Messages: 23
Language: English
drsolution (User's profile) December 7, 2019, 3:58:42 PM
It is my understanding that the "n" is added to a direct object?
example
Did you drink a lot of milk?
but correct answer is/was
Ĉu vi trinkis multe da lakto?
Why not:
Ĉu vi trinkis multe da lakton?
or
Ĉu vi trinkis tro da biero hieraŭ?
why not
Ĉu vi trinkis tro da bieron hieraŭ?
but here:
I took the book out of his house.
is
Mi prenis la libron el lia domo.
any help appreciated
Thanks
S
nornen (User's profile) December 7, 2019, 6:39:23 PM
Multe doesn't mark accusative because it is an adverb.
Compare: Mi trinkis glason da lakto.
sergejm (User's profile) December 7, 2019, 8:00:33 PM
Ĉu vi trinkis multan lakton?
Ĉu vi trinkis troan bieron hieraŭ?
Zam_franca (User's profile) December 7, 2019, 9:51:13 PM
nornen:The words lakto and biero are governed by the proposition da which doesn't assign accusative.Kompare, ĉu ne? Ĉu ne estas "trinki glaso da lakto"? Mi lernis, eble aĉe, tiun regulon.
Multe doesn't mark accusative because it is an adverb.
Compare: Mi trinkis glason da lakto.
nornen (User's profile) December 7, 2019, 9:56:50 PM
Zam_franca:Compare in English.nornen:The words lakto and biero are governed by the proposition da which doesn't assign accusative.Kompare, ĉu ne? Ĉu ne estas "trinki glaso da lakto"? Mi lernis, eble aĉe, tiun regulon.
Multe doesn't mark accusative because it is an adverb.
Compare: Mi trinkis glason da lakto.
It is trinki glason. Direct object.
sergejm (User's profile) December 7, 2019, 9:58:55 PM
Zam_franca (User's profile) December 7, 2019, 10:09:44 PM
sergejm:La vorto post "da" neniam estas en akuzativo, sed la vorto antaŭ ĝi povas esti en akuzativo, do "trinki glason da lakto"Nu, dankon, mi do erarumis.
drsolution (User's profile) December 8, 2019, 12:36:36 PM
Is there any guide/book that sets the rules?
sergejm (User's profile) December 8, 2019, 2:06:53 PM
If you have a doubt, look at Tekstaro.com, vortaro.net, revo, mpeg etc. or ask here.
Metsis (User's profile) December 8, 2019, 4:49:18 PM
There is a course La teorio Nakamura here at Lernu and a grammar section here at Lernu. The course is based on so called Zagreb method, i.e. it gradually teaches the five hundred most used word roots, the most used roots and the basic grammar. IIRC the Zagreb method covers over 95% vocabulary required for normal, non-scientific conversation and teaches how to use that vocabulary.
The grammar section lists the grammar rules in a more compound form. I recommend learning the rules during the course and later, if necessary, check them in the grammar lesson.
Both the course and grammar section are available in many languages, incl. English. Just select the language at lower left corner.
You said that you use Duolingo. Are you aware that there are differences between the Duolingo app for mobile devices and Duolingo on web-browsers? One of the biggest is, that the former has no grammar lessons, while the later has. On a web-browser version there are lessons between the topics taught. So if possible use a web-browser when you go through the Duolingo learning tree for the first time. On the plus side in Duolingo one must count the possibility to discuss about every exercise.
Having said that I still recommend Lernu over Duolingo at the very beginning, because the later, eh... how to put this diplomatically, is more US English oriented than is advisable for a learning platform for the whole world.
Finally there is a posting in Duolingo, which explains when to use the accusative case, i.e. the n ending. Note, there is an error in the listing given at the end of the posting. Look for my comment in the discussion there
