. Refering to a person, you often drop the noun.

Kiu [persono] estas tiu [persono]?
Ankoraŭ ne venis ĉiuj [personoj].
Neniu [persono] ĉeestas.

If I have that right, why is a university being referred to as if it were of the same class? To me it seems that Tion would be more appropriate.

No. The words like "io"/"kio"/"tio" never come with a noun.

Mi volas manĝi ion.
Mi ŝatas tion.
Li volas ĉion.
Nenio restas.
Kio okazis post la koncerto?

That makes sense, thanks johmue