Messages: 16
Language: English
Donniedillon (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 12:31:59 AM
Oŝo-Jabe (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 2:02:11 AM
Donniedillon:In English I can love my wife, love my dog, love my car, love a sunny day, and even love watching TV. Can I amas all of those things too, or would that be incorrect usage of ami ?"Ami" can be love for someone, something or some act. Generally it is only used for the love of people, and "ŝati" (to like) is used for the later two meanings.
I love my wife. Mi amas la edzinon.
I love my dog. Mi amas mian hundon.
I love sunny days. Mi ŝatas sunajn tagojn.
I love to watch television. Mi ŝatas spekti televidon.
("Ŝati" in classical Esperanto meant something closer to "to esteem," while "ami" was indeed used for all those meanings. That meaning of "ŝati" is now covered by "aprezi.")
mnlg (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 9:51:32 AM
However, in my experience, "ami" can be used just like "to love" in English, without being strictly incorrect. Oŝo-Jabe is also right, you can use ŝati or aprezi, and this is a more recent trend.
Rogir (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 10:00:39 AM
Frankouche (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 10:04:52 AM
Rogir:Mnlg, almost your 1000th post! What will you use this monumental post for?Por anonci novan retbildeton ?
mnlg (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 10:25:10 AM
Rogir:Mnlg, almost your 1000th post! What will you use this monumental post for?I want to keep it for something useful and important and... oh, right.
TetsuoTW (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 11:31:07 AM
"Ami" can be love for someone, something or some act. Generally it is only used for the love of people, and "ŝati" (to like) is used for the later two meanings.Admittedly I'm essentially a total newbie, but wouldn't ŝategi be closer to love in this sense?
jchthys (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 2:34:30 PM
TetsuoTW:I think so!"Ami" can be love for someone, something or some act. Generally it is only used for the love of people, and "ŝati" (to like) is used for the later two meanings.Admittedly I'm essentially a total newbie, but wouldn't ŝategi be closer to love in this sense?
ceigered (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 3:13:41 PM
mnlg:Hahaha I take it that was accidentally your 1000th post?Rogir:Mnlg, almost your 1000th post! What will you use this monumental post for?I want to keep it for something useful and important and... oh, right.
EDIT: Holy (censored) when did I break the 1k mark? And before you too?!
TetsuoTW:Admittedly I'm essentially a total newbie, but wouldn't ŝategi be closer to love in this sense?Sounds good. Never thought of it myself but now I reckon that when describing 'love' for something, 'ŝategi' might be best for inanimate objects, and 'ami' good for romantic interests. 'Ŝategi' for people would probably insinuate a great fondness, maybe a fraternal love, where as ami might indicate a deeper feeling or caring.
Was it the Greeks that had several words for love, each with a difference nuance?
mnlg (User's profile) September 8, 2009, 4:24:30 PM
ceigered:Hahaha I take it that was accidentally your 1000th post?Not accidental. I like round numbers as much as everyone, but I had nothing planned for my 1000th post...
EDIT: Holy (censored) when did I break the 1k mark? And before you too?!I have been out of the forums between november and april (I was going to say "during most of last autumn and winter", but then I thought that it might have confused you... [imitating Family Guy's Adam West:] damn you, southern hemispherians! Why did you have to reverse our seasons?), because of personal life issues; you might have capitalized from my absence! I still haven't cleared my backlog of messages to read, and there are forums I no longer visit. I don't think I will ever be able to be as active as I have been in the last two years or so.